Step 1: Get Started
This template adds the ability to incorporate inspired impact storytelling with enhanced visuals, and is a good fit for product-focused businesses. A quick piece of advice — try not to overwrite; this will allow your key messages to get through to the reader (and help ensure that your entire report is read). So, where we’ve given recommended word and character counts, try to stick with them. It takes more work editing, but we promise you — it’s worth it!
Pro Tips:
- Try to fill out Steps 1-6 as best you can before proceeding to the final preview. Previewing the report early in the report creation process (without much or any content) has a higher likelihood of errors or crashes in this beta version, which we’re improving knowing it’s helpful to review as you go. If you run into any “crashes” or errors, please let us know at support@unitofimpact.com and take note of any error messages (if possible) or the step you were attempting to edit. This info can be helpful for our support team to quickly resolve any issues.
- Images: Uploading multiple images within a step can take a bit longer to finish. Try one at a time and resize to a decent file size (somewhere under 2MB is a good goal).
- Example of a completed impact report: https://unitofimpact.com/unitco/impact-reports/2023-impact-report/
Brand
Logo
Your logo will appear on a color background, which will be your brand’s primary color, so be sure to upload a version that will look good on this color background and has sufficient contrast.
- Recommended Image Size: Minimum 600px by 300px
- Format: Transparent PNG
Primary Color
This color will be used for the site header, headlines, behind the “annual highlights” section, and the footer of your report. It’s best to use a darker, more saturated color for readability.
Secondary Color
This color will be used as highlights throughout your report. Lighter colors work well for secondary colors.
Step 2: Company Impact
Background Image
You’ll have the opportunity to add this in Step 7: Preview & Review!
Global Statement About Annual Impact (Headline)
Be concise — for best results, try to use 8-12 words, or a maximum of 60 characters. Lead with a bold theme that highlights your impact. This is also your impact report’s H1 header, which means that it optimizes user experience by making it easier for search engines to accurately index your website. So be sure to include keywords that are relevant to your site content.
Example: “This year our team rallied to create record impact”
Global Statement About Annual Impact (Paragraph)
Expand a little about your impact for this year. It can be simply one sentence or a short paragraph. Think of it as the introduction to your story, with one key point that made this specific year unique.
Purpose/Mission Statement
Your purpose (or mission) statement guides everything — including this impact report.
This will read best when it is displays across no more than two lines — that means it should (hopefully!) be limited to 18-24 words, or a maximum of 250 characters.
Example: “Our purpose at ACME CORP is to use the power of our business to create wellness in our community.”
Values
Add each of your company’s values on its own line.
Public Benefit We Provide
Briefly describe the impact your company makes in the world. Keep it around 50-60 words, or a maximum of 500 characters.
Here’s your opportunity to reinforce the specific public benefit or impact you are creating. You can use this area to present the impact business model or framework that guides your work. Examples of business models are Mission Driven, Buy One, Give One, Certified B Corps, and Co-ops, as well as others. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an example of an impact framework.
Example: “We are driven by our mission to advocate for gender equality and catalyze climate action in our community.”
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Select only the goals that truly apply to your organization. Remember: Focus is a powerful tool and less is more.
Keep in mind that 4 SDG blocks display across one line. If you select more than four blocks, your SDGs will extend to a second line.
Here are a few resources that may help:
- The SDG Compass is a guide developed specially to educate businesses about the way they can participate in the SDGs.
- Read our blog post about how the SDGs benefit the measurement and reporting of business impact
Step 3: Letter to Stakeholders
Here’s your opportunity to personalize your impact with a letter to stakeholders from your CEO, Founder, or Owner. For benefit corporations, this can also serve to satisfy the legal requirement for a Benefit Directors’ Statement and must also include the name and email for the director or officer.
Letter From
Examples: “our CEO” or “the Founders”
Letter Opening
Keep this short and sweet — we recommend a maximum of 40 characters.
Example: “To our valued stakeholders,”
Letter Content
This letter is designed to be succinct. For visual design, it ideally should contain no more than 2-3 paragraphs.
Signatory Name
This name will appear beneath the signature.
Signature
If you want the signature to display in color, please colorize it before uploading. Also, make sure the signature is not tilted or rotated so that it will display neatly. Transparent PNG file works best; a JPG file with a white background works, too!
Pro Tip: Don’t skip this step. It makes a big difference to have a signature as it does that personal touch.
- Recommended Image Size: 400px by 150px
- Format: Transparent PNG
Image to Accompany Letter
A headshot of the person who wrote the letter works best here. Could also be a group photo.
- Recommended Image Size: Minimum 540 px by 540 px
- Format: A vertical orientation works best for the image here
Step 4: Annual Highlights
This section is “At a Glance” — an effective way to quickly highlight a couple examples of the cool stuff your company achieved over the year. Think about your “highs” from impact created to product wins to customer testimonials.
Headline
Keep this brief – a few words will do (a maximum of 50 characters)
Annual Highlights #1 and 2
Short and sweet. It’s best to keep the titles to 5-6 words long to fit onto 1 line.
Keep in mind that the two highlights are individual short blurbs.
