Back to the Future

And the CSR-Reporting Blog is back to the future🎇🎆🎈🎉🎊🍨🍨🍨. A future in which the CSR-Reporting Blog is back. 2018 has been marked by an uncharacteristic absence after almost a decade (10-year blog birthday coming up next month!). Apologies to those readers who have experienced withdrawal symptoms.... I hope you have kept up your ice cream intake despite  .. or because of ... the absence of posts from the most insightful and fun blog on CSR and Sustainability Reporting on the whole world wide web. (Modesty is exempt on this blog).

So what have I been up to since my last post way back in February? Here are a few highlights of my year so far, serving to demonstrate that, even though the CSR-Reporting Blog has been absent, I have not.

Reporting reporting reporting  
It's been an intensive year this year, again supporting clients around the world in delivering their sustainability reports and other communications. Overall, I have supported the writing and/or development of 10 reports this year, some of which will be published in the coming month(s), but all of which meant that I had a more intensive first half of the year than I might have imagined - basically sleepless - but also one of the most satisfying years at Beyond Business. Here are some of the reports I have worked on - more about these -  and the others that will publish soon - in future posts (now that we are Back to the Future).

Caesars Entertainment's ninth annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report for 2017-2018 under the theme of PEOPLE PLANET PLAY. This is the sixth report I have worked on for Caesars and each year, this company amazes me with its forward thinking, leading programs and multiple achievements. Each reporting cycle brings new challenges and but it's always fun! Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment provider with gaming, hospitality and entertainment offerings in several countries.

Nexeo Solutions' first Sustainability Report for 2017 is the result of an incredible journey of pulling together the different elements of sustainability practice for this global chemicals and plastics distributor and forming an overarching story about its global impacts on sustainable supply chains. This first GRI Standards-compliant report, supported by newly created corporate policy and position statements on key topics, was possible due to the dedication of the reporting team leaders as well as an entire company-wide effort.

ECI's Sustainability Report for 2017 is another fascinating chapter in the sustainability progress of an ELASTIC and sustainable future, as ECI helps us make the most of a 5G world. ECI®, a global provider of ELASTIC Network® solutions for service providers, critical infrastructures and data center operators, supports and delivers sustainable, innovative solutions and outstanding customer service, while operating responsibly and in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is ECI's seventh annual sustainability report and I have been privileged to work on all of them.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries 2017 Social Impact Report continues the story of Teva's global impact on healthcare and access to affordable medicines, together with new initiatives to contribute to healthy communities through safe medicines, collaboration, health initiatives and innovative research. Teva is a leading global pharmaceutical company and the world’s largest generic medicines producer, with a portfolio of more than 1,800 molecules for generic products in nearly every therapeutic area, as well as specialty medicines. Teva's report also presents six new corporate positions and policies covering charitable donations, human rights, diversity and inclusion, occupational health and safety, environment and antimicrobial resistance.

Liberty Global's 2017 Sustainability Report is another in the series of Empowering Positive Change through Technology and a masterpiece in compact, on-point and super interesting sustainability reporting. At just 20 pages with a separate downloadable GRI Content Index, Liberty Global once again is an example of relevant and focused sustainability communications as well as impressive performance. For those who don't know, Liberty Global is the world's largest international TV and broadband company.

Reporting Conferences and Events
February 27 saw the 2018 edition of the annual Smarter Sustainability Reporting Conference in London, which I again chaired. Matt Mace of edie.net summed up his views about the conference here, discussing the merits of the standalone sustainability report in the context of greater integration of sustainability practice in the business. An interesting debate, of course, as integrated reporting, which has never claimed to replace sustainability reporting, is starting to quite enjoy the promise of doing so, and even SASB, who has never claimed to be global, is starting to lay the ground for its worldwide debut. "Sustainability issues don’t have borders, and neither should our standards" claims Matthew Welch, President of the SASB Foundation, paving the way for global SASB domination. But GRI is not perturbed. According to Tim Mohin, GRI's CEO sustainability reporting is the new normal and he is optimistic that GRI will be able to lead the harmonization and alignment of standards, including SASB, to move away from the current "alphabet soup" of disclosure requirements and "stop asking the same questions in annoyingly different ways". You can engage with Tim Mohin in Singapore on October 2 as he keynotes at the second annual Asia Sustainability Reporting Summit 2018 (#ReportingMania) which I will co-chair, alongside the incredible sustainability leader, Rajesh Chhabara.

Also in 2018, I was delighted to conduct a one-day Sustainability Reporting workshop in Tbilisi, Georgia. Organized by the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia, led by the formidable Lela Khoperia, a dynamo driving the uptake of CSR in Georgia, the program was part of the Georgian Civil Society Sustainability Initiative (CSSIGE) and funded by the European Union and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Participants from 18 local companies and organizations joined the workshop and I had writer's cramp signing all the certificates at the end! This is incredibly important for this young country as it continues to establish its presence and deliver economic growth - to date, no Georgian companies have reported on sustainability but, if the eagerness and application of the attendees is anything to go by, we shall be seeing a flurry of reports from Georgia in the coming years!

