ACCA commends the new accessible guidelines for organisations to report on material sustainability information
HONG KONG, June 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sustainability reporting is strengthened with the announcement by the Global Reporting Initiative of new guidelines -- G4 -- says ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants).
The G4 guidelines were officially launched at the Global Conference on Sustainability and Reporting in Amsterdam on 22 May 2013.
Neil Stevenson, Executive Director -- Brand at ACCA, attended the launch and said, "The G4 guidelines make it clear how organisations report on their economic, social, environmental and governance performance. The guidelines focus on what matters and what is material. This will be a great benefit to multi-stakeholders including investors."
Stevenson added, "For ACCA, the credibility of sustainability reports can be enhanced by engaging with stakeholders and responding to their requirements and concerns, as well as seeking third party independent assurance on the content of such reports. Organisations that want to enhance and improve accountability for stakeholders and investors will benefit by using the G4 guidelines and embracing the principles of Integrated Reporting."
ACCA is a long supporter and advocate for sustainability reporting, and has been a member of the GRI Steering Committee since its inception in 1998. It also helped to write the first GRI set of guidelines that were launched in 1999. ACCA also sits on the GRI stakeholder Council.
Neil Stevenson concluded, "In the current economic climate, organisational accountability is an imperative. Being transparent and reporting on issues and impacts can help achieve this. We believe that all major entities in the public and private sectors should report publicly on the effect of their activities on the environment and societies in which they operate, along with reporting on their policies and how these have been translated into practice."
Notes to editors:
About ACCA
ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants. We aim to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. As the first global accountancy body entering into China, ACCA now has over 23,000 members and 46,000 students, with 7 offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, and Macau SAR.
Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. We believe that accounting professionals bring value to economies in all stages of development. We aim to develop capacity in the profession and encourage the adoption of consistent global standards. Our values are aligned to the needs of employers in all sectors and we ensure that, through our qualifications, we prepare accountants for business. We work to open up the profession to people of all backgrounds and remove artificial barriers to entry, ensuring that our qualifications and their delivery meet the diverse needs of trainee professionals and their employers.
We support our 154,000 members and 432,000 students in 170 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills needed by employers. We work through a network of 83 offices and centres and more than 8,500 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development.
For further information, please visit www.accaglobal.com or follow ACCA Hong Kong at www.facebook.com/ACCA.HongKong.
