Corporate Transparency

Corporate Transparency and Accountability
Businesses around the world are recognizing the value of demonstrating transparency and accountability beyond the traditional domain of financial performance. This trend is in response to increasing public expectations of corporations to voluntarily communicate information on environmental and social performance to their stakeholders. These public expectations apply to both public and privately-held companies.

Corporate experience indicates sustainability reporting adds business value:

• It provides greater visibility to the measurement and management of environmental risks and opportunities
• It reduces the burden on investor relations staff responding to public/investor inquiries concerning environmental, social and economic performance
• It strengthens your corporate brand from non-reporting competitors
• It evidences good corporate governance and sound risk management to investors and employees

Guidance for Sustainable Development Reporting

The Global Reporting Initiative “Sustainability Reporting Guidelines” are becoming an accepted voluntary framework for corporate sustainability or triple bottom line (environment, social and economic) reporting.

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development has developed outlines of the measurements, or metrics, which are useful for sustainability reports. “Sustainable Development Reporting: Striking the Balance” discusses the added value that reporting offers and provides guidance on how to report.