The Georgian speakers among you can read about the workshop in a blog post by Marika Mchedlidze.


Reporting and Human Resources Management
In the early part of the year, I collaborated with old friends from the academic world to help develop a paper entitled: "Have labour practices and human rights disclosures enhanced corporate accountability? The case of the GRI framework." authored by Sepideh Parsa, Ian Roper , Michael Muller-Camen and Eva Szigetvari. Highlights of the research and discussion include:

- Companies over-claim adherence to GRI reporting guidelines while failing to report detailed information on their workforce.
- Companies fail to provide material information.
- Limited evidence of companies acknowledging impediments they encounter when reporting on their workforce.
- Companies pay more attention to their internal (as opposed to their external) workforce.
- GRI fails to achieve enhanced comparability, transparency and accountability goals.

Serious stuff indeed ... for those interested in the intersection between CSR and Human Resources Management (HRM), this is a must-read paper (assuming you have already read my book, CSR for HR, of course!). And continuing the HRM theme, I again worked alongside Professor Michael Muller-Camen and other accomplished academics to develop a chapter in a forthcoming book for publication in 2019, “Sustainable Human Resource Management: Strategies, Practices and Challenges”. The concepts and practice of Sustainable HRM and CSR-based people practices in organizations are still overlooked by all but the most enlightened Human Resources leadership; often HR functions are bypassed as companies pursue sustainability strategies and engage employees via different channels. This continues to be a missed opportunity for the HR function, and for society. My mantra in 2013 was "It is time for HR to wake up to CSR" and it's still pretty relevant today.

More awards 
I was please to author once again the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards annual publication, Learn from Asia's Best, showcasing examples of winning reports and what made them stand out. Check it out for some really impressive reporting approaches, designs and content.

The fourth annual Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards 2018 is now open for entries through November 2018, and I am bracing myself to close the year by putting on my judging hat together with a team of accomplished reporting practitioners and experts. I will read and review every single entry (as I have done for the past two years).  Good job that I am a reporting geek! 

Also in the last quarter of 2018, I will be joining another formidable team of judges to select the 2019 Sustainability Leaders. The UK’s largest and most prestigious sustainability awards recognize excellence across the spectrum of green and sustainable business. Entries are open till mid-September so now's a good time to think about who stands out for you on the sustainability landscape across 20 categories. 

So that's the Back to the Future round-up for the CSR Reporting Blog. Hope to maintain the pace as we move into the final stages of 2018 .. and many more exciting things on the horizon in 2019.

Thanks for reading the CSR Reporting Blog!



elaine cohen, CSR Consultant, Sustainability Reporter, former HR Professional, Trust Across America 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, Ice Cream Addict, Author of three totally groundbreaking books on sustainability (see About Me page). Contact me via Twitter (@elainecohen) or via my business website www.b-yond.biz (Beyond Business Ltd, an inspired CSR consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm). Need help writing your first / next Sustainability Report? Contact elaine: info@b-yond.biz 

Elaine will be cochairing  the  second annual Asia Sustainability Reporting Summit 2018 in Singapore on 2/3 OCtober. Join me there!

Reportingmania in Singapore

There's definitely going to be a lot of talk about reporting in Singapore in September. This will be at an event I am totally looking forward to - except for the long-haul flights that I try to avoid - but in this case, it's worth it.

The Asia Sustainability Reporting Summit will bring together some of the leading experts in business, sustainability and reporting from the region as well as from the international scene. Take a look at the speaker page:

You'll notice I snuck in there at the end. I'll be moderating a few sessions over the couple of days, and also running a breakout session on Sustainability Reporting for Human Resources. 

It's not by chance that I will be taking part in this summit. Here's why I decided to help bring on the reportingmania in Singapore in 2017. 

• Organizer Rajesh Chhabara of CSR Works is a veteran gentleman professional of the reporting  landscape and I admire tremendously his advancement in and of the field. When Rajesh says I have to be there, I am there. 
• I heard there is great ice cream in Singapore.
• I'll be humbled to share a stage with two super sustainability professionals (and clients): Gwen Migita, Vice President Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship with Caesars Entertainment, coming in all the way from Las Vegas, and Uday Gupta, Managing Director, Mahindra Sanyo Special Steel from Mumbai. These are leaders who are passionate, knowledgeable and forward-thinking in their approach to sustainability and reporting. I'll be honored to introduce them to you in Singapore.
• Even a 10 hour flight has to come to an end sometime. I am prepared. I have a Power Bank.
• The Summit is a "brand-extension" of the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA), now in their third year. (Submissions for ASRA2017 open until 24 November 2017). It is my pleasure and privilege to have been involved as a strategic partner and judge since the inception of the Awards and experience the amazing wealth and diversity of reporting in Asia. Each year so far, to be repeated again this year, I read and review ALL the sustainability reports entering the Awards, and contribute my scores and recommendations to the judging panel. For me, this is more than judging. It's a wonderful way to learn about current issues in the region, new approaches, and of course, experience some delightfully creative and innovative reports. During the summit, I expect to meet many of the reporters from different countries in Asia who have enlightened and educated me over the past couple of years. You can read about some of them in the brochure (I was the writer) Learn from Asia's Best which was published after the inaugural awards of 2015 to showcase how the winners won and what it takes to make the grade.

