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Five IOP clients recognized at the 62nd GDUSA Design Awards

November 21, 2025

Five IOP clients have been named winners at the 62nd Design Awards from Graphic Design USA. The Design Awards is GDUSA’s flagship “end-of-year, best-of-year” competition. This year, they received over 6,000 entries from companies across industries in the U.S., recognizing only the top 10% as winners. Our recognized work includes Annual, Impact, and Sustainability Reports for clients including Stanley Black & Decker, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Hilton Global Foundation, Brilliant Earth, and Dominion Energy. 

IOP client recognized at the 2025 Anthem Awards

November 18, 2025

We are thrilled to share that IOP’s longtime client, Oshkosh Corporation, has been selected as a Bronze Winner at the 5th Annual Anthem Awards for their 2024 Sustainability Report.

Oshkosh’s recognition in the Sustainability, Environment & Climate category is a prestigious honor presented to organizations whose work focuses on environmental-related issues, including concerns for environmental conservation and the improvement of the state of the environment and all living things. The Anthem Awards consider over 2,000 submissions from nearly 50 countries around the world which are reviewed and voted over 10,000 times by jurors and Anthem Community Voice supporters.

Presented by the Webby Awards, the Anthem Awards is the largest and most comprehensive social impact award. Now in its fifth year, it was created specifically to celebrate purpose and mission-driven work from people, companies, and organizations across the globe.

Ideas On Purpose is an Inc. 2025 Power Partner 

November 5, 2025

We are pleased to announce that Ideas On Purpose has been honored by the 2025 Inc. Power Partners Awards. Determined by client endorsement gathered independently by Inc., the Power Partners list is a highly competitive and prestigious honor that recognizes the top B2B organizations whose client relationships and track record of excellence drive growth and innovation across industries. We’re in tremendous company with our fellow honorees, and we are continuously grateful to our clients for their trust and partnership.

Michelle M. Marks to speak at Sustainable Business Council

October 13, 2025



Michelle will to join a panel on Communicating Sustainability and the Role of Storytelling at the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council Conference on November 5, 2025.

As sustainability becomes more complex and politically sensitive, how we communicate about it is more important than ever. This session explores the evolving landscape of sustainability messaging, from shifts in corporate communication to the growing influence of storytelling, data visualization, and even audio. Discover how organizations can craft authentic narratives, tailor messages for diverse audiences, and use subtle design cues to encourage sustainable behavior. Whether you’re shaping strategy or sharing impact, this session offers practical insights to make your sustainability communication more effective and meaningful.

📅 Date: November 4 & 5
📍 Location: La Crosse Center, La Crosse, WI
🔗 Details and registration at wisconsinsustainability.com/2025conference

Ideas On Purpose is now Certified Woman Owned

September 4, 2025

We are proud to share our certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), the nation’s gold standard for woman-owned businesses in the US.

”As a founder of Ideas On Purpose, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside incredible partners and a talented team for 25 years to build an agency we’re all proud of. I’m excited about what this milestone means for our continued growth and the clients we serve.”

— Michelle M. Marks, Managing Partner & co-founder

While WBENC certification doesn’t change the premium services we deliver, it does help our clients meet their vendor diversity goals. Our WBENC-certification helps these clients meet those obligations. For all of our clients, supplier diversity is smart business.

Learn more

Michelle M. Marks to speak at Climate Week NYC

September 2, 2025

HOW AI IS DISRUPTING SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING will dive into AI’s potential and shortcomings–and the risk of standing on the sidelines. This event will be a dynamic conversation with five trailblazers in corporate sustainability, communications and artificial and business intelligence.

With presentations, discussions, Q&A, panel and happy hour this event is perfect for CSOs, CCOs, IROs, and sustainability professionals navigating the intersection of AI capabilities, reporting requirements, and stakeholder engagement in an increasingly complex communications landscape.

🗓 Mark your calendars for September 23rd @ 3pm – 5:30pm

➡️ RSVP HERE: https://sustainserv.com/en/events/sustainservs-nyc-climate-week-event/

IOP Clients Win Vision Awards, IOP Named Agency of the Year

August 26, 2025

We are pleased to share that seven IOP clients have been recognized by the League of American Communications Professionals 2024 Vision Awards for their annual and sustainability reports. Two reports were included in the Worldwide Top 100 Ranking, and all reports were recognized as Top 20 American Reports. Clients include Boston Properties, Dominion Energy, Hilton, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Simon Properties, Tradeweb, and Wintrust.

Based on this overwhelming success, Ideas On Purpose was also named Gold Agency of the Year. The Agency of the Year Awards recognizes the highest performing and most accomplished agencies. We are thrilled to be recognized!

IOP Team is Workiva Certified

August 1, 2025

If you are adopting or already using Workiva, IOP is ready to collaborate with your team! We can support content development, design, production, and review in several ways that leverage Workiva. From full integration, keeping everything in the platform, to a more targeted approach, we will work with your team to find the right balance. The IOP team is Workiva Advanced Design Reporting certified and has experience many approaches. Get in touch to learn more.

IOP to participate in CtrlPrint Webinar

April 23, 2025

We are always looking for efficiencies for us and our clients, particularly in creating annual and sustainability reports. One production option we work with (in addition to Workiva and the traditional process) is CtrlPrint, a system that gives clients full audit trail and the ability to have unlimited edits in layouts.

The webinar is April 28th, 2025 and is free to join. All registrants will receive a recording of the call. Register here.

Norwegian and Hilton win at 2025 Green Good Design Awards

April 18, 2025

IOP’s work for clients Norwegian Cruise Lines and Hilton was recognized in the Green Good Design Awards. Both companies were honored for their 2023 sustainability reports in the Green Graphics category. Only three total companies were chosen for this selective category. 

Green Good Design Sustainability Awards’ goal is to bestow international recognition to those outstanding individuals, companies, organizations, governments, and institutions that have forwarded exceptional thinking and inspired greater progress toward a more healthy and more sustainable universe. These prestigious international awards are sponsored by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. All winning entries become property of the Permanent Design Collection at The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design. 

Playing the Long Game: Why Businesses Won’t Abandon Sustainability 

March 4, 2025

Sustainability remains a strategic imperative for businesses, despite political shifts. IOP Principal and Co-Founder, Michelle M. Marks, spoke with Reuters Events about why that is and how smart businesses are navigating these uncertain times.  

The business case for sustainability remains compelling — from operational efficiency and cost savings to maintaining competitive advantage and meeting customer expectations. Smart companies understand that sustainability is integral to long-term success, regardless of short-term political headwinds. 

“I haven’t seen wholesale abandonment… Rather, companies are focusing their efforts on the things they can actually affect,” Michelle tells Reuters. “Smart companies dedicated to long-term thinking will not swing wildly—they stay the course.” 

Download your free copy of the full whitepaper here.

Norwegian Cruise Lines & Hilton Shortlisted for Best ESG Reporting

January 28, 2025

We’re proud to share Norwegian Cruise Lines’ 2023 Sail & Sustain Report as well as Hilton’s Travel with Purpose Report have been shortlisted for Best ESG Reporting at IR Impact‘s 2025 Awards. The IR Awards serve as an important benchmark for companies doing the best investor relations in the US. This is Hilton’s third consecutive year included. Winners will be announced in March.