The view on transparency in corporate reporting has shifted and defined the CSR movement – this is why it matters to your organization.

1. The Changing Meaning of Transparency

2. Topic:
How the view on transparency
in corporate reporting has
shifted and defined the CSR
movement – and why it
matters to your organization.
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3. Transparency: A Definition
“Transparency is the opposite of secrecy. Secrecy means
deliberately hiding your actions; transparency means
deliberately revealing them…Transparency is a choice,
encouraged by changing attitudes about what constitutes
appropriate behavior.”1
1 "Rivet Software - XBRL Solutions." Rivet Software - XBRL Solutions. N.p., 2010. Web. 22 Aug. 2012.
3 <http://www.rivetsoftware.com/premium/Rivet-Software-White-Paper-Talking-About-Transparency.pdf>.

4. Transparency
Old View vs. New View

5. Old View
• Twenty years ago, transparency in corporate reporting was
viewed negatively and sustainable practices were not a
business priority; most companies didn’t report on social
and environmental practices
• Transparency was too risky because it exposed businesses
to unwanted scrutiny from all stakeholders
• Organizations shied away from transparency for 2 reasons:
1. Bad press could arise after disclosing the environmental or
social impact of the business
2. Revealing too much could make businesses vulnerable to
competition
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6. Fact
In 1999, only ≈600 companies
in the world submitted
Corporate Responsibility (CR)
Reports. 2
2 "CRRA CRReporting Awards '10." Corporate Register. Corporate Register, Apr. 2010. Web. 22 Aug. 2012.
6 <http://www.corporateregister.com/pdf/CRRA10.pdf>.

7. New View
• Over the last 10 years, businesses have realized that
transparency is necessary to build trust with stakeholders
• Transparency is not equivalent to compromising intellectual
property, but is being honest about what you do and how
you do it – this forces companies to adopt better, more
sustainable practices
• The key to transparency is voluntarily disclosing
information. This is usually done through annual reports,
conferences and/or online tools like websites and social
media
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8. Fact
In 2009, ≈3,800 companies in
the world submitted CR
reports. This is a 533% increase
from a decade earlier.2
2 "CRRA CRReporting Awards '10." Corporate Register. Corporate Register, Apr. 2010. Web. 22 Aug. 2012.
8 <http://www.corporateregister.com/pdf/CRRA10.pdf>.

9. What Changed?
The people have spoken – and now organizations respond

10. An Educated Public
• People have become more educated about the
environmental and social impact corporations have around
the world
• Millions of individuals are proactively reducing their carbon
footprint and making contributions for social change
• They now hold corporations to the same standard, and are
paying attention to ethics and supply chain sustainability
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11. Fact
Between 2005 and 2009, there
was an 84% increase in
companies producing CSR
reports for the first-time.3
3 "CRRA CRReporting Awards '10." Corporate Register. Corporate Register, Apr. 2010. Web. 22 Aug. 2012.
11 http://www.corporateregister.com/pdf/CRRA10.pdf>.

12. The Result
• Smart companies are becoming more transparent and
producing corporate social responsibility reports detailing
their efforts toward becoming more sustainable
• Consumers are increasingly making purchase decisions
based on this information
• People are plugged in all the time and want information on
demand, so it’s essential that companies not only put a
sustainable plan in place, but then make it easily accessible
(and digestible!) for the public
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13. Fact
In PwC’s 2010 CSR Trends
Report, 81% of all companies
surveyed had CSR information
on their websites.4
4 PwC, and Craib Design and Communications. CSR Trends 2010. Rep. PwC, 2011. Web. 23 Aug. 2012.
13 <http://www.pwc.com/ca/en/sustainability/publications/csr-trends-2010-09.pdf>.

14. Why Transparency Matters to
YOUR Business
And what you can do about it

15. A Necessary Good
• This new form of transparency has brought an
opennesss among corporations that is subject to both
criticism and praise
• With so many corporations being transparent in their
CSR strategies, organizations are competing to be the
most sustainable and produce the best reports. This is
raising the bar for other companies practicing CSR
• The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Guidelines have
helped standardize reporting so collaboration and global
benchmarking are possible
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16. Fact
In PwC’s 2010 CSR Trends
Report, 83% of those surveyed
used the GRI Guidelines5
5 PwC, and Craib Design and Communications. CSR Trends 2010. Rep. PwC, 2011. Web. 23 Aug. 2012.
16 <http://www.pwc.com/ca/en/sustainability/publications/csr-trends-2010-09.pdf>.

17. Join the Conversation
• If your organization doesn’t already have a CSR program, it’s
time to start developing one to stay competitive and make a
positive impact
• The best place to start is to research competitor CSR reports
to determine best practices
• Once your plan is in place, you can continue to analyze
competitor reports to assist with benchmarking and to keep
on top of industry trends
• Transparency in corporate responsibility will help you retain a
competitive edge in the marketplace and will earn trust and
good-will from consumers, eventually affecting your bottom
line
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18. “Truth never damages a cause that is just.”
-Mahatma Ghandi
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