The aim was to make the reports efficient and visually standardised despite the new requirements. A key innovation was the switch of the sustainability report to SmartNotes - a disclosure management system based on Word and Excel that supports companies in generating financial and sustainability reports directly from the relevant data sources. This decision was made not only for procedural reasons, but also in preparation for the introduction of the new European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). These regulations, which require integrated reporting, are not yet in force, which is why Henkel continued to favour separate publication of the sustainability report for the 2024 financial year. However, the switch to SmartNotes has already laid the technical foundation for future adjustments to the regulatory requirements.

To ensure a smooth transition to SmartNotes, close collaboration between the teams involved was essential. Targeted training was provided, especially for new employees who were working with the system for the first time. At the same time, layout specifications and formatting guidelines were developed to ensure that the report remained visually appealing despite the system-related limitations. The merging of the "Henkel Highlights" publication with the sustainability magazine also required a redesign of the content in order to convey the key topics clearly and concisely. The targeted structuring of the content and the optimised use of tables and graphics created an intuitive and clear design.

Thanks to the coordinated cooperation of all parties involved, the Annual Report, the Sustainability Report and the "Henkel Highlights" publication were published on time. The successful conversion of the sustainability report to SmartNotes not only optimised the publication process for this year, but also created a solid foundation for future adaptation to the ESRS regulations. The end result: a modern, professional and clearly structured reporting system that perfectly emphasises Henkel's strategic direction.