Mônica Nascimento
The second Management Workshop carried out during the 2006 International Conference
aimed to explain the main changes in the 3rd Generation of the GRI Sustainability
Report model, as well as the challenges and opportunities in reporting pursuant
to this model.
Before getting started and hearing Ernst Ligteringen, chief
executive of the GRI, some companies coordinating the workshop expressed their
difficulties in reporting according to the standard set by the GRI. Cid
Alledi, of NGO Transparency Brazil, said that, from the financial
point of view, the company can choose not to disclose all its figures, “but
in terms of sustainability, from the ethical point of view, there shouldn’t
be exceptions: transparency should be complete.”
Roberto Gonzales, of the Association of the Investment Analysts
and Professionals of Capital Market (Apimec), also advocated the secrecy of
some data as strategic information, and pointed out some difficulties faced
by small and medium-sized companies in implementing the GRI model. Vivian
Smith, of consultancy firm ERM, presented her view from the perspective
of environmental issues, and stressed that the report should not be seen by
companies as the only way to communicate. In her opinion, the information
contained in the report should be adjusted to each stakeholder.
Getting started, Ligteringen commented the contributions by saying that “the
GRI is a aggregating factor, generating a common framework for the various
stakeholders of the company.” He also said that one of the novelties
of the third generation of the GRI is the inclusion of strategies, opportunities
and risks analysis, specifically aimed at investors. This stakeholder recognizes
the importance of sustainability reports, but seeks consolidated information,
without too much technical detail.
With a very dynamic proposal, the workshop suggested that the participants
identify the opportunities and benefits of developing a GRI report and, then,
list the main difficulties and the motivating factors for organizations in
this context. The activity, carried out in groups, was coordinated by a facilitator.
In Gonzales’ opinion, “everyone will leave with
a practical view – besides the concepts and thoughts provided by the
other activities of the Conference – to report their sustainability
projects with methodology and transparency.” This is also the feeling
of Carolina Goulart, of ALL América Latina Logística,
who already makes reports, and came to the workshop to deepen her knowledge
of the GRI model. “With the perception of opportunities, difficulties
and motivations, I realize there is a stronger possibility of pursuing stakeholder
engagement to build a model of transparency and reliability acknowledged by
the market,” she said.