tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8008724049496903547.post5464503322923141814..comments2024-03-19T12:59:20.494+02:00Comments on csr-reporting: Don't ditch CSR reportselainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07433863039389159395noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8008724049496903547.post-80392414230864911002010-05-15T09:39:17.743+03:002010-05-15T09:39:17.743+03:00hi Mallen, thanks for commenting. Actually, I susp...hi Mallen, thanks for commenting. Actually, I suspect we are saying a lot of the same things and feel that we basically agreee that trsnaparency and reporting is important and that Companies need to get better. In conversations with the GRI, I understand that the investment community IS looking to see more ESG data, whether as a result of the financial crisis or in spite of it. <br /><br />What's wrong with focusing a report on employees, customers and suppliers? There are primary stakeholder groups. I am all for making reports focused. That's what reports are intended to be - addressing the MATERIAL issues, not a shopping list.<br /><br />Where we differ is that you say treat the report as a communication. I say treat the report as a PLATFORM for communication. A "report" is a formal document which we expect to contain certain elements. Otherwise, its a communication and shouldnt be called a repoort. It could be a CSR update, CSR review, CSR Communique .. anything. When you call your document a REPORT, you set an expectation that it will contain certain core elements. Again I repeat that if Companies are frustrated that their report has no audience, they are not doing the right things in their commincations proceses. The report might be fine. If you buy a Mercedes, you have to put the key in the ignition to get it to take you to where you want to be.<br /><br />elaineelainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07433863039389159395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8008724049496903547.post-56164653716888903922010-05-14T11:41:52.926+03:002010-05-14T11:41:52.926+03:00Hi Elaine
If your blog post were a CSR report it ...Hi Elaine<br /><br />If your blog post were a CSR report it would get full marks for completeness. But could have done with third party verification on some of the facts.<br /><br />Specifically, I have never called for CSR reports to be scrapped. You can win any argument by misrepresenting the other side and then showing why the arguments they never made are wrong.<br /><br />And it doesn't matter who I think the stakeholders are - when I speak to people responsible for reporting I ask them who they think their reports are aimed at - and whether those people are reading them. <br /><br />There are a lot of people engaging in wishful thinking. We all want reporting to succeed, because it has the potential to lead to better outcomes for business and society. For some, that means we should see what's happening through rose-tinted spectacles. The article you quote is one of these - the quote about how reporting is rebuilding trust in business post financial meltdown is inspired by a GRI project - hardly surprising then, really. But the premise that the financial crisis is increasing the interest of mainstream investors in CSR reporting is just not supported by the evidence.<br /><br />And this is the point. If we fail to see the world as it is, we will do a rubbish job at changing it. CSR reporting needs considerable improvement before it will work. If you want it to work, as I do, you do it no favours by pretending all is hunky dory in the playground.<br /><br />Particularly because some of the leading companies ARE now getting frustrated. They know that a report is a form of communication - if it has no audience, it has no point.<br /><br />Suppose financial reporters decided one day to leave profit figures out of the annual report. There would be outrage. Why? Because the audience for those reports expect to see that information.<br /><br />I worked on a report for a company recently where we ignored the GRI, focused on the direct stakeholders (employees, customers and suppliers, since you ask) and ended up with a much smaller, more tightly focused, more simply written report. Testing has shown some progress made in making this work for at least two of those audiences. No howls of outrage from anyone else. None. <br /><br />What I tell people is to treat the CSR report as a communication, and find the audience. Within the bounds of common sense, why chase the audiences you don't have, rather than the ones you do?Mallen Bakerhttp://www.mallenbaker.netnoreply@blogger.com