Sustainability reports allow businesses and other organizations to disclose their performance on a range of economic, environmental, and social issues.  This information is increasingly sought by investors, employees, consumers, regulators and others who are looking for information on how an organization is responding to critical sustainability issues including climate change, resource use, human rights and product responsibility.

The number of organizations reporting on their sustainability performance has reached a record high. Each year, thousands of such reports are now issued. Reporters are diverse, and include everyone from consumer brands such as Coca Cola and BMW, large companies from sectors including energy, technology and others through to global cities such as Melbourne and Amsterdam. And the number of people using these reports to gain data on companies is also growing rapidