Public Communication Through Sustainability Reports
Although there has been a significant increase in the number of corporate sustainability reports, they vary widely in format, metrics communicated and other factors. Anne Moore Odell of Sustainability Investment News recently reviewed many of these for trends.
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) publishing the third version of its Sustainability Reporting Guidelines in 2006 found that more companies from all sectors are creating these reports to document their economic, environmental and social sustainability performance.
Almost half (49) of the U.S. companies in the S&P 100 Index disclose information above and beyond the financial, covering companies’ environmental, social and governance issues, according to a study by the Social Investment Research Analysts Network (SIRAN) and KLD Research & Analytics (KLD).
Cargill in Dayton, Virginia sought to enhance the town’s water quality by creating a buffer zone between a retention pond for a dairy cattle operation and the spring which fed the town’s fresh water source, Silver Lake. In creating the buffer zone, Cargill partnered with a local non-profit group. In addition to enhancing the town’s water quality, the project has created enormous goodwill between Cargill and the community.
