• Home
• Introduction to connected reporting
• The 'how to' guide
• Introduction to the worked examples
  • GRO Foods
  • GP Office Investment
  • BWC plc
• How was this guidance developed?
• What does this guidance cover?
• Further Guidance

Introduction to the worked examples

These examples have been produced as a supplement to the 'how to' guide and demonstrate how connected reporting might be applied in practice.

There are three examples, a supermarket group (GRO Foods), a property investment company (GP Office Investment) and a water/wastewater service supplier (BWC plc). Each is an extract from the organization's Annual Report and Accounts. These sectors were selected to cover a variety of different sustainability impacts, degrees of regulation and levels of maturity in reporting on sustainability.

The examples are designed to demonstrate the relevance of sustainability issues to the achievement of strategic objectives. Full connected reporting requires sustainability impacts and related financial and non-financial information to be included in the Annual Report and Accounts as an integral part of the overall picture given, rather than in a separate section or a separate report. The information is brought together in the following examples for ease of presentation in this context and also because organizations may, as a first step, wish to start with a separate section before moving on to full connected reporting.

Each example varies in length and detail. This reflects discussions during the consultation process on the level of information that investors might require. In addition, some of the information included in the examples is forward-looking, in line with the changes being suggested for the 'management commentary' (also known as the Management Discussion and Analysis or Business Review) in annual reports. This information may necessitate the inclusion of a provision to make it clear that the projections are provided in good faith and on the basis of the best information available, but are indications rather than commitments. This provision (known as a 'safe harbour' provision) has not been included in these examples.

The examples are not intended to provide a template for organizations to follow, nor to represent a model set of issues, impacts and actions. Instead, it is anticipated that organizations which wish to adopt connected reporting will be able to use both the guidance and the examples to help them consider how to develop a connected approach in the context of their business.

It is hoped that there will be co-ordination between organizations in industry groups to agree a common approach to connected reporting in their sector. A significant amount of work is already being done in this area by various organizations and initiatives such as the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies, the Global Reporting Initiative, and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. It is important that this work is co-ordinated internationally to reduce duplication and create the cohesion and consistency in reporting that is needed, while retaining flexibility for an organization to adopt the approach which is specific to its business.