IBC discusses Big4 report on reporting sustainability information at WEF

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Jan 24, 2020

In January 2020, at the World Economic Forum (WEF), the chief executive officers of many of the world’s largest companies expressed support for aligning on a core set of metrics and disclosures in their annual reports on the non-financial aspects of business performance such as greenhouse gas emissions and strategies, diversity, employee health and well-being and other factors.

The International Business Council (IBC) of the WEF discussed a proposal prepared by the Forum in collaboration with the Big Four accounting firms – Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC – titled Toward Common Metrics and Consistent Reporting of Sustainable Value Creation. The proposal recommends a set of core metrics and recommended disclosures. The intent is for the metrics to be reflected in the mainstream annual reports of companies on a consistent basis across industry sectors and countries.

The proposed metrics and recommended disclosures have been organized into four pillars that are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and principal Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) domains. They are:

Principles of Governance Planet People Prosperity
aligned with SDGs 12, 16 and 17 aligned with SDGs 6, 7, 12, 13, 14 and 15 aligned with SDGs 1,3, 4, 5 and 10 aligned with SDGs 1, 8, 9 and 10
focuses on a company’s commitment to ethics and societal benefit looks at the themes of climate sustainability and environmental responsibility examines the roles human and social capital play in business focuses on business contributions to equitable, innovative growth

The metrics are drawn, wherever possible, from existing standards and disclosures such as GRI, SASB, TCFD, CDSB and others. Instead of reinventing the wheel by creating a new standard, they aim to amplify and elevate the rigorous work that has already been done by these initiatives, bringing their most material aspects into mainstream reports on a consistent basis.

Adoption of such recommended universal metrics and disclosures by IBC companies is intended to be a catalyst for greater alignment and synergy among existing ESG standards and ultimately a system-wide solution, such as a generally accepted international accounting or other reporting standard drawn from best practice.

Review the Consultation Draft Toward Common Metrics and Consistent Reporting of Sustainable Value Creation from the WEF's website.

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