ABSTRACT
By the 2003/2004 reporting cycle, 99 of the 154 companies listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange were found to be providing some level of sustainability information within their annual reports. This chapter argues that, in order for stakeholders to be able to compare and rank company performance via the annual or sustainability report, the reporting format and content needs to provide comparable information and data on issues identified as material to the company and/or relevant to stakeholders. From a corporate perspective, the annual sustainability report performs a variety of internal as well as external functions. Reports should consistently provide information that communicates key issues based on company or sector risk/materiality profile. Sustainability reporting should, therefore, over time, aim to reassure both shareholders and other stakeholders that non-financial risks are being responsibly managed by demonstrating a company's progress in addressing these key principles.
