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Sustainability reporting
ACCA is pleased to announce the launch of the ACCA Australia and New Zealand awards for Sustainability Reporting 2007. Sponsored by KPMG for the last five years, the awards are now open for entries from the business community.
The aim of these awards is to promote transparency and give recognition to those organisations which report and disclose environmental, social and full sustainability information. In addition, to encourage the uptake of such reporting and to raise awareness of corporate transparency issues.
ACCA has championed sustainability reporting for over a decade since it first introduced the environmental reporting awards in 1991. ACCA is involved in reporting awards in many countries including Europe, Africa, North America and the Asia Pacific region.
‘Today there is an increased focus on sustainability with stakeholders and shareholders much more interested in the explanation of environmental and social impacts of a company’s operations and products,’ said Richard Francis, head of ACCA Australia and New Zealand.
‘Sustainability reporting is now one of the greatest challenges facing the accounting industry’, he said.
Year on year there is an increase in entries with a growing number of companies entering the awards, with a trend towards more online sustainability reporting.
Organisations that enter the awards are generally among the top performers in their industry sectors demonstrating a link between an organisations’ consideration of sustainability issues and strong business performance. Past winners have included VicSuper Pty limited, mecu limited, and Watercare Services limited.
‘As the focus on sustainability reporting amongst capital market investors increases, the need for meaning assurance around the integrity of the reporting will be critical.
The success of these awards reflect increasing importance of this type of reporting, said Rob Hogarth partner, Sustainability Advisory Services, KPMG.
Any organisation can participate, with any number of employees from both the public and private sector.
The judging panel is comprised of experts within the field of environmental and sustainable reporting and at the core of the judging criteria are completeness, credibility and communication. Judges would like to encourage entrants to clearly articulate their sustainability risks and address how these risks are being managed.
Closing dates for applications is Monday 4 February 2008 and winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in May 2008.
ACCA want to identify and reward innovative attempts to communicate corporate performance, although it does not comment on the performance itself but aims to reward transparency.
‘The ACCA would like to see an increase in sustainability reporting and encourage entrants to participate,’ said Richard Francis.
For further details on entering the awards, please contact Carlos Dott on +612 8022 9305 or email carlos.dot@au.accaglobal.com.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Richard Francis, ACCA media relations
Mobile: 0419 291 488
Daniel Fitzpatrick, KPMG media relations
Tel: 02 9335 8960; Mobile: 0419 013 918