• We are super-fortunate in being able to welcome not one but two leaders of the reporting movement from the Global Reporting Initiative. Chair of GRI, an experienced business leader, Christy Wood, will give an opening address on The Future of Sustainability Reporting and GRI's South Asia Director, the accomplished Aditi Haldar, will talk to the potential of Asia's leadership in reporting. GRI's voice in the reporting landscape remains the most prominent and the most influential, and this is a great opportunity to hear perspectives from two top women in the organization.
• I heard there is great ice cream in Singapore.
• As always, there are many dilemmas and choices in any reporting journey. The main sessions of the event will focus on what's new across a range of topics that drive the way companies report - from global and regional influences, to investor expectations, regulatory drivers and of course, one of my absolute favorites, the quality of reporting. We'll have a chance to hear from leaders, engage with practitioners and learn from each other. I expect this to be an empowering event for all who attend. 
• I am looking forward to hearing from many other speakers and panelists over the two-day event. While I have called out just a few in this post, I will be writing more as the event approaches. It will be the first time that such summit focusing on reporting has been held in this region  - but, I expect, not the last.
• I heard there is great ice cream in Singapore. 

If you have any chance of joining us all in Singapore in September, please do. I'd love to see you there! You can register here.

Include promotional code BLOG17 at registration to enter a prize draw to join me and my guests at a special private event during the conference (details to be revealed to the lucky two winners). 😉

 

elaine cohen, CSR Consultant, Sustainability Reporter, former HR Professional, Trust Across America 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, Ice Cream Addict, Author of Understanding G4: the Concise Guide to Next Generation Sustainability Reporting  AND  Sustainability Reporting for SMEs: Competitive Advantage Through Transparency AND CSR for HR: A necessary partnership for advancing responsible business practices . Contact me via Twitter (@elainecohen)  or via my business website www.b-yond.biz   (Beyond Business Ltd, an inspired CSR consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm).  Need help writing your first / next Sustainability Report? Contact elaine: info@b-yond.biz 

People powering trust

As a consultant, my work is most often behind the scenes of business and most of my job satisfaction derives from helping others make a difference. One of my favorite things about my work is when clients tell me they gained a new insight, or when I see the contribution I have made creating ripples in an organization or helping empower people. And in the field of CSR and Sustainability, pretty much everything I work on supports a mission of  advancing positive-impact, ethical, values-driven business which I believe is a key stepping stone to a sustainable society and planet. 

Transparency is the cornerstone of responsible business, and my geeky fascination with and love of Sustainability Reporting has become a purposeful occupation, a hobby and a vocation all rolled into one. I couldn't have imagined that this is what I'd end up doing when I started out 30+ years ago as a Distribution Manager with Procter and Gamble in England, and today, I can't imagine doing anything else. As a consultant, I think we are wired not to seek recognition for ourselves, but for our clients. As consultants, we take pride in our professional work, but we are more proud of what our clients achieve. As consultants, our success is possible because of the trust our clients place in us. And trust is what brings me to share these non-typical personal ramblings on what is usually a fairly on-topic blog. 

In the Winter 2017 Issue of Trust! Magazine,  I am quoted on the topic of trust.  

"Trust defines relationships – personal and professional. It’s the most basic currency of our interactions. When trust exists, relationships thrive and positive outcomes are possible. When trust is eroded, relationships are eroded too. In a business context, the value of trust is often underestimated. Because we can’t count trust in the same way as we can count money, products and other tangible outputs of business, we are often unappreciative of the role trust plays in making it all possible. But we must never forget that business is built on relationships… we may think business is about profit but it’s really about people… so when trust is present, relationships work and business has a good chance of success. As an optimist, I believe, we are predisposed to trust. Retaining trust is the longer-term challenge and that is done by consistently demonstrating integrity, empathy and openness (in business, that includes transparency)."

