About: sustainability reporting

Looking at environmental performance across the supply chain

The environmental impact of business activity is often mistakenly limited to the direct operations of companies. In reality, it is the environmental performance of the supply chain as a whole that needs to be looked into, writes Christian Ewert.

Cameron, UN panel call for global corporate sustainability reporting

Big companies should report their impact on the environment in addition to their earnings under a UN plan to boost economic growth and ease poverty by 2030, according to recommendations by a panel of world leaders including British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Sustainability chair: Going beyond the Commission’s CSR proposals

Fund managers and other institutional investors should be scrutinised for their shareholder voting on social responsibility, says the founder of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Coalition.

Corporate Sustainability

Over the last ten years, many businesses have become aware of the need to incorporate sustainable development into their core business activities. What is corporate sustainability and is the EU doing enough to promote sustainable businesses?

Sustainable trade

Sustainable trade implies a trading system that does not harm the environment or deteriorate social conditions while promoting economical growth.

Interview news: Green NGO calls for higher prices for road and air transport

European Federation for Transport & Environment policy officer Stephanos Anastasiadis explains that the only way to achieve sustainable mobility is by ensuring that road and air transport pay their true 'external costs'.

Full interview with Stephanos Anastasiadis on the way forward to sustainable mobility

Stephanos Anastasiadis, Policy Officer at the European federation for Transport & Environment, considers that a pre-requisite for sustainable mobility is that all forms of transport pay for their external costs to the environment and society.

New award launched to reward socially responsible investment

Self-nominations are expected from investment companies active in SRI for the "Royal Awards for Responsible Investment".

CSR study: time to move beyond the “voluntary vs mandatory” debate

A new study explores how well companies understand the economic impacts of their activities on poor communities, and what actions businesses take to manage those to achieve the desired outcomes.

Award judges identify weak areas in sustainability reports

The European Sustainability Awards 2002 named best sustainability, environmental, first-time and SME reports. The judges called for more quantifiable performance indicators, improved stakeholder involvement and better balance of the three sustainability elements.

Forecasting the impact of sustainability issues on the reputation of large multinational corporation

This research aims to establish the extent to which corporate reputation could, in the near future, represent the return on responsibility and environmental credibility.

‘Sustainable mobility’ – a new concept or an empty phrase?

On 17 February 2003, high level representatives of the rail, automotive and aviation sectors as well as the Commission discussed the concept of "sustainable mobility" with regard to current trends in EU transport policy.

New web portal launched on sustainable development reporting

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development has launched a new portal, which aims to help companies develop their sustainability reports.

Worldwatch report highlights signs of progress towards sustainability

The Worldwatch Institute just released its State of the World 2003 report, which indicates that recent technological and social changes provide grounds for optimism about the world's capacity to respond to environmental threats.

Business leaders report points out the added value of sustainable development reporting

On 6 january, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) released a report explaining the added value of sustainable development reporting and providing tools to produce such reports.

Policy Instruments for achieving Environmentally Sustainable Transport

TERM 2002: Paving the way for EU enlargement – Indicators of transport and environment integration

  TERM 2002: Paving the way for EU enlargement – Indicators of transport and environment integration The report examines progress made in the transport sector in implementing the principle, adopted by EU leaders at their Cardiff summit in 1998, of...

SustainAbility: Chiquita’s corporate responsibility reporting is among the world’s best

The report by SustainAbility on corporate accountability, published in November 2002, ranks Chiquita's 2000 Corporate Responsibility Report as Number 1 in the food industry.

Last Transport Council under Danish presidency faces high expectations

The Transport Council of 5-6 December is to discuss maritime safety, air transport, heavy goods transport through Austria, the revitalisation of the EU's railways and the integration of environmental into transport policy. It is the last meeting of Transport ministers under the Danish presidency.

Parliament demands major changes in Transport White Paper

On 28 November, the EP's Transport Committee adopted its report on the Commission's White Paper on Transport Policy. It calls on the Commission to reconsider substantial parts of the document.

New social reporting recommendations for the financial services sector

A new Financial Services Sector Supplement to the Sustainability Guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative has been issued, containing a set of social performance indicators for the industry.

Tour operators establish international guidelines for sustainable tourism

In the framework of the Sustainability Guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative, tour operators have recently launched a sector supplement to advance environment friendly and socially responsible tourism.

Corporate Responsibility Bill debated in UK Parliament

The UK House of Commons is currently considering a bill to challenge the internationally preferred voluntary approach to CSR.

Sustainable Development: Introduction [Archived]

Since the 1987 Brundtland report, the concept of sustainable development has entered the political arena. Its most common definition reads: "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". In the EU debate, sustainable development is often seen as encompassing three dimensions: the environmental, the economic and the social (the "triple bottom line").