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Only a handful of companies are providing adequate information on their
public policy positions in their non-financial reports, according to
new research.
An examination of 50 of the best sustainability reporters by the Brussels-based public affairs consultancy Blueprint Partners found that companies’ efforts to influence the direction of public policy was one of the ‘least reported’ areas.
Blueprint, which conducted the study with the SustainAbility consultancy and WWF, says that such disclosures are ‘a minority pursuit’ even among forward-looking companies.
Most of the 50 companies provided ‘sketchy’ details at best, and in some cases none at all. Some investors say they would like more information on behind-the-scenes lobbying to assess its consistency with publicly stated social and environmental goals, among them F&C, Morley, NorthStar and Schroders.
Coming in from the cold considered the 50 sustainability reporting leaders identified in a 2006 analysis by Standard & Poor’s, SustainAbility, and the UN Environment Programme. The average score for recording of public affairs by the companies was 1.7 out of a possible four – the second lowest score for the 29 topics covered. When the best performers were stripped out, the average fell to 0.8.
Four companies were thought to be doing well (see box below). British American Tobacco was praised for revealing its position on minimum smoking age legislation, and BT highlighted for providing data on its membership of trade bodies and specific policies on issues such as digital inclusion and the mis-selling of telecoms services.
There were marked national differences. None of the five Japanese companies in the 50 provided information on public policy but the ten UK companies averaged a score of three.
Three years ago several companies backed plans to develop rules for the disclosure of efforts to influence public policy, and Co-operative Financial Services offered to fund the work. However, EP has learned that the idea was not pursued.
An examination of 50 of the best sustainability reporters by the Brussels-based public affairs consultancy Blueprint Partners found that companies’ efforts to influence the direction of public policy was one of the ‘least reported’ areas.
Blueprint, which conducted the study with the SustainAbility consultancy and WWF, says that such disclosures are ‘a minority pursuit’ even among forward-looking companies.
Most of the 50 companies provided ‘sketchy’ details at best, and in some cases none at all. Some investors say they would like more information on behind-the-scenes lobbying to assess its consistency with publicly stated social and environmental goals, among them F&C, Morley, NorthStar and Schroders.
Coming in from the cold considered the 50 sustainability reporting leaders identified in a 2006 analysis by Standard & Poor’s, SustainAbility, and the UN Environment Programme. The average score for recording of public affairs by the companies was 1.7 out of a possible four – the second lowest score for the 29 topics covered. When the best performers were stripped out, the average fell to 0.8.
Four companies were thought to be doing well (see box below). British American Tobacco was praised for revealing its position on minimum smoking age legislation, and BT highlighted for providing data on its membership of trade bodies and specific policies on issues such as digital inclusion and the mis-selling of telecoms services.
There were marked national differences. None of the five Japanese companies in the 50 provided information on public policy but the ten UK companies averaged a score of three.
Three years ago several companies backed plans to develop rules for the disclosure of efforts to influence public policy, and Co-operative Financial Services offered to fund the work. However, EP has learned that the idea was not pursued.
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