But you may notice that the Magazine cover carries a special announcement - it's from Trust Across America - Trust Around the World (TAA-TAW) honoring  global leaders in organizational trust. The TAA-TAW awards program, now in its 7th year, celebrates professionals who are transforming the way organizations do business. This year a diverse group of 84 global professionals from different backgrounds operating in different countries and sectors are honored. This list includes seven honorees who have  maintained Top Thought Leader status for five years and are presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The Press Release from TAA-TAW notes: "We congratulate all of our honorees whose work is shining a spotlight on the importance of trust and providing a roadmap for others to follow. They inspire organizations to look more closely at their higher purpose…to create greater value for, and trust from all of their stakeholders, and understand trust is a “hard currency” with real returns."

So it's not by accident that I am writing about all of this here. I am genuinely humbled and delighted to be among the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award honorees. More humbled, I guess, as the list of Top Thought Leaders in Trust (which you can view in the Winter Issue of Trust! Magazine) includes so many accomplished individuals that inspire me with all they have done to change the world and the world of business.

With this post, I applaud each and every one of the Top Thought Leaders in Trust 👏👏👏👏
I encourage you to notice and appreciate the difference they make and recognize them, as I do, as a source of inspiration and optimism. This recognition by TAA-TAW is a breath of fresh air in a world in which trust is evidently more necessary than it ever has been. 

Trust Across America - Trust Around the World (TAA-TAW) is the product of the vision and focused action of Barbara Brooks Kimmel, the CEO and Cofounder of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World, whose mission is to help organizations build trust. Now in its seventh year, the program's proprietary FACTS® Framework ranks and measures the trustworthiness of over 1,500 US public companies on five quantitative indicators of trust. Barbara also runs the world largest global Trust Alliance, and is the editor of the award winning TRUST INC. book series and a Managing Member at FACTS® Asset Management, a NJ registered investment advisor. Barbara has made trust her agenda in quite a unique way. I was keen to find out why and learn more about her work: 

Me: When was your a-ha moment that trust was a pivotal factor for healthy business and society?

Barbara: That moment came at the height of the financial crisis in 2008 when CEOs would announce on a Friday that their balance sheets were strong and then declare bankruptcy over the weekend. I started thinking about what trust meant at the organizational level and started searching the internet for resources. I quickly realized that there was no central "clearinghouse" or website where one could go to find information on organizational trust and trustworthiness. Inherently I knew that trust played a very large role in the health of business and society, but frankly, was unaware at the time just how large that role was.

Me: What are the key challenges facing organizations that are trying to build trust ? 
Barbara: Most of the work we do at TAA-TAW focuses on public companies, although all organizations regardless of the type, tend to have similar issues. The biggest challenge is leadership. Trust is usually taken for granted. It's certainly not something that proactively comes up in meetings of Boards of Directors or CEOs, unless they are faced with a crisis, and there is certainly no budget. Trust is built over time and in incremental steps. There are so many competing forces in public companies- quarterly earnings, analysts expectations, CEO compensation and tenure, etc. That's why we have focused on building the Business Case for Trust via our FACTS® Framework. FACTS is a holistic quantitative measurement of the trustworthiness of public companies, compiled from independent third party data providers. In other words, companies do not know they are being evaluated nor do they pay us any fee. With 8 years of data, we see strong correlations between the most trustworthy public companies and long-term profitability. My message to Boards and CEOs is that without organizational trust decisions take longer, employee turnover is high, innovation slows and profits erode. Place trust on your agenda. Start meeting the needs of all your stakeholders, not just your shareholders, and your profits will increase.

Me: What was your prime motivation in developing the Top Thought Leaders in Trust Awards program?
Barbara: There are people who have devoted their entire careers to building organizational trust across every functional area of an organization. These same people should be hailed as heroes and be celebrated. Seven years ago there was no mechanism for doing this. Now there is. Perhaps the recognition opens doors for these folks to make a greater impact.

Me: Tell us a little more about the Trust Alliance? What does the Alliance achieve? 
Barbara: I started the Alliance 5 years ago to bring like minded professionals together to build tools and resources that would enhance both our website and society at large. Very little existed before the Alliance was formed. Now when visitors come to our website, there is an almost endless supply of organizational trust resources and tools. I love to connect members that have complimentary interests and watch new relationships flourish that already have a head start on trust. Understanding that trust is both holistic and global, so is our membership. We don't actively solicit new members but welcome them when they find us. It's a global group.

Me: What's top of your agenda in advancing trust in the coming year or two?
Barbara: Within the next several months we will have the ability to issue "flash reports" to public companies who have an interest in elevating organizational trustworthiness but don't know where to start. The reports will provide a good overview of where the company stands in relation to its peers. These will be driven by our FACTS ® data and provide a mechanism to get companies on the right road, at least those that want to be there! Imagine if every company published their FACTS score in their annual report! With so many years of data there is also quite a bit of interest building both in and outside the financial community. We are discussing licensing with many organizations. This is good for business and for society over the long term and will remain our focus over the next few years.

