How can we tell our stories differently? How can we go beyond the academic article or sustainability report? All reports and all scholarly pieces are narratives of a sort, each choosing which evidence suits and each having some sense of beginning, middle and end.Through their use of fiction, art and poetry the seven papers in this Special Issue of The Journal of Corporate Citizenship are challenging what might typically be expected as the form of an academic article.  These challenges include identifying silent voices, linking of our hands, hearts and heads via art, a poem, a napkin to communicate, the life of an average academic, stories of gladiatorial combat for promotion, and a man's day in a non-specific future. This mix of challenge in both form and message contributes to the ability of the papers to advance understanding, and reinforces how an innovative approach to conveying the message can advance debate.