Murray Sayce Appointed Chair of the New AccountAbility Principles Working Group

London and New York, September 15, 2016 /3BL Media/ -- The AA1000 Steering Committee is pleased to announce that Mr. Murray Sayce, Principal, Ramboll-Environ, has been appointed as Chair of the new AccountAbility Principles (AA1000AP) Working Group. The new AA1000AP Working Group will develop the latest revision to the AccountAbility Principles, which are the guiding principles of the AA1000 series of standards. The AA1000 series are widely applied tools for integrating and embedding sustainability and accountability into the governance and performance of organisations.

The revised AA1000AP will provide an updated principles-based framework for organisations to inclusively identify, prioritise and respond to its sustainability challenges. Along with the AA1000 Assurance Standard (AA1000AS) which is also undergoing a parallel revision process, the refreshed AA1000 standards will reflect the rapid evolution of the marketplace in recent years. It will incorporate sustainability thinking and align with relevant parts of sustainability frameworks, leading practices, local guidelines / standards related to sustainability, and regulatory requirements.

Mr. Sayce contributes more than 20 years in Environment, Health & Safety and Sustainability services, drawn from international experience across numerous sectors. He is joined by Dr. Colin Morgan, the Chair of the AA1000 Assurance Standard (AA1000AS) Working Group, and Principal Consultant, DNV GL, who counts over a decade as a practitioner in the sustainability field - from strategy development and communications to assurance of sustainability claims, and value chain risk management.

Commenting on the Working Groups, the Chair of the AA1000 Steering Committee, and Director of the Sustainability Management Center at the Korea Productivity Center (KPC), Mr. Dongsoo Kim stated, “The revision of the AccountAbility Principles and the Assurance Standard at this time is critical in ensuring the AA1000 series remain at the forefront of sustainability thinking. It is imperative that the new revisions not only capture market phenomenon such as integrated thinking, but set itself apart by continuing to be easy to apply, given the increasingly crowded marketplace of sustainability standards”.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Murray Sayce said that "To develop and introduce a revised AA1000 principles framework at this stage is a fundamental step to providing continuity integrated with progressive sustainability thinking for a wider audience. I am delighted to be able to play a key role in this initiative with my appointment as Chair to the Working Group, whose combined and unequalled experience will bring the global expertise needed for the new accountability principles."

"The revised AccountAbility Principles are crucial for the success of the AA1000 Assurance Standard, which is currently undergoing its own revision process. The AA1000AS will integrate prevailing market trends, including qualitative non-financial benchmarks and a continued emphasis on assurance beyond purely data verification, as part of its evaluation and assurance methodology. Given the Working Groups' diverse perspectives, they are ideally placed to deliver a strategic, knowledge-based framework to guide reporting organisations and support the work of assurance providers." said Dr. Colin Morgan.

The revisions to the AA1000AP and AA1000AS follow the release of the revised AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard (AA1000SES) last year. The AA1000SES contains requirements for good-quality stakeholder engagement, highlighted to provide clear guidance, and supporting frameworks in a format designed to improve the ease-of-use.

The Working Groups have commenced work under the mandate of their Terms of Reference and is supported by AccountAbility, the secretariat and steward of the AA1000 Series. The revised AA1000AP will be released in late-2016, followed closely by the release of the revised AA1000AS.

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