Transparency and Sustainability Reporting are Contributors to Financial Performance – Presentation in Toronto

Latest research findings: Corporate secrecy is old school. Transparency and Sustainability Reporting are new drivers of business profitability.

Chicago, IL (Oct. 30, 2017) –  The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) has found definitive evidence supporting the benefits of transparency in Corporate Sustainability Reporting.  CSE research identifies positive links between Sustainability Strategies and Reporting with financial results.

These new findings were presented  in Toronto, this October, during CSE’s Global Certified Sustainability Practitioner Program.  The encouraging findings were welcomed by executives from companies and organizations as diverse as Microsoft, P&G, Tridel and Sanofi.

CSE closely tracks sustainability reporting trends in Canada and the USA.  CSE’s Sustainability Reporting Trends in North America 2017 research, along with last year’s findings on Silicon Valley, represent an ongoing commitment to provide timely and relevant sustainability content for C-level and upper management to corporations around the world.

CSE has identified important correlations between enablers, tools and outcomes which contribute to financial success.  Enablers include a culture of transparency and comprehensive strategic goals that respond to stakeholders expectations.  Transparency does not only refer to putting out a sustainability report, but to including material metrics which are verified.  The information distribution tools are sustainability reporting and stakeholder communication.

As a result, companies gain high sustainability ratings (ESG), and stakeholder perceptions are positively influenced. Positive financial performance was demonstrated in two-thirds of companies linking transparency to strong communications.

Other Important research emerging trends revealed in Toronto:

• Companies with the highest sustainability rankings had better financial performance than companies with lower sustainability rankings based on CSRHub ratings.
• Poor adoption of the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs).  Only 6.2% of the companies in the study integrated SDGs in their sustainability reports.
• Sectors with the highest reporting presence in Canada — Mining, Energy and Energy Utilities and Financial Services.
• Most companies use the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines.
• Carbon footprint reduction is a priority, with many companies having well-stated and measured targets.

CSE’s Certified Sustainability Practitioner Program (Advanced Edition 2018) offers corporate trainings on these key topics and many others.  Click here for the program agenda.  The first 2018 programs in North America are in Atlanta, March 8-9; returning to Toronto, April 26-27; and New York City, June 7-8, 2018.  Visit www.CSE-net.org for a full schedule of global trainings.