The award is for organisations that are demonstrating clearly, through communicating to their providers of financial capital, how sustainability, in its broadest sense, is embedded into their overall strategy and decision making process and how this ‘integrated thinking’ is contributing to a sustainable business model which delivers long term value. In this context, integrated thinking is seen as coming before reporting with reporting being the end result from this process and a way to communicate progress to the outside world.

In order to be considered for the award, entrants must submit three years of annual reports and financial statements and at least one specific example of communication to demonstrate:

• How they have communicated to their providers of financial capital that wider factors, such as environmental and social issues, are embedded into their strategy and operations and how they are critical to the long term sustainability of the business, and how this has been done across other types of communications.
• The communication truly reflects the way the organisation is managed.
• What role the finance function played in the process of embedding and communicating integrated thinking.
• Why they believe the communication is beneficial to the organisation.

The Finance for Future awards, which are awarded this year in partnership with Deloitte, are open to all organisations, globally, whether listed, small or public sector. For further information on the awards and how to enter by 13 May click here. A4S has also published a press release on their website.