ABSTRACT

Despite all the evidence demonstrating the evolving and heightened sustainability expectations of consumers, many companies still find it hard to be transparent in their business practices – often due to a combination of factors including an insular corporate culture, convoluted and overly complex working practices and contractor relationships, an overly defensive legal strategy and a communication framework aimed at protecting reputation at the expense of building relationships. It’s no wonder then that brands tend to embrace greater transparency only after coming under attack by consumers, the media, regulators and activists – often feeding off each other. This chapter explains how companies must demonstrate radical transparency in their operations and communications if they are to win the trust of a public that quickly learns when companies get things wrong. And it explores how McDonald’s, Chipotle, Nike and Intel have come to appreciate the power of radical transparency in improving their reputation and credibility.