Thank you Barbara for making trust your thing and for your contribution to making trust our thing. Thank you to all the Top Thought Leaders in Trust for making our world better. 




elaine cohen, CSR consultant, Sustainability Reporter, HR Professional, Trust Across America 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree, Ice Cream Addict, Author of Understanding G4: the Concise Guide to Next Generation Sustainability Reporting  AND  Sustainability Reporting for SMEs: Competitive Advantage Through Transparency AND CSR for HR: A necessary partnership for advancing responsible business practices . Contact me via Twitter (@elainecohen)  or via my business website www.b-yond.biz   (Beyond Business Ltd, an inspired CSR consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm).  Need help writing your first / next Sustainability Report? Contact elaine: info@b-yond.biz 

Trust - it's no accident

One of the things that Barbara Brooks Kimmel, CEO and CoFounder of Trust Across America-Trust Around the World™ (TAA-TAW), has succeeded in driving home in her intensive work over the past two decades, is that trust in business is no accident. Trustworthy business is underpinned by trustworthy people. Trustworthy people advance trust in business through their words and actions, and the compatibility of the former with the latter. Doing business without trust is like running a marathon with a blindfold. You might keep running but who knows where you will end up. You could also fall and break your leg.

 

Trust is at the root of any successful business. But while that may sound obvious, we all know the consequences of lack of trustworthiness. Martin Winterkorn might want to weigh in here, alongside a thousand others I could mention. I don't believe that trustworthy characteristics are the product of a carefully conceived strategy. I believe that trustworthy business leaders were trustworthy before they were business leaders. I believe it's part of who they are. So why should we celebrate people for doing business in a trustworthy way, just because that's the way they are? Shouldn't trustworthiness be a minimum acceptable baseline? Does it deserve recognition?

 

Yes it does. Because no matter how deeply entrenched your personal trust characteristics are, there are many temptations along the way. So many conflicting interests to appease, so many challenging targets to achieve, so much competitive and regulatory noise, so many demands, so many corners available to cut, so many new challenges that emerge from new market dynamics. Even the most trustworthy of us might be tempted to ease off around the edges in order to protect assets developed and reputation hard-earned. Corporate leaders that rise above the noise and stay true to a backbone of trustworthy character in all their undertakings are an inspiration for us all. A little celebration of trustworthiness can only serve to reinforce it.

 

Similarly, capturing and embedding trustworthiness throughout a large organization takes more than  one trustworthy leader at the top. The leadership-halo ripple-effect reaches only so far in large, complex organizations. A structured approach of walk, talk, training, recognition and discipline is required to ensure that every single employee in an organization knows that trustworthiness is more than a value, it's a non-negotiable. Every single employee needs to know the behavioral expectations that support trustworthy business in each daily action in each role. The influence and work of many individuals who support business leaders in embedding trustworthiness in their organizations should also be celebrated. They are an essential part of the trustworthiness chain of custody.  

 

Enter TAA-TAW. Now in its 6th year, TAA-TAW celebrates professionals who are transforming the way organizations do business and honors 2016  Top Thought Leaders as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards to seven individuals who have maintained Top Thought Leader status for five years. 

 

According to Barbara Kimmel: "The release of this year’s list coincides with the beginning of the 4th year of the formation of our Trust Alliance, a growing group of global professionals committed to learning about and advancing the cause of organizational trust. Many of this year's honorees are well-known CEOs, authors and leadership advisors, while others are quietly working behind the scenes as teachers and researchers. We acknowledge and reward all their efforts in elevating societal trust. We congratulate all of our honorees whose work is shining a spotlight on the importance of trust and providing a roadmap for others to follow. They inspire organizations to look more closely at their higher purpose...to create greater value for, and trust from all of their stakeholders, and understand trust is a "hard currency" with real returns."
 

Check out the 2016 Lifetime Honorees here.

Check out the full list of 2016 Honorees in the Winter 2016 issue of TRUST! Magazine

And here I will also mention that I am personally honored and delighted to be included once again in 2016 in this carefully selected group of illustrious and inspiring group of individuals. I am humbled to be on this list with so many truly world-changing individuals. 

 

I hope you will join me in thanking Trust Across America and Barbara Brooks Kimmel for the hard work that goes into the nomination, judging and award process for the annual selection of Top Thought Leaders, and also in congratulating the 2016 Honorees and Lifetime Honorees.

 

elaine cohen, CSR consultant, Sustainability Reporter, HR Professional, Ice Cream Addict. Author of Understanding G4: the Concise Guide to Next Generation Sustainability Reporting  AND  Sustainability Reporting for SMEs: Competitive Advantage Through Transparency AND CSR for HR: A necessary partnership for advancing responsible business practices . Contact me via Twitter (@elainecohen)  or via my business website www.b-yond.biz   (Beyond Business Ltd, an inspired CSR consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm).  Need help writing your first / next Sustainability Report? Contact elaine: info@b-yond.biz  

18 winning CSR Reports

Congrats to the big three winners of CRRA '14. Coca Cola, The Cooperative Group and Novo Nordisk. They've all done it again! 

