The state of journalism in China presents a unique challenge. There is so much spotlight on the nation, yet there are heavy barriers imposed by the Chinese government on media to avoid subversions of their authority. This often entails strict media barriers, shuttering publications and media outlets, and limiting the access of foreign journalists. By taking a collaborative approach, leveraging DuPont’s longstanding relationship with China, DuPont and Fortune were able to circumvent these barriers and gain a firsthand look at sustainability efforts in the country, including never-before-granted access to China’s public high-speed rail, military-led fire department, FDA, and rural public school system.

DuPont entered an unprecedented partnership with Fortune magazine to bring together 7 Time Inc. business units in a first of its kind, integrated thought leadership collaboration.

What followed was a yearlong trip of investigative journalism, beyond the now familiar borders of Beijing and Shanghai into the lesser-known interior and beyond.

From Harbin in the North to Shenzhen in the south, through Hunan and the Gobi desert, Award winning documentary filmmakers worked alongside seasoned journalists to uncover true stories of everyday people--whether in oil fields or elementary schools—working together and achieving miraculous science-based solutions to China’s challenges.

The wealth of insight gleaned on food, energy and protection was published at the 2013 Fortune Global Forum in Chengdu in the form of eighteen films and three 20-page white paper reports, in both English and Mandarin.

The Forum represented an unparalleled opportunity for DuPont to build key relationships, position the brand as a collaborative partner and obtain insights necessary to position multinational companies for long-term success, in China and globally.

DuPont used a branded welcome pack and custom Gatefold in the Global Forum issue of Fortune to launch an augmented reality app loaded with all the film content. This allowed all of the Forum's esteemed attendees to view and engage with the content while attending panel sessions, including one featuring DuPont CEO, Ellen Kullman.

Leading up to the Global Forum, DuPont leaders also had the opportunity to network with world leaders at intimate, invite-only FORTUNE dinners that helped shape the agenda for the Forum, in addition to publishing all of the reports and documentaries on a Dupont-branded hub, as well as on CNNMoney.com.

With the inexorable march of urbanization in China and around the world, finding ways to nourish, house, transport, and protect people—without depleting the earth of its resources—is one of the critical issues of our time. With white papers on food, energy and protection, DuPont sought to provide answers to these questions, and in doing so, attract audiences with contextually rich subject matter. Although all the content is available digitally, DuPont targeted esteemed attendees at the Fortune Global Forum through a complementary series of panel discussions on sustainability.

Thanks to this marathon investigation, DuPont was able to reach untold numbers of business leaders globally and in China, with 896 media pick-ups and $4.9 million in earned media. With 16% of Fortune Global 500 companies in attendance DuPont was also able to generate nearly 12,000 new, inbound business leads, and is now in collaboration with other companies about the solutions to problems of our modern world. By elevating the issues and highlighting the solutions amongst a highly targeted crowd, DuPont has become a leading player in China’s sustainable growth.