Domain H · Area H-CA2 · Communication, collaboration, supervision and professional development

H.7Communicate technical reporting matters to diverse audiences

Working Draft version 1.1

Purpose and scope

This unit covers the capability to communicate sustainability reporting requirements, evidence, judgements, risks, limitations and decisions clearly to data owners, specialists, management, governance bodies, investors, affected functions and other audiences. It includes audience and purpose analysis, technical translation, written and oral briefing, listening, questions, visual and accessible communication, cultural and language considerations and accurate decision and action summaries.

Applied competency statement

Can communicate technical sustainability reporting matters clearly, accurately and appropriately to diverse audiences and produce decision-useful briefings, presentations and action records without oversimplifying material uncertainty or responsibility.

Boundary and escalation

This unit owns professional technical translation, audience adaptation, listening and decision communication. D.6 owns operating coordination, H.8 owns facilitation and negotiation and G.10 owns public reporting accessibility and navigation. It does not replace specialist engagement, legal disclosure, investor-relations authority, certified translation or formal accessibility assessment.

Key quality risks

One technical explanation used for every audience; jargon or standard citations without practical meaning; simplification that removes uncertainty, scope or limitation; overly detailed material obscuring the decision; visual or language barriers; management and governance bodies not told what decision or action is required; investor-facing wording inconsistent with the technical record; questions and dissent not captured; and communication used to persuade rather than inform fairly.

Required knowledge · 6

H.7-K01

Understands differences among information, consultation, decision, approval, escalation, training and public-disclosure purposes and the needs and authority of different audiences.

Knowledge Type: Audience and purpose · Normative Weight: Core

H.7-K02

Understands how to explain requirements, methods, evidence, controls, judgement, uncertainty and implications in plain and accurate language without changing meaning.

Knowledge Type: Technical translation · Normative Weight: Core

H.7-K03

Understands briefing notes, decision papers, presentations, dashboards, questions, meeting summaries, action records and appropriate structure and level of detail.

Knowledge Type: Written and oral communication · Normative Weight: Core

H.7-K04

Understands active listening, clarification, questioning, checking understanding, dissent, feedback and the distinction between hearing views and agreeing with them.

Knowledge Type: Listening and dialogue · Normative Weight: Core

H.7-K05

Understands language, culture, role, technical literacy, power, disability, format, visual and remote-participation considerations and when specialist support is required.

Knowledge Type: Inclusion and accessibility · Normative Weight: Core

H.7-K06

Understands source and version control, consistent terminology, confidentiality, market sensitivity, approved messages, decision authority and the need to retain questions, actions and unresolved matters.

Knowledge Type: Accuracy and governance · Normative Weight: Core

Applied skills · 5

H.7-S01

Analyse the audience, purpose, decision, technical complexity, sensitivity, format and communication constraints.

Skill Type: Core applied capability · Observable Output or Result: Audience, purpose and communication plan

H.7-S02

Translate reporting requirements, evidence, methods, judgements and limitations into clear audience-appropriate language and visuals.

Skill Type: Technical explanation · Observable Output or Result: Technical briefing note and presentation

H.7-S03

Listen, ask and answer questions, test understanding and surface disagreement, uncertainty and information needs.

Skill Type: Dialogue and understanding · Observable Output or Result: Question and clarification record

H.7-S04

State the decision, options, recommendation, evidence, limitations, owner, action and deadline clearly.

Skill Type: Decision communication · Observable Output or Result: Decision, question and action summary

H.7-S05

Check the communication against authoritative sources and approved records and obtain legal, specialist or owner review where required.

Skill Type: Consistency and review · Observable Output or Result: Communication quality and approval record

Professional behaviours · 3

H.7-B01

Does not oversimplify technical matters in a way that removes material qualification, uncertainty or responsibility.

Behaviour Type: Clarity without distortion · Non-compensable Requirement: No

H.7-B02

Adapts communication to diverse audiences and creates reasonable opportunity for questions, clarification and dissent.

Behaviour Type: Respectful inclusion · Non-compensable Requirement: No

H.7-B03

Does not use selective evidence, jargon, presentation design or authority to manipulate the audience toward a preferred conclusion.

Behaviour Type: Fair and accurate purpose · Non-compensable Requirement: No

Typical tasks · 4

H.7-T01

Define the audience, purpose, required decision or action, technical content, sensitivity and communication format.

Primary Output Link: H.7-O01

H.7-T02

Prepare and review a clear technical briefing, presentation or explanatory material with appropriate evidence and visuals.

Primary Output Link: H.7-O02

H.7-T03

Deliver or facilitate the communication, listen, answer questions, check understanding and record dissent and information needs.

