From The Australian Financial Review, May 21, 2008:
In some instances, a company's sustainability report is a victory for spin over substance, says Australian Shareholders Association spokesman Stuart Wilson. "It seems to be that any sustainability reporting is coming more from a company's marketing and reputation departments, rather than us seeing any effective - any real - change in processes," he says.
But shareholders are interested in more than short-term increases in a company's share price and there are genuine financial benefits to companies that take sustainability seriously, Wilson says.
"Shareholders are looking generally for long-term sustainable increases in earnings and so anything that may impact on future earnings, whether it be government legislation limiting their operations or simply damage done to their surrounding communities, those sorts of things are going to ultimately impact on the company's bottom line."
But shareholders are interested in more than short-term increases in a company's share price and there are genuine financial benefits to companies that take sustainability seriously, Wilson says.
"Shareholders are looking generally for long-term sustainable increases in earnings and so anything that may impact on future earnings, whether it be government legislation limiting their operations or simply damage done to their surrounding communities, those sorts of things are going to ultimately impact on the company's bottom line."
What about you? Is your sustainability report more a victory for spin or substance? Is there a better way? Would you like to know of one?
Accelerated Sustainability is that better way. And Stuart Wilson agrees.
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