By Phil Hughes*
Sustainability reporting is used to drive internal performance management, promote quality governance, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and demonstrate higher levels of performance. Sustainability reporting involves measuring, accounting and disclosing an organisation’s economic, environmental and social performance to advance sustainable development.
The Centre for Public Agency Sustainability Reporting™ (the Centre) is a collaboration of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the City of Melbourne and the State Government of Victoria. The Centre builds capacity in public agencies and facilitates the development of best practice using the GRI’s sustainability reporting guidelines. The Centre’s core program to assist local Councils, agencies and government departments to advance sustainability reporting is the Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) Reporting Alliance. Through this program, the Centre leads and facilitates workshops and teleconferences, provides face to face and online support, and conducts strategic assessments and reviews.
In 2006, Brisbane City Council, the City of Gosnells, the City of Melbourne, Penrith City Council and Waitakere City Council from New Zealand participated in the highly successful pilot ANZ Reporting Alliance along with eleven other departments, agencies and water utilities.
The Centre is accepting applications to join the 2007 ANZ Reporting Alliance. The standard membership package for the 2007 program costs $15,000 with a 10 per cent discount for ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability members. If you are interested in this innovative capacity building program and would like to progress sustainability reporting, please contact Phil Hughes, email phil.hughes@publicagencyreporting.org or visit the Centre’s website at www.publicagencyreporting.org for further information.
*Phil Hughes is the Director of the Centre for Public Agency Sustainability Reporting.
