Strategic Alignment of Reporting Systems for Excellence in Performance

A 1 day seminar on new developments in reporting, including a strategic approach to the use of the IIRC and GRI frameworks

+ ½ day Seminar on Integrated reporting of GHG emissions: Carbon pricing and Science based targets

First day, Geneva

This seminar will provide corporate sustainability and finance leaders with a strategic assessment of sustainability and financial reporting complementarity, common approaches to materiality, as well as emerging approaches to integration between financial and sustainability accounting.  This will include an introduction to the requirements of the IIRC <IR> Framework.

Using cutting edge research, group exercises and real world examples the seminar will go through:

• A comparative overview of the core requirements of the G4 Guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the International <IR> Framework of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC).
• Trends abroad, including lessons learned from the South African experience (where integrated reporting is a listing requirement) and other leading integrated reporting case examples.
• Interactive discussions and group exercises to consider the strategic, business model, operational and organizational implications for your enterprise.
• how to best employ international standards in reporting with special reference to process and strategy. 

The day will enable participants to answer the following questions:

• Why is reporting integration important, and what is reporting integration?
• What is the IIRC and IR framework?
• How does the IR framework align with the GRI reporting process and vice versa? (focus on key concepts such as materiality)
• How can reporting organizations that already follow the GRI guidelines expand reporting towards a more integrated approach, and how can the IR framework support integration?
• How can the combined use of the frameworks support excellence in sustainability performance and strategy?

The format consists of input presentations, discussions and exercises.

Integrated reporting on GHG emissions: Carbon pricing and Science based targets

Second 1/2 day (Morning)

This ½ day seminar will provide corporate sustainability and finance leaders with a strategic assessment of GHG emissions integrated reporting within the context of Carbon pricing and Science based targets

Using briefings and testimonials the seminar will go through:

• Global 500 and Global 50 GHG 2010 to 2014 carbon pricing and emissions performance versus Science based targets.(Thomson Reuters / BSD)
• Science Based Targets initiative from CDP, UNGC, WRI, and WFF
• Carbon pricing leadership initiative from Caring for Climate, UNEP, UNGC and WRI

The ½ day seminar will enable participants to answer the following questions:

• What has recent GHG performance been for Global 500?
• How does carbon pricing help integrate reporting? Achieve Science based targets?
• What do the Science Based Targets and Carbon pricing leadership initiatives consist in?

The format consists of input presentations, discussions and exercises.

Target audience

This seminar is intended for corporate Sustainability and Finance leaders of medium to large organizations responsible for sustainability strategy and performance as well as those responsible for financial, non-financial and sustainability reporting. The seminar is also intended for those managers reflecting on how to best use the reporting frameworks GRI G4 and IIRC, linked with their annual financial reporting systems.

Participants will be preferably existing GRI reporters, and familiar with the GRI reporting process.

About the Organizers

BSD Consulting

The seminar is organized by BSD Consulting Switzerland. BSD Consulting is a consulting firm with headquarters in Zurich and offices in Latin America, the EU, Switzerland and China. Since its founding in 1998, BSD Consulting has advised companies in developing their sustainability management. BSD Consulting offers consulting and research services, which support their clients in the dialogue with their stakeholders, in the integration of sustainability criteria in their business processes, and in their communication policy. BSD Consulting is the largest global GRI Certified Training Partner and is licensed to provide GRI training in Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Latin America and Africa.

HEG Geneva

Founded in 1998, the Geneva School of Business Administration (HEG-Geneva) is a member of the network of the Universities of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO) which has more than 15,000 students. With more than 1,000 Bachelor students, HEG-Geneva is the biggest School of Business Administration of the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland and the biggest Applied university in the Geneva area.

HEG-Geneva bestows great importance on the professional and pragmatic dimensions of its programs. It is strongly driven by a culture of innovation, sustainable development and multiculturalism. One of HEG’s top priorities is to make sure that its graduates have acquired applicable and relevant competencies and strong professional skills. This objective is achieved in particular by maintaining very close relationships with regional economies. Our programs are also tailored to meet the challenges of an increasingly globalized economy where information management is crucial. Our school is active in four main domains: Information Science, Business Administration, Information Systems and International management. The school delivers undergraduate and graduate programs in those four domains, and acts as an applied research center for Business Administration.

HEG-Geneva also delivers several adult education programs. Among them, in partnership with the University of Geneva, the Diploma of Advanced Studies “Management durable” (for more information, see http://sustainablemanagement.ch/ )

Seminar Moderators

The seminar is run by Dr. Cornis van der Lugt, who has recognized expertise on integrated reporting in his native South Africa. His co-presenter will be John Moorhead, former corporate manager, who brings his own extensive business and sustainability performance management and reporting experience to provide additional insights.

Dr. Cornelis T. van der Lugt is a Senior Associate at BSD Consulting. He has many years of experience working at international level in the field of sustainability standards and reporting. Cornis is the founder of the platform materialitytracker.net, an online hub dedicated to materiality and its integrated management. As former representative of the UN Environment Programme and UN Global Compact he was deeply involved in developing industry initiatives and standards such as ISO 26000. His consulting work is especially focused on strategy, corporate finance and sustainability, including integration between financial and sustainability accounting. As a South African, he will also share insights on progress with sustainability and integrated reporting by companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, where integrated reporting has been mandatory for several years.

John Moorhead is an Executive Manager at BSD Consulting, responsible for French speaking Switzerland and the BSD Carbon Management practice. John is co-author of the BSD/Thomson Reuters Global 500 Greenhouse Gas Performance Management series (report 1 and 2) . He advises multinationals, SMEs and the public sector on strategy and sustainable management within a cross-cultural and international context. John has over 25 years of international management, training and consulting experience in business & sustainability strategy and performance management. He is a GRI Trainer responsible for the GRI Certified Training Courses in and around Geneva. He is fluent in French, English, and Spanish.

Price

CHF 950.- for the first day, CHF 450.- for the second and CHF 1,200.- for both days

Included in the fee is

• Seminar participation
• Hard copy of seminar materials
• Catering (coffee breaks and lunch)
• A course certificate issued by BSD

Two hours of individual coaching with one of our experts which is valid up until six months after the end of the seminar.

Rebates (cannot be accumulated)

• Additional participants from the same organization CHF 100.- rebate
• CHF 50.- for GRI organizational stakeholders, members of the partner organizations of the course, SWISSMEM members, Valais Excellence members
• Sustainable Finance Geneva (SFG)  & Swiss Trading and Shipping Association (STSA) members CHF 50.- rebate
• DAS Sustainable Management graduates (http://sustainablemanagement.ch/), Öbu, or eco swiss members reduction of CHF 50.-

Registration, payment and cancellation policy

• Once the course capacity is reached, further registrations will be placed on a waiting list.
• Course places are confirmed upon receipt of payment and confirmation of eligibility.
• Substitute participants from the same organization will be accepted at no charge.
• Requests for cancellation received 2 weeks before the start of the course will be fully refunded. For cancellations between 2 weeks and 1 week before the course 50% of course fees will be charged. For cancellations 6 days or less before the training, 100% of course fees to be charged.
• Participants can change to another course date for an administrative charge of 250 CHF if agreed to by the organizers.
• BSD Consulting and HEG-Genève reserve the right to cancel the course. Should the course be cancelled participants will be fully refunded and a course alternative be proposed.