Pro Tip: Use two stories here. Do not try to cram one long story into this format. It will not read quite right. For design, keeping both highlights the same length looks best!
Example: Recognized as a “Best Workplace for Working Mothers.”
By the Numbers
Let your numbers do the talking. Add up to 4 stats about any of your impacts. You get to decide what data to showcase in this section. It’s 100% flexible, so you can feature the data points that matter most to your organization.
Keep the numbers themselves under 6 characters. Abbreviate large numbers like 1,000 to 1K and 1,000,000 to 1M.
The captions should be between 3-8 words, or a maximum of 60 characters.
Testimonial
If you choose to, you can add a testimonial from a happy customer, employee, or partner here.
Make sure to cite a person speaking, even if it’s just “a recent customer”.
Quote Text
The body copy for your quote should run from 30-50 words or a maximum of 300 characters.
If you choose not to upload a featured image for the quote, the quote will display the full width of the row and a longer quote may work well.
Quote Cite
This is where you’ll attribute the quote to a person. Add their name and/or their connection to your organization.
Featured Image (Optional)
Recommended Image Size: Upload a headshot to accompany the quote, recommend image size is 300×300.
Format: A headshot is ideal, and the image will display as a circle. Please upload a square image for best results.
Step 5: Stories of Impact
Whether your brand personality is modest or bold, here’s your opportunity to share your stories of specific impact. Humans identify with the narrative storytelling form, and this story is what will make your stakeholders remember you. It goes beyond the numbers and allows you to convey the context and emotion of the change you’re working to make. Plus, it’s a good way to knit in other organizations that help you create a halo effect for your brand and amplify storytelling through their networks.
Keep each individual story short and sweet, and focus on one key message.
Impact Areas
Which impact areas do you want to include on your impact report? Community, Environment, People, Partnerships?
Impact Stories
There are 2 different layout options for stories: text & image or quotes.
Text & Image
Heading
Your headline works best when it is between 6-12 words or 50-100 characters.
Text
The body copy for your story should run from 75-100 words or a maximum of 500 characters.
Featured Image
Pro tip: Keeping all your images in the Impact Stories section exactly the same size really helps the design look sharp. The suggested orientation throughout this section is either square or rectangle, sized to match from story to story.
- Recommended Image Size: Minimum 768px wide for high-resolution display.
- Format: Horizontal rectangular images work best. If you have a longer story, a square or vertical image may work nicely as it will fit the space best. You’ll just need to play around with the design and preview it to see.
Quote
Quote Text
The body copy for your quote should run from 30-50 words or a maximum of 300 characters.
If you choose not to upload a featured image for the quote, the quote will display the full width of the row and a longer quote may work well.
Featured Image (Optional)
Pro tip: Keeping all your images in the Impact Stories section exactly the same size really helps the design look sharp. The suggested orientation throughout this section is either square or rectangle, sized to match from story to story.
- Recommended Image Size: Minimum 768px wide for high-resolution display.
- Format: Horizontal rectangular images work best. If you have a longer quote, a square or vertical image may work nicely as it will fit the space best. You’ll just need to play around with the design and preview it to see.
Step 6: Goals & Footer
Goals Headline
Keep this short and sweet — we recommend a maximum of 40 characters.
Goals Text
Give your stakeholders a roadmap with your goals and objectives for the upcoming year and the future.
There is a lot of flexibility in how you structure your goals for the next year. Feel free to create a numbered or bulleted list of specific goals. You can also write a short paragraph about one key initiative or program your company will be focusing on achieving.
Goals Image
- Recommended Image Size: Minimum 768px wide for high-resolution display.
- Format: A horizontal, rectangular image works best here.
Public Benefits And Disclosures
Check out our guide for state-by-state requirements for annual benefit report content.
Certifications
You can manage the logos that appear in this section by going to Impacts > Governance in your Unit of Impact account. Pay extra attention to the year tab selected and make sure it matches the report year.
Footer Logo
You’ll be able to change this on the next step, Preview & Review!
Note: Be sure this logo is visible on your report color choice.
Footer Button
Pro tip: Use this button to direct people to sign up for your newsletter or otherwise get involved.
Text
Make it clear what happens when someone clicks this button. (i.e. “Sign up for our newsletter”)
Social Media
Add links to your company’s social media pages.
Step 7: Preview & Review
Take a look at the impact report you’ve created and make changes using the edit buttons.
Specific areas of note are highlighted below:
Impact Section
By default, this section’s background color will be the primary brand color you selected in Step 1: Get Started. Click the edit button to optionally upload a background image.
Since there will text overlaid over this image, it works best not to have faces or people in the background as they hamper readability. It’s also good to avoid photos with text or writing in the background for the same reason.
Images with textures, street scenes, and products work best.
When in doubt or lacking images, a solid color or abstract background will work well, too.
- Recommended Image Size: 72 dpi; 1500px wide by 600px.
- Format: A horizontal orientation works best for this image. Keep in mind, the photo goes full width but the left side is where the subject matter should be. If it’s important to show a specific section of the photo, crop it first before uploading.
