The Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency
Encyclopedia
The Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency was held for the third time in May 2010. Over the years, the conference has seen the world’s largest gathering of leaders, thinkers and doers in the field of sustainability reporting, with debates being convened on how reporting can be used to help build a better future. Thought leaders from business, finance, government and civil society have been brought together to debate the political, strategic and practical choices confronting the world and expert practitioners have led workshops and interactive sessions to define the building blocks of more effective reporting.
The first Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency, held by GRI, took place in October 2006, with over 1,200 participants. In May 2008, the second Amsterdam Global Conference was held. This climate neutral conference brought together over 1,000 participants from 58 countries. The 2010 Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency was held from 26–28 May 2010 at the Amsterdam RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre in The Netherlands.
Our resource consumption has gone beyond what our planet can sustain, yet billions continue to live in poverty. The world’s population is set to increase massively and more and more people will, understandably, expect to live the lifestyles currently enjoyed by the few. This unsustainable outlook has become a core business issue, requiring companies and governments to rethink the fundamentals.
Rebuild
As we climb out of global recession we have a unique opportunity – and an urgent need - to rebuild our economies to meet the challenges of the future; not the past. We have the opportunity to drive the transition to sustainable practices, where sustainability is at the core of public policy and business strategy, evident in products and processes, and key to consumer choices.
Report
Sustainability reporting can be an effective tool for change. Credible disclosures map out current positions and point the way forwards, towards solutions that benefit both business and wider society. Full economic, environmental and social accountability is based on transparent communication. Transparent communication changes perceptions, builds trust, and motivates action towards greater sustainability.
During the Opening Plenary, GRI’s Chief Executive Ernst Ligteringen outlined two goals for the next decade:
1. GRI proposes that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting should become a general practice to help markets and society take informed and responsible decisions. GRI advocates that by 2015 all large and medium-sized companies in OECD countries and fast-growing emerging economies should be required to report publicly on their ESG performance, or if they don’t, explain why.
2. GRI proposes that ESG reporting and financial reporting need to converge over the coming decade. GRI advocates that a standard for integrated reporting should be defined, tested and adopted by 2020. In line with this, The Prince’s Accounting for Sustainability Project (A4S) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) announced the formation of the International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC).
Conference Speakers Alumni include:
based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The Global Reporting Initiative has pioneered the development of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework and is committed to its continuous improvement and application worldwide. This framework sets out the principles and indicators that organizations can use to measure and report their economic, environmental, and social performance .
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Socially responsible investing
Corporate social responsibility
The first Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency, held by GRI, took place in October 2006, with over 1,200 participants. In May 2008, the second Amsterdam Global Conference was held. This climate neutral conference brought together over 1,000 participants from 58 countries. The 2010 Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency was held from 26–28 May 2010 at the Amsterdam RAI Exhibition and Convention Centre in The Netherlands.
2010 Conference Themes
RethinkOur resource consumption has gone beyond what our planet can sustain, yet billions continue to live in poverty. The world’s population is set to increase massively and more and more people will, understandably, expect to live the lifestyles currently enjoyed by the few. This unsustainable outlook has become a core business issue, requiring companies and governments to rethink the fundamentals.
Rebuild
As we climb out of global recession we have a unique opportunity – and an urgent need - to rebuild our economies to meet the challenges of the future; not the past. We have the opportunity to drive the transition to sustainable practices, where sustainability is at the core of public policy and business strategy, evident in products and processes, and key to consumer choices.
Report
Sustainability reporting can be an effective tool for change. Credible disclosures map out current positions and point the way forwards, towards solutions that benefit both business and wider society. Full economic, environmental and social accountability is based on transparent communication. Transparent communication changes perceptions, builds trust, and motivates action towards greater sustainability.