Primary Output Link: H.7-O03

H.7-T04

Issue an accurate decision and action summary and retain approvals, versions, unresolved matters and follow-up.

Primary Output Link: H.7-O03

Expected outputs · 3

H.7-O01

Audience, purpose and communication plan

Output Type: Professional work product

H.7-O02

Technical briefing note and presentation

Output Type: Professional work product

H.7-O03

Decision, question and action summary

Output Type: Professional work product

Proficiency indicators

Level 1 · Foundation

H.7-L1-01

Can prepare and deliver established briefing materials for a defined audience and maintain question and action records.

Indicator Dimension: Task execution

H.7-L1-02

Can identify obvious jargon, ambiguity, missing decision, inconsistent message or accessibility issue and seek review.

Indicator Dimension: Quality, judgement and accountability

Level 2 · Practitioner

H.7-L2-01

Can independently design and deliver communication for a moderately complex technical reporting matter to several internal or external audiences.

Indicator Dimension: Task execution

H.7-L2-02

Can adapt detail and format, handle questions and disagreement and explain uncertainty, options and actions accurately.

Indicator Dimension: Quality, judgement and accountability

Level 3 · Advanced Practitioner

H.7-L3-01

Can design or critically review organisation-wide technical communication and decision-briefing methods across complex, sensitive and multilingual reporting contexts.

Indicator Dimension: Method design and review

H.7-L3-02

Can communicate high-consequence judgements and concerns to senior governance and external audiences, resolve misunderstanding and design and advise on organisation-wide standards for accuracy, inclusion and decision usefulness.

Indicator Dimension: Leadership and governance

Illustrative evidence · 6

H.7-E01

Audience, purpose and communication plan.

Evidence Type: Work product

H.7-E02

Technical briefing note and presentation.

Evidence Type: Work product

H.7-E03

Decision, question and action summary.

Evidence Type: Work product

H.7-E04

Source, version, delivery, question, feedback, approval and follow-up trail.

Evidence Type: Process evidence

H.7-E05

Documented audience, communications, legal, specialist, accessibility or management review and the practitioner's response.

Evidence Type: Review evidence

H.7-E06

Observed presentation, briefing or explanation to a simulated or actual audience.

Evidence Type: Observed performance

Assessment · 3

H.7-A-L1

Briefing preparation, plain-language exercise and situational judgement

Technical accuracy; clarity; decision and action focus; recognition of sensitivity and accessibility issues.

H.7-A-L2

Integrated multi-audience communication case and observed presentation

Audience analysis; technical translation; listening and questions; accuracy, uncertainty and action recording.

H.7-A-L3

Complex high-stakes communication case, portfolio and oral defence

Method design; accuracy under pressure; inclusion and authority; senior communication and oral defence.

Relationships · 7

From	To	Type	Rationale
D.6	H.7	Professional conduct and collaboration linkage	Cross-functional delivery depends on audience-appropriate explanation of technical reporting needs.
H.7	D.6	Operational and workflow linkage	Cross-functional delivery depends on accurate audience-appropriate technical communication.
H.7	G.3	Governance and role linkage	Governance, strategy and risk connectivity should be communicated in decision-useful form.
H.7	G.4	Method, data and analytical linkage	Financial connectivity requires clear communication across sustainability, finance and governance functions.
H.7	G.10	Disclosure, claims and publication linkage	Professional communication and public reporting should consider accessibility and user findability.
H.7	H.8	Professional conduct and collaboration linkage	Clear communication, listening and decision summaries support facilitation and responsible resolution.
H.8	H.7	Professional conduct and collaboration linkage	Technical translation, listening and clear action summaries support collaborative resolution.

Role profiles for this unit

Role	Target level	Relevance	Evidence expectation
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Practitioner	Practitioner	Required?	A case or work sample demonstrating independent performance, documented judgement and a reviewable professional output.
Sustainability Reporting Manager or Lead	Advanced Practitioner	Role-defining?	A complex case or verified portfolio, supplemented by oral or observed defence, demonstrating method design, challenge and governance capability.
Sustainability Reporting Adviser or Consultant	Advanced Practitioner	Role-defining?	A complex case or verified portfolio, supplemented by oral or observed defence, demonstrating method design, challenge and governance capability.
Sustainability Data, Systems and Controls Specialist	Practitioner	Required?	A case or work sample demonstrating independent performance, documented judgement and a reviewable professional output.
Assurance Readiness and Reporting Quality Specialist	Practitioner	Required?	A case or work sample demonstrating independent performance, documented judgement and a reviewable professional output.
Investor, Capital Markets and Ratings Disclosure Specialist	Advanced Practitioner	Role-defining?	A complex case or verified portfolio, supplemented by oral or observed defence, demonstrating method design, challenge and governance capability.