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Have a bath before you open your kimono

mervyn-king-griIs your company ready to open its kimono? In 2010, South African corporate governance expert Mervyn King made the audience laugh at the GRI conference. “If you’re going to open your kimono, you better have a bath first.” I really like his analogy for sustainability reporting and performance. And for companies with more than 500 employees in the EU, it’s more timely than ever.

 

EU directive on non-financial reporting

open-kimonoAs of 2018, all European companies with over 500 employees will have to open their kimonos. They will have to publish their 2017 performance on select non-financial topics. The European Union adopted the Directive on disclosure of non-financial and diversity information. EU member states are now transposing the directive into national laws. Therefore, many companies will publish their sustainability performance for the first time in 2018, covering 2017. According to KPMG research, 74% of the largest companies in Europe already publish a sustainability report or integrate non-financial performance in their annual reporting cycle. But thousands of additional companies will have to start reporting when this new directive takes force.  

 

Time to have a bath!

green-bathFor those companies new to reporting on their sustainability performance, this is the perfect time to create – or update – your sustainability strategy. Or better yet, (further) integrate sustainability into your overall strategy. The EU directive requires reporting on “as a minimum, environmental, social and employee matters, respect for human rights, anti-corruption and bribery matters”. It all starts with a thorough analysis to focus your strategy for the years ahead and your action plans for 2017. How do these topics relate to your business future? And how do your stakeholders view this? Are there other societal issues that are relevant to include in your strategy and reporting?

For some companies affected by the EU directive, this bath is just a nice-to-have, as they already have a strategy in place, are making progress and “just” need to take the extra step to start reporting. For others, the bath is a need-to-have to get going with sustainability and start the journey in 2017. So there’s real progress to share when they have to open their kimonos in 2018.

 

 

Written by Marjolein Baghuis (@mbaghuis) for Change in Context. To read interviews, book reviews and other posts about change, communications and sustainability, please subscribe. Need help getting started with your sustainability strategy or reporting? Have a look at the services offered by Change in Context.

 

 

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