Sustainability Briefs

The Conference Board recently released its annual study on the state of corporate sustainability disclosure around the world. The research assesses environmental and social disclosure practices of the 250 largest publicly traded companies domiciled in each of the 10 largest economies (by GDP at purchasing power parity) in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. As we look to Asia, what are key trends in reporting practices across the region? Where do we see the biggest challenges ahead?

Research on corporate sustainability reporting finds that large U.S. companies, even in the absence of domestic nonfinancial reporting requirements, are more transparent than their peers in much of the world. Sustainability disclosure by U.S. companies is largely driven by pressure from stakeholders.

Key trends related to the corporate disclosure of environmental and social practices in Europe

Findings from a global study of corporate sustainability reporting reveals that companies in Japan have the highest overall sustainability disclosure rate. The findings raise the fundamental question of why companies report and whether reporting regulations are incentivizing compliance over substance.

For companies embarking on the practice of sustainability reporting it can be challenging to discern between the various reporting frameworks and guidelines. To ease this process, The Conference Board developed a table comparing some of the leading sustainability reporting frameworks.

For most businesses in China, including foreign firms, directly addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is unchartered territory. Many companies are still in the early stages of their sustainability journey in China, and existing programs often lack strategic intent or deep commitment. We see a tremendous opportunity for foreign firms to exploit areas of Chinese policy and SDG alignment to raise the impact and relevance of their sustainability programs in China.

The Conference Board has developed a sustainable procurement framework to help companies assess their sustainable procurement program’s orientation toward outcomes and impact.

There has been dramatic growth in ESG (Environmental, Sustainability and Governance) investing during the past 20 years – but along with this positive trend comes an equally dramatic rise in ESG reporting requirements, and a proliferation of rating agencies and assessment tools.

Embedding sustainability into the supply chain makes good business sense. Embracing sustainable procurement practices can help companies manage business risks, achieve costs savings through material efficiency gains, enhance their brand reputation, and manage suppliers more effectively. But success requires a focus on real-world impact rather than inputs and activities.