These three giants have picked up FIVE of the nine first place winning category votes, including the Best Report going to Coca Cola. In total they picked up ELEVEN of the available 27 top spots - winner and two runners-up in each of the nine award categories. That's 17% of the winning reports gaining 40% of the top spot votes. Pareto didn't quite get it totally right this time, but it's close :)

Coca Cola is no stranger to winning votes in the annual CRRA line-up. Over the years, the company has picked up SEVEN first place awards, and a total of FOURTEEN top three spots. 

The Cooperative Group has done pretty well too, with NINE top three spots, of which FIVE are first place awards, since 2008. 

Novo Nordisk has not been outdone either, gaining TWO winning places and a runner-up place in CRRA '14, with a total of EIGHT first place awards, and TWO more runner up awards since the beginning of time. Or the beginning of CRRA.    

All three companies have had first place winning reports every single year since the start of the CRRA competition, except for Cooperative Group who did not enter in CRRA '07, but won a first place in every other year.  No other company since the start of CRRA has achieved this feat. 

In total in CRRA '14, 18 reports won the top 27 spots, out of the total 88 organizations that entered CRRA '14, with around 53 reports shortlisted. Interestingly ALL the winning reports in the top three places in all categories are GRI based reports. I think this is the first time this has happened in the history of CRRA. NINE of the 18 winning reports came from the U.S. and there was one winning report from nine other countries. Of the SEVEN winning reports in first place in nine categories, FIVE came from the U.S. and one from the UK and one from Brazil. The longest winning report in first place was 198 pages (Smithfields Foods) and the shortest was 56 (Ernst and Young Americas). 

Here are the winners:

Best Report

Winner:   Coca Cola Enterprises CR & Sustainability Report 2012 / 2013 

1st Runner-up: BMW Sustainable Value Report 2012    

2nd Runner-up:  Co-operative Group Limited Sustainability Report 2012

Best First Time Report

Winner:   Ernst & Young Americas Patterns of Progress 2012  

1st Runner-up:  Chocolats Halba Sustainability Report 2012   

2nd Runner-up: LG U Plus Corporation Sustainability Report 2012    

Best Integrated Report  
Winner:   Novo Nordisk A/S annual report 2012 

1st Runner-up:  Smithfield Foods Inc 2012 Integrated Report 

2nd Runner-up: Natura Cosmeticos SA Natura Report 2012   

Best Carbon Disclosure   
Winner:  HP 2012 Global Citizenship Report  

1st Runner-up: Royal Dutch Shell plc Sustainability Report 2012 

2nd Runner-up:  Coca-Cola Enterprises CR & Sustainability Report 2012 / 2013 

Creativity in Communications
Winner:  Coca Cola Enterprises CR & Sustainability Report 2012 / 2013 

1st Runner-up: Novo Nordisk A/S annual report 2012  

2nd Runner-up: H &M Sustainability Report 2012  

Innovation in Reporting

Winner:  Bloomberg LP 2012 Sustainability Report

1st Runner-up: Coca Cola Enterprises CR & Sustainability Report 2012 / 2013
2nd Runner-up:  Merck & Co Inc Corporate Responsibility Highlights 2012  

Relevance & Materiality

Winner:  Co-operative Group Limited Sustainability Report 2012  

1st Runner-up:   Miller Coors 2013 Sustainability Report  

2nd Runner-up: Novelis Inc Sustainability Report 2012 

Openness & Honesty

Winner:   Smithfield Foods Inc 2012 Integrated Report  

1st Runner-up:  Microsoft Corporation Citizenship Report 2013 

2nd Runner-up:  Co-operative Group Limited Sustainability Report 2012 

Credibility through Assurance  
Winner:  Novo Nordisk A/S annual report 2012

1st Runner-up:  Co-operative Group Limited Sustainability Report 2012 

2nd Runner-up:  Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (Vancity) 2012 Annual Report

Well done to all the winning reports and to the repeat repeat repeat repeat winners. 

elaine cohen, CSR consultant, winning (CRRA'12) Sustainability Reporter, HR Professional, Ice Cream Addict. Author of Understanding G4: the Concise guide to Next Generation Sustainability Reporting  AND  Sustainability Reporting for SMEs: Competitive Advantage Through Transparency AND CSR for HR: A necessary partnership for advancing responsible business practices . Contact me at www.twitter.com/elainecohen   or via my business website www.b-yond.biz   (Beyond Business Ltd, an inspired CSR consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm)

Will you influence the future of sustainability reporting?

