New web platform to streamline sustainability reporting

A trio of global sustainability organisations are creating a new reporting platform which aims to help businesses make sense of the reporting requirements that affect them on a regional, national and international level.


The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) and Ecodesk have joined forces to create The Reporting Exchange, a freely-available information platform.

Using a crowdsourcing model, the Reporting Exchange will identify and explain relevant reporting regulations, rules, policies, practices, initiatives, standards, codes and guidance.

“This platform will provide much needed clarification to business,” said a statement from the creators of the Reporting Exchange.

“It will also be a useful tool for regulators, investors, academics, NGOs and civil society as well as for organizations developing reporting initiatives. The platform will help them find evidence and resources to advocate for greater corporate responsibility and accountability.”

Streamlining

The Reporting Exchange platform will be available in open beta format at the end of 2016 to enable public users to share their feedback. The platform is planned for global release in mid-2017.

Mark Adorian, the chairman of supply chain sustainability service provider Ecodesk, said: “Reducing the reporting burden is central to Ecodesk’s ethos – there’s a lot of crowding and confusion in the global reporting space, and we’re delighted to be a part of the catalyst towards consolidated requirements, enhanced reporting, and ultimately, improved information for making the right business decisions towards a resilient, thriving global economy that delivers for people and planet.”

‘Overwhelming’

At edie’s Smarter Sustainability Reporting conference in March this year, British American Tobacco’s sustainability reporting manager Verity Lawson said the reporting landscape had become “very overwhelming”.

Lawson said: “We’ve seen some great sustainability practices come out, really good innovations from companies in lots of different sectors. But many of those companies have ended up just reporting for reporting’s sake and becoming ‘compliance tests’.”

CDSB at edie’s Sustainability Reporting conference

Lois Guthrie, the founding director of the CDSB – which helped create the Reporting Exchange – is among the expert speakers at edie’s fifth annual Sustainability Reporting conference which takes place in London on 23 February, 2016

Guthrie will be part of a panel discussion looking at the future of the reporting landscape, where she will discuss The Reporting Exchange. 

Find out more about the Conference and register to attend here.

Brad Allen

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