Challenge
Go beyond compliance reporting
Mercer international is a leading global producer of pulp, lumber, cross-laminated timber, and green energy.
They operate across Germany, Canada, and the United States, with a workforce and footprint as diverse as their markets. When they approached Echo, they were preparing to publish their first-ever sustainability report.
But Mercer didn’t want to produce a generic document filled with numbers and fine print.
Yes, they needed to meet ESG and regulatory requirements. But they also wanted to tell the story of why sustainability mattered and how it had long shaped their business.
The leadership team saw this as a chance to capture something bigger: their ethos, not just their metrics.
They wanted a report that would:
- Be grounded in truth and transparency
- Showcase human stories behind sustainability
- Reflect Mercer’s unique values and cross-continental voice
- And help formalize the Mercer Way for the first time in writing
It wasn’t a marketing piece. It was a strategic declaration intended to build internal alignment and external trust.
Solution
A bilingual, values-led series
We began by interviewing key Mercer leaders across disciplines and continents to understand how they defined sustainability in practice.
That input gave shape to the Mercer Way: a long-standing philosophy of responsible business practices that encompass sustainability, safety, financial responsibility, and strong leadership, as described by Mercer’s VP of Sustainability, Bill Adams.
This framework became the backbone of the report. And it has guided every edition since.
The inaugural report — titled Fit for Future — was published in English and German, ensuring accessibility across the company’s major operating regions.
Editorially, we focused on human stories and operational insight:
- The environmental significance of process water
- Mercer’s efforts around employee safety and Indigenous partnerships
- Forward-looking investments in clean energy and circular systems
Design supported the storytelling with:
- Clean, modern layouts
- Bold colour fields and custom infographics
- Accessible navigation across complex material
- Photography that celebrated the people and places behind the products
This wasn’t compliance reporting with a pretty cover. It was a story-first approach to corporate transparency.
Result
Three reports and a shared philosophy
Fit for Future was met with enthusiasm inside and outside Mercer.
Employees saw their values reflected. Partners saw Mercer’s commitment in full colour. And leaders saw how a well-told story could support cultural alignment across countries and departments.
The book became more than a report. It became a touchstone.
Since that first edition, Mercer has returned to Echo twice to produce updated reports, each one building on the Mercer Way. Each one balancing data, strategy, and story.
It’s now a core part of how the company shares its progress, educates its teams, and articulates its goals.
It’s also a great read.
One more cool thing...
It started with the Mercer Way
When we first sat down with Mercer’s leadership, sustainability wasn’t new to them.
What was new was the chance to say it clearly, to say it together, and to say it in a way that would resonate across borders.
That’s where the Mercer Way came in.
By giving voice to their collective values — and linking those values to measurable action — Mercer turned its sustainability reporting into something lasting and strategic.
And they didn’t just say it once. They’ve made it part of every edition since.
Looking to tell your sustainability story with clarity, credibility, and purpose?
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