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An Introduction to Environmental Reporting for Singapore Companies
The aim of this Guide is to provide a user-friendly introduction to the subject of corporate environmental reporting. It contains an explanation of what environmental reporting means and an overview of its evolution over the last 12 years. It also contains guidance on what environmental reports might contain, drawing from best practice guidelines and using selected examples from the published environmental reports of a number of large companies around the world.
The booklet describes how companies worldwide are now under increasing pressure, from a variety of sources, to be more transparent about the extent of their compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and about their environmental impacts and performance. For larger companies in particular, better disclosure does much to enhance (and protect) corporate reputation. Not all companies have significant environmental impacts which require full-scale reporting, but all companies, in all sectors, can take steps to benefit the environment, whether through energy efficiency schemes, waste reduction strategies or the improved design and recyclability of their products. These benefits apply as much to small and medium-sized enterprises as they do large national and international groups. And of course, improvements in environmental management can and should have a measurable impact on the financial bottom line, via cost savings and the development of new revenue streams.
ACCA recently launched an Environmental Reporting Award Scheme in Singapore. We are grateful to Singapore's Ministry of Environment and the National Environment Agency for their generous endorsement of the objectives of this scheme, which are to identify and reward examples of excellent corporate disclosure of environmental policies, practices, impacts and performance. We hope that the publication of this booklet will encourage more Singapore companies to consider environmental reporting and we look forward to seeing the results flow through in terms of future award winners.