Reporting and external corporate communication play an important role in corporate sustainability. As well as economic reasons, the vision of sustainable development also emphasizes the importance of corporate sustainability reporting. On the one hand, companies depend on a supply of resources from various stakeholders, so that management is challenged to secure social acceptance by communicating the benefits that the company creates for society and the sustainability effects of its activities. On the other hand, the vision of sustainable development requires participation, which in turn requires the reporting and communication of sustainability-relevant issues and activities. No participation is possible without communication. This contribution provides an overview of the main goals and benefits of corporate sustainability reporting and its development over recent decades, and an outlook on current challenges and developments.