2010 Conference in Review
The third GRI Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency attracted more participants than ever before and from a greater number of countries around the world. This year, 77 countries were represented with over 1200 attendees! Participants enjoyed a diverse range of topics in 60 Main Hall, Parallel, and Academic sessions on best practices in ESG disclosure and the future of sustainability reporting.During the Opening Plenary, GRI’s Chief Executive Ernst Ligteringen outlined two goals for the next decade:
1. GRI proposes that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting should become a general practice to help markets and society take informed and responsible decisions. GRI advocates that by 2015 all large and medium-sized companies in OECD countries and fast-growing emerging economies should be required to report publicly on their ESG performance, or if they don’t, explain why.
2. GRI proposes that ESG reporting and financial reporting need to converge over the coming decade. GRI advocates that a standard for integrated reporting should be defined, tested and adopted by 2020. In line with this, The Prince’s Accounting for Sustainability Project (A4S) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) announced the formation of the International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC).
Conference History
Over a thousand participants from more than fifty countries attended each of the first two biennial conferences in 2006 and 2008. Of the participants, over 40% came from countries outside of Europe. 10% of participants at the previous two conferences were CEO / Board of Director level, and over 30% were Vice Presidents, Senior Managers, or Heads of Departments. Industries represented included automotive, food and beverage, mining and metals, apparel, IT, oil and gas, construction and real estate, media, telecommunications, and logistics. In addition representatives from finance, NGOs, accountancy, government and regulatory bodies attended the previous two conferences.Conference Speakers Alumni include:
- His Royal Highness Willem Alexander, Prince of Orange, The Netherlands
- Al GoreAl GoreAlbert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
, former United States Vice President - Sir Mark Moody-StuartMark Moody-StuartSir Mark Moody-Stuart was appointed non-executive chairman of Anglo American PLC in 2001 and is an ex-chairman of Royal Dutch Shell and a director of HSBC Holdings and of Accenture. He is a Chairman, Foundation for the Global Compact and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Global...
, Chairman Anglo American - Kumi NaidooKumi NaidooKumi Naidoo, born 1965, is a South African human rights activist and the International Executive Director of international environmentalist group, Greenpeace. He is the first African to head the organisation....
, Honorary President CIVICUS (now Executive Director at Greenpeace International) - Rajendra K. PachauriRajendra K. PachauriRajendra Kumar Pachauri has served as the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change since 2002, during which his tenure has engendered controversy. He is also been director general of TERI, a research and policy organization in India, and chancellor of TERI University...
, Chairman Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - Achim SteinerAchim SteinerAchim Steiner is a German expert in environmental politics. From 2001 to 2006 he was Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources...
, Executive Director United nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) - Margot WallströmMargot WallströmMargot Elisabeth Wallström is a Swedish social democratic, currently holding the job as . Prior to this post, she served as European Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy...
, Vice President European Commission - Queen Rania of Jordan
Conference Organizers
This conference was organized by Global Reporting InitiativeGlobal Reporting Initiative
The Global Reporting Initiative produces one of the world's most prevalent standards for sustainability reporting - also known as ecological footprint reporting, Environmental Social Governance reporting, Triple Bottom Line reporting, Corporate Social Responsibility reporting...
based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The Global Reporting Initiative has pioneered the development of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework and is committed to its continuous improvement and application worldwide. This framework sets out the principles and indicators that organizations can use to measure and report their economic, environmental, and social performance .
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External links
- http://www.amsterdamgriconference.org/
- http://www.globalreporting.org/Home
- http://globalblogs.deloitte.com/deloitteperspectives/2010/05/the-global-reporting-initiative-conference-kicks-off.html
- http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/06/report-from-gri-amsterdam-the-future-of-transparent-sustainability-reporting/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TriplePundit+%28Triple+Pundit%29
- http://www.vimeo.com/14029112
See also
Integrated reportingIntegrated reporting
Integrated reporting refers to the integrated representation of a company’s performance in terms of both financial and non-financial results. Integrated reporting provides greater context for performance data, clarifies how sustainability fits into operations or a business, and may help embed...
Socially responsible investing
Socially responsible investing
Socially responsible investing , also known as sustainable, socially conscious, or ethical investing, describes an investment strategy which seeks to consider both financial return and social good....
Corporate social responsibility
Corporate social responsibility
Corporate social responsibility is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model...