At Source, we’re lucky enough to read and review a huge number of thought leadership materials every year, giving us real insight into what works. Our recent White Space Quality Ratings Review (QRR) surfaced some of top quality, high-impact examples of thought leadership published by professional services firms in 2024 —and they’re too good not to share! The first in our series spotlighting best practice is Capgemini’s “A world in balance”, which received the top score from our reviewers. Read on , or download this summary, to find out why we were so impressed.
The third edition of Capgemini Research Institute’s “A world in balance” series, Accelerating sustainability amidst geopolitical challenges, is a research-backed examination of the progress organisations have made in environmental and social sustainability in the three years prior. Targeted specifically at the CSO, the report carefully balances insight on the challenges faced by businesses and the recommended actions that this audience should take to overcome them.
A strong example of using unique tactics to differentiate the piece in a crowded space…
The opening to the report works hard to ensure that the desired audience is instantly aware of what it stands to gain from investing time into reading through a unique page dedicated to “who should read this report and why?”, a tool the firm is increasingly using.
Despite this being a heavily saturated topic, Capgemini’s objective annual progress tracking (rather than progress pointing) and inclusion of both organisational and consumer perspectives make this piece stand out above the usual corporate angle taken on sustainability.
Creativity in visuals and tone of voice maximises appeal for the audience…
An interactive executive summary sits front and centre on the landing page—which itself is compelling. The content of the summary successfully promotes the credibility of the research and provides a set of thought-provoking questions that wouldn’t fail to encourage the curious or data-hungry reader to continue. For the time pressed, there is also a downloadable infographic, which summarises the key data points and messages from the report. If we were to suggest an area for improvement, it would be to bring this to life with a more creative and visually appealing presentation of data.
The tone of voice and simple but effective use of section headings and sub-titles help maintain pace and engagement throughout. Of particular note are the “Discussion with…” elements, which not only bring voices of the market into the narrative but also neatly complement the research.
The piece’s impressive data collection and robust analysis demonstrate credibility…
The backbone of this report is a solid dataset of survey responses from 2,152 executives, as well as research into the traits of 6,500 consumers and 12 qualitative interviews. All of these are described in a comprehensive methodology, which charts the demographics of respondents and provides secondary data point references. The subsequent analysis is strong and goes beyond just relaying the data points, resulting in an excellent research-backed narrative and high level of insight.
Detailed recommendations and a strong commercial link strengthen the likelihood of audience engagement…
An exemplary chapter is dedicated to Capgemini’s recommendations, which not only outlines the suggested actions and brings them to life with short, real-world examples, but also provides data evidence that supports the suggestions. That said, the actions could be more granular and more tailored to the individual roles or groups being targeted, and the conclusion could be “beefed up” to drive action within an audience’s business.
Many organisations shy away from describing the services they offer that align with their recommendations. But Capgemini’s decision to showcase their relevant offerings at each stage of an organisation’s sustainability journey, aligned to the roles most associated with those stages, successfully demonstrates the firm’s relevance and capabilities without being overtly salesy.
When asked about how this has landed in the market, Marisa Slatter, Director at the Capgemini Research Institute, said: “Our ‘World in balance’ annual report series was designed by our marketing team to create a unique Capgemini sustainability narrative and complement our existing thought leadership portfolio. This third edition introduced several key innovations for us: the inclusion of three years of data for year-over-year comparisons, high-level executive interviews with chief sustainability officers, and the creation of a new sustainability index assessing progress at both country and sector levels. Combined with consumer insights, this comprehensive approach provides a unique 360-degree view of sustainability and organisational progress. The report has sparked high-impact conversations with clients, especially during major events like New York Climate Week, demonstrating its value as a powerful engagement tool.”
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