ComunicaRSE, with the support of CEMEX, has developed a research called “Reportes America 2013”. Its main goals are ...
ComunicaRSE, with the support of CEMEX, has developed a research called “Reportes America 2013”. Its main goals are to analyse the most important trends in business reports and to help strengthening the transparency culture among the companies in the region.
According to the research, the objective of reports is to measure, disclose and give account to the company’s main internal and external stakeholders about its performance regarding sustainable development goals.
The report framework most frequently used around the world is the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), which has been chosen by 82% of the 250 largest companies in the world. In 2013, GRI introduced G4, the fourth generation of indicators that will be used from 2015 on and that sets greater requirements for companies when they make the reports. Among other issues, these guidelines will be more demanding on the definition of materiality, on value chain indicators and on explanations of the reasons for not using certain indicators.
Another proposal that is emerging is the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) that seeks to develop a reporting structure where companies may share with their investors information about how they plan to manage their impact on financial, human and social resources.
During the past 12 years the percentage of sustainability reports developed by the main companies from around the world has grown from 35% to 95%.
Due to the amazing increase of reports in Latin America, the American continent has beaten Europe on this matter. Latin America, as a whole, is promoting companies to give account to stakeholders by developing new legislation. Such is the case in Chile, Argentina and Brazil.
Currently Latin America is in an intermediate level as regards the reporting culture, and Brazil clearly is the regional leader.
When it comes to developing reports, this country is fifth among countries from all over the world. The Sao Paulo stock market (BM&FBOVESPA) has designed its own regulation using the “report that explains” principle, which lead to an increasing number of companies developing reports (from 45% in May 2014 to 58% in October 2014).
To read the full report in Spanish, check the attached file.