There are some that say that governments will influence the future of sustainability reporting with reporting regulation. There are some that say that consumers will define what they want to hear from companies. There are others that think that NGOs are driving sustainability transparency forward. And academics, producing research on sustainability reporting, think they have the key to making it all work differently. All this is fine and every stakeholder group has the power to make a difference. But there is one additional way in which we can all influence the future of sustainability reporting and that's by giving recognition to the reports that inspired us for different reasons and helping them gain exposure.

That's why, around this time of year, every year, voting in the CRRA online reporting awards has to be on the to-do list of everyone that has an interest in the future of sustainability reporting, which has proven itself to be a process which helps drive sustainability performance and yes, save the planet.

Looking at the line-up for CRRA 14, there are over 50 worthy (some more, some less!) report candidates that are just waiting for you to take a look and vote.

Here are some entirely random quotes from most of the reports in the CRRA 14 line-up which may inspire you. I selected lines that made me smile, or cringe, or nod, or agree, or raise my eyebrows....... but I won't say which is which :)

Note that these quotes are taken out of context, though I hope that this is not misleading in any way. However, perhaps this is why you may be intrigued to open up the report and take a look yourself.

(I didn't check out two reports which did not offer a PDF download. I like PDFs.)  

Ascendas Pte Ltd: "As a progressive organisation, Ascendas continues to be forward-looking and expeditious in adopting best practices."

Bloomberg LP: "Data is the life-blood of policy-making and the capital markets. Even with the most sophisticated assumptions, regulations and financial models formulated on unreliable information are liable to miss the mark and, worse still, compound the problem."

BMW AG: "For us, sustainability means: making decisions weighing up the environmental, economic and social aspects of our actions. But we also examine all decisions on sustainable activities with regard to their profitability. This pays off."

British American Tobacco plc : "If you think nicotine causes most smoking-related diseases then you are not alone. Even some doctors believe this."

China Southern Power Grid Co Ltd: "When most people have been enjoying modern convenience brought by electricity, there was a time when some people in the five provinces and region in South China did not have access to it but relied on kerosene lantern and pine tar for light. Modern civilization was far away from them."

Chocolats Halba: "It is not possible to manufacture chocolate sustainably without procuring sustainable raw materials."

Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc: "We have mapped our stakeholders into key groups and continually review this landscape to ensure we understand their views and are able to communicate effectively and respond to their concerns on issues of interest."

Colas Limited: "Road safety has been identified as a key focus for our social responsibility. This issue is closely related to our operations and presents an important opportunity to make a big difference."

Co-operative Group Limited: "With a history as long as ours it’s inevitable that we’ve experienced all manner of challenges, but throughout, we’ve always stuck resolutely to our Values and Principles and today is no different."

Doosan Infracore Co Ltd: "The VC 630 / 5AX from Doosan Infracore is a high-rigidity vertical machining center capable of controlling five axles simultaneously. Functionality, productivity and operator convenience are all outstanding."

Ernst & Young Americas: "While formal learning plays a crucial role in our people’s development, it is but one leg in the EYU “tripod.” Experiences and coaching form the other two legs and are equally important."

Fibria Celulose SA: "Fibria Cellulose's 2012 Sustainability Report is an education in the detail of sustainable forest management practices, and projects a deep-seated commitment to high standards of environmental stewardship and good citizenship." (haha, disclosure, I said that, in the review piece I wrote for Fibria in this report.)

Flughafen München GmbH: "Crises cannot be planned – but reactions to crises can be."

Fromageries Bel SA: "Beyond the purely commercial act of buying something, consumers are looking for products that resonate with their own awareness of societal issues and desire for commitment, and the societal commitment they perceive in brands which they want to continue to trust."

GSK Latvia: "Vaccination (immunization) is the most effective method of preventing widespread diseases – it prevents an estimated annual 2.5 million deaths in children worldwide." (Another disclosure: I helped write this report.)

H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB: At H&M, we like to think of sustainability as a word of action, something we do rather than something we simply say."

Hess Corporation: "Tragically, we suffered two separate fatalities in 2012, our first since 2008. These fatalities serve to remind us that our work to keep our people safe can never stop as we continue to strive to eliminate all accidents from our business.

Hewlett-Packard Company: "We are committed to maintaining renewables as a part of our energy mix to make continued emissions reductions."

Hydro Québec: "Hydro-Québec takes steps to prevent or mitigate noise from facilities near sensitive environments, such as residential neighborhoods. To prevent noise pollution, the company installs quieter equipment."

IHS Inc: "Colleagues are passionate and understand that IHS is building a very unique company focused on providing tremendous value to customers, communities and stakeholders."

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc: "Vanilla has global appeal that crosses cultures and demographics, making it one of the world’s most popular flavors."

JSR Micro Inc.: "JSR Micro did not seek external assurance for this first report. However, to the best of our ability, we have confirmed that all information in the report is accurately disclosed and presented."

