The Chief Executive Officer, NGX Regulation Limited, Ms Tinuade Awe, has said there is need for corporate bodies to adopt sound procedures in the reporting on their environmental and social impact.
A statement said she spoke during a webinar hosted by the Corporate Secretaries International Association to explore how businesses and organisations could carry a full 360 approach to market disclosure.
It focuses on how companies can comply with regulations and standards. The programme was themed, ‘Unlocking ESG for boards from strategy to disclosure’.
Speaking on the importance of measuring and reporting sustainability performance for companies, Awe said, “Our world today is facing major sustainability challenges including inequality, overpopulation, climate change, and several environmental risks.
“By recognising that capital allocation makes a real impact on the environment and society at large, investors can reap sustainable long-term investment decisions through investments in ESG-themed investments.
“Furthermore, adopting an ESG-lens in our approach to investment is critical for investors to identify businesses that implement a forward-looking approach to managing long-term risks as and leveraging opportunities that ensure long-term ensure economic, environmental, and social responsibility.”
Awe encouraged companies to adopt best practices in their disclosure on ESG issues by ensuring that their sustainability reports capture relevant sustainability disclosures that are relevant to their stakeholders.
In recommending critical disclosures that should be included in a sustainability report, she said, “Historically, sustainability reports cover the address a company’s approach to managing the triple bottom line of people, profit and planet. However, disclosures in sustainability reports have evolved over the years to address the needs of a wide array of stakeholders.
“In publishing their sustainability reports, companies should consider a number of relevant disclosures including materiality, sustainability risks, and opportunities as well as a detailed explanation of how companies are addressing the risks and levering the opportunities.
“In addition, a sustainability report should include disclosures on how sustainability is governed by the board, executive management, and designated officers responsible for managing the organisation’s impact footprint.”
