Sustainable Development Education Panel
Review of Sustainable Development Education Initiatives in the Workplace
Awards and Benchmarking Schemes
These schemes aim to encourage businesses to act on environmental and sustainable development issues by recognising the achievements of leaders and/or drawing public attention to companies and industries not taking any action.
Environmental Reporting Award
Name of Organisation:
ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)
Contact Details:
Roger Adams / Rachel Jackson
(0171) 396-5971
Number of people involved:
50-60 companies entered the award last year.
Target audience:
Any organisation - in the private or public sector - producing an environmental
report.
Brief Description:
The award scheme is now in its 8th cycle. Reports are assessed against
a range of criteria including: disclosure of environmental policies; evidence
of top management commitment; factual emissions data; performance targets;
financial linkages; external verification; eco-efficiency or sustainability;
life cycle, mass balance, use of eco-balance sheet. The judges are drawn
from the business, non-governmental and academic sectors and the award
is presented at a high profile ceremony in February.
Reasons for project:
The objective of the scheme is to identify and reward innovative examples
of corporate environmental reporting. By doing so, ACCA is seeking to
popularise and improve the practice of environmental reporting.
Results:
The award scheme was launched in 1991 and attracts 50-60 entrants each
year. The business community appears to pay attention to the award and
to the winners. The award scheme attracts good press coverage in mainstream
newspapers.
Additional Information:
Roger Adams, Head of ACCA's Technical Dept., is working with the Global
Standards Initiative on worldwide standards for reporting. ACCA also covers
environmental issues in its Journal which is available to members. The
emerging trend towards Sustainability Reporting has prompted ACCA to launch
a parallel Social Reporting Award, in conjunction with AccountAbility.
The first cycle for this award due to begin in May 1999.
Index of Corporate Environmental Engagement
Name of Organisation:
Business in the Environment (BiE)
Contact Details:
Sarah Morris
(0171) 224 1600
Target audience:
Businesses at a practical level as well the financial and investment community
Brief Description:
This is the leading benchmark on environmenal engagement used by the financial
and investment markets. It is based on environmental performance indicators,
disclosure of information, and insurance risk. The index provides companies
with a benchmarking tool that encourages a structured approach to managing
the environment. Results are published yearly. This is currently being
promoted as a self-assessment tool/guide for use throughout the supply
chain.
Results:
The index received wide recognition as a benchmark for corporate environmental
engagement. As a result, the survey has expanded from 100 to cover 350
companies. The success of this and other BiE initiatives means that BiE
has become a well known leader in promoting environmental issues to the
business community.
Additional Information:
BiE also produce a regular newsletter and a range of guidelines, DIY Workbooks,
directories, research reports and training reports. These include:
- A DIY Environmental Review for Companies
- Eco-Management and Audit Scheme
- Profit from Environmental Management
- A measure of Commitment
- Grime goes Green
- Buying into the Environment
- Suppy Chain - the environmental challenge
- City Analysts and the Environment
- Your Business and the Environment
- UK Environmental Business Club Directory
- Buying into the Green Future
BT Investing in Excellence Awards
Name of Organisation:
BT
Contact Details:
Claire Newman
0171 728 6913
Number of people involved:
200 suppliers
Target audience:
BT suppliers
Brief Description:
BT initiated the Investing in Excellence Awards in 1998 to reward outstanding
suppliers and those who have shown a commitment to coming up with new
ideas and initiatives. One of the four categories is Contribution to Continuous
Environmental Improvement. Entries are judged by a panel made up of BT
and external people. All 2000 of BT's suppliers are invited to enter and
the top 10 in each category are invited to attend a high-profile award
lunch.
Reasons for project:
To encourage and reward BT suppliers to act on environmental issues.
Results:
200 companies entered the Awards in 1998, but entries in the Environment
section were under-represented.
Page published 12 May
2000;
Page last modified
20 August, 2002