PurposeFaced with increasing environmental problems, traditional methods for transmitting information regarding corporate environmental actions are insufficient. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to suggest the environmental capital report, the knowledge map and the balanced scorecard as alternative instruments to provide the environmental information needed to develop internal corporate activity and meet the requirements of society.Design/methodology/approachA practical approach is applied to facilitate understanding of some sections of these tools, analysing the GRI reports of certain environmentally proactive firms.FindingsThe findings show that the environmental information provided relates mainly to collaborations established with stakeholders and to the development of internal processes aimed at preserving and protecting the environment. Accordingly, it could be said that the environmental capital report proposed in this paper seems to be materialized in the GRI report. Moreover, the production and R&D sections of the knowledge map and the internal processes and relational perspective sections of the balanced scorecard are the most common environmental information given by the companies analyzed.Originality/valueThe value of this paper lies mainly in showing several tools that could be used by companies in order to spread their efforts in protecting and preserving the environment.