Accountability-central.com AC Alert for February 12, 2012 And the Hits Keep on Coming!

AC Alert for February 12, 2012
And the Hits Keep on Coming!

Back in the 1970's and 1980's that slogan -- and the hits keep on coming! --- was used by on-air personalities at thousands of radio stations across the USA and around the world.  It was one way of telling listeners that their station played more hit songs, all the time.

Here at the Governance and Accountability Institute (G&A) the hits also keep on coming. Different kind -- not hit songs and artists, but "hits" in terms of requests from readers to download G&A's exclusive research analysis concerning S&P 500 and Fortune 500 Sustainability Reporting.

The headlines:  Just in case you missed it, the report revealed that the number of companies in the S&P 500® Index reporting on their sustainability (ESG) strategies and performance has increased from 19% in 2010 to 53% in 2011. 

Similarly, the number of Fortune 500® companies reporting increased from 20% in 2010 to 57% in 2011.

Moreover, companies that are measuring and managing their sustainability issues appear to perform better over the long-term in the capital markets. The Governance and Accountability Institute (G&A) is the exclusive Data Partner for the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) in the United States, the UK and Ireland, believes that the number of companies who avoid adopting sustainability strategies and initiatives and then  reporting on same will continue to diminish.

Notes Hank Boerner, the Institute chairman:  "The benefits of sustainability reporting are becoming increasingly obvious over time and the long-term benefits of adopting sustainability strategies and reporting on performance become easier to measure and quantify."

The key findings of the G&A team analysis, which examined corporate sustainability and responsibility reporting trends by US-domiciled companies were:

1- The increase in reporting among companies in the S&P 500 Index® and the Fortune 500® is dramatic from the prior year's universe of reporters. For example in last year's analysis by G&A, 19% of the S&P 500 reported; in this year's analysis 53% of S&P 500 companies reported. In 2011's analysis, 20% of the Fortune 500 reported, in this year's research effort it was determined that 57% companies reported. 

2- Companies that report on their sustainability strategies, initiatives, programs and ESG performance appear to be more likely to be selected for key sustainability reputational lists, ranked higher by sustainability reputation raters and rankers, and, selected for inclusion on leading sustainability investment indexes.

3-Companies that are measuring and managing their sustainability issues appear to perform better over the long-term in the capital markets. 

Taken together, the findings demonstrate that an increasing number of corporate managers and boards are recognizing the many benefits that measuring, managing, and disclosing their strategies and performance on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors can have for their companies.

This research report is generating extensive media coverage. Here are a few samples:

Dramatic Rise in ESG Reporting
(Source: Addison.com) According to analysis just released by the Governance & Accountability Institute, there has been a dramatic increase from 2010 to 2011 in the number of the largest U.S. companies issuing ESG, CSR or Sustainability reports. In the 2011 analysis, 53% of S&P 500 and 57% of Fortune 500 companies were reporting on their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) impacts, making non-reporters the minority. In the 2010 analysis, just 19% of S&P and 20% of Fortune 500 companies reported.

The North American sustainability reporting landscape 
(Source: GRI) Two years on from the launch of GRI's Focal Point USA, a tipping point is being reached among large US companies, which increasingly view sustainability reporting as an essential tool for engaging investors and stakeholders.

This is just a sampling of the information in our Accountability-Central.com Alert. Go here for the full text of this alert, and more information on Sustainability, and other Accountability related topics.