Koninklijke BAM Groep nv: "The earlier we get involved in a development the greater the opportunity we have to influence the sustainability of the development at a lower cost."

Korea Water Resources Corporation: "Communication with stakeholders is the best way for corporations to search for means to coexist with stakeholders."

Kuwait Petroleum International: "Sustainable growth is embedded in our commitment and we bring it to our workplace every day to make sure this company has a sustainable future."

La Trobe University: "To support the development of staff, the University invested over $2.5 million in staff training and conference participation in 2012, or $792 per full‑time equivalent on average."

LG U Plus Corporation: "The donation fund accumulated through the employee Quit Smoking Program is used for the U+ Study Room of Love, which is a project for building a study environment for the youths of low income families. The Regional Children Center in Sangam-dong is designated as the Study Room of Love and the fund was used to install IT devices, redo the wall paper, and to exchange the boiler."

Maynilad Water Services, Inc: "The Company is very strict to ensure that gender discrimination is not tolerated in any way. Employees’ salary and compensation are based on their performance and designations, but never on their gender."

Microsoft Corporation: "The people who power our innovations drive our success."

MillerCoors LLC: "Drunk driving fatalities are on the decline, and in 2011 were at record-low levels in the U.S."

MOL Group: "2013 could be just as challenging as 2012, taking into account slow economic growth in Europe or the tightening regulatory environment in many countries."

Monsanto Company: "We live in dynamic times."

Natura Cosmeticos SA: "A Natura consumer for 16 years, Geni Alves is a frequent buyer of perfumes from the Humor line. With a birthday party scheduled, she purchased the gift over a week in advance."

Nizhny Novgorod Engineering Company - Atomenergoproek: "We are committed to responsible designing and construction of nuclear and thermal power energy facilities and acknowledge that functioning of Company’s subdivisions and branches, as any other anthropogenic activity, may lead to a negative impact upon the environment." 

Novelis Inc: "Aluminum’s infinite recyclability is the other essential component of its sustainability footprint, and recycling aluminum uses dramatically less energy than manufacturing primary aluminum."

Novo Nordisk A/S: "Most annual reports these days talk about how the state of the global economy and the ensuing austerity measures put pressure on businesses. This report is no exception."

Pacific Hydro Pty Limited: "In relation to energy infrastructure of all types, we believe that the community needs confidence in the regulatory and planning authorities and the information provided by them about wind farms."

PanAust Limited: "We continue to be very impressed by the progress we observe in our Lao workforce."

Port Metro Vancouver: "Canada is a trading nation. From coast to coast to coast, people rely on the goods that move through ports."

Royal Dutch Shell plc: "The world is at the beginning of a transformation in energy use. Global population is rising, living standards are improving for many and more people are moving to cities. Demand for energy could rise by up to 80% by around 2050 as it powers rapid economic development."

SK Hynix Inc: "There is a saying that the future, despite being unpredictable, is the present to those who challenge and create."

SK Telecom Co Ltd: "When people and companies explore new possibilities for a better world, SK Telecom always stands by and works with them to be "happy together."

Smithfield Foods Inc: "As a food company, we believe we have a responsibility to help feed families who are struggling to afford the food they need."

STMicroelectronics NV: "Energy-efficiency and eco-design are now key consumer requirements for products."

The British Land Company plc: "Our strong reputation for community engagement makes us more likely to become the partner of choice for local authorities and others."

The Crown Estate: "We are privileged to own and manage some of the most diverse assets in the UK."

Tieto Corporation: "Based on the employee survey, people feel that their competences are well matched to role expectations. We also rate our leaders higher than ever before."

Toronto-Dominion Bank: "I have long held the view that a bank’s primary purpose is to create wealth in the real economy."

Vancouver City Savings Credit Union (Vancity): "Where we allocate capital today determines our society's future health."

Wilderness Holdings Limited: "Thirty years ago the founders of Wilderness fell in love with remote and wild places in Africa. They realised that many of these places were not getting the attention they deserved."

Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc: "We also accepted smaller broccoli, leeks and swedes in our standard vegetable range and courgettes that were lightly marked by wind and rain."

Got inspired?

Smiled?

Cringed?

Nodded?

Learned something new?

Go VOTE! Influence the future of sustainability reporting NOW! This is your chance! Do something to save the planet! Ok... I am getting carried away... but I do think it's important to give recognition to great reporters...so I think it would be great if you could include your voice.

elaine cohen, CSR consultant, winning (CRRA'12) Sustainability Reporter, HR Professional, Ice Cream Addict. Author of Understanding G4: the Concise guide to Next Generation Sustainability Reporting  AND  Sustainability Reporting for SMEs: Competitive Advantage Through Transparency AND CSR for HR: A necessary partnership for advancing responsible business practices . Contact me at www.twitter.com/elainecohen   or via my business website www.b-yond.biz   (Beyond Business Ltd, an inspired CSR consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm)