Sustainability Reporting Program

URL: http://www.sustreport.org

The Sustainability Reporting Program is moving into a new phase of development, including the expansion of our section on what sustainability means from a business perspective.

The public expects companies both to provide goods and services, and to be good corporate citizens. There is evidence that sustainability reporting, based on good performance, can be a valuable tool for helping a company to show leadership, and to win acceptance and support from a wide range of key players, including shareholders, directors, employees, customers, regulators and the media. Many companies now realize this, but are struggling to define what sustainable development means for them, and how to communicate what they are doing about it.

They hear about natural capital, the triple bottom line, Global Reporting Initiative and other leading edge ideas, but often find it hard to get a synthesis in a Canadian context.

As a key source of information on sustainability issues and trends, the SRP has established a Sustainable Business section to define the state of the art in corporate sustainability thinking and reporting.

We are pleased to announce that Alcan Aluminium Limited has become the first corporate sponsor of the SRP, with a special focus on this section. Alcan sees the need to support an independent report on key sustainability issues and trends. This will be a benefit to Canadians, who will have an impartial source of high quality information. It will also benefit Alcan and the corporate world. As our Sustainable Business site grows, it will spec out:

- What does sustainable development look like?

- How can companies report on it in a way that is credible?

- What are the benefits of sustainable development and good sustainability communications for a company?

As part of our Sustainable Business development team, we will involve experts on business and sustainability, including Mary MacDonald from SRP, Ron Nielsen, Manager, Environmental Affairs and Sustainability with Alcan, David Wheeler, who has the Haub Chair in Business and Sustainability at York University, and others.

While the Sustainable Business section will be an important new piece of work, we will continue to develop such features as:

- Sustainability Signals, those key indicators of how we are doing.

- A map-based look at regional and local environmental, quality of life and sustainability reports across the country. This will include a section we are developing, in partnership with Environment Canada, on sustainability in the Great Lakes region.

- More key pieces of writing and web sites that explain sustainability.

The SRP also wants to announce that Kim Peters, who has been a researcher with us for a year, has taken on a number of important responsibilities, including budgeting, fund-raising and planning for the organization. Her new title is Program Manager.

So, keep checking us out. Look now, and keep coming back to http://www.sustreport.org.

Thanks, and have a great summer.

The SRP team.