Just under one quarter of APAC companies in the S&P Global 1200 Index disclose their performance across a range of environmental and social practices, as reported by The Conference Board in Sustainability Practices: 2013 Edition. This represents a higher disclosure rate than North American companies.
Just over one half of respondents in APAC reported adopting the Global Reporting Initiative framework, and only 25% of APAC companies underwent verification of company disclosure by an accredited assurance service provider. While 84% of S&P Global 1200 companies report having a business ethics policy, less than half of companies have a human rights policy, according to the report. HR needs to take affirmative action to ensure robust CSR practices are inculcated at all levels throughout their organisations.
Among other major findings from the report; larger organisations—by revenue—were more likely to invest in sustainability disclosure whereas European companies continue to lead their peers in sustainability disclosure. While almost half of European companies release sustainability reports that are verified by a third party, only 25% of companies in APAC do so.
Water consumption continues to be under reported, despite the global imperative of ensuring access to clean water. In the global sample, out of the 10 sectors analysed, only in the materials and telecommunication services sectors did over half of companies disclose their total water consumption. Perhaps more telling is that fewer than half of companies in the utilities sector reported on water consumption, despite companies in this sector reporting the highest median water consumption.
While companies in APAC reported the highest proportion of women in the workforce—35%—companies in this region also have the lowest percentage of women in management positions, only 12%, whereas women represent 20% of management positions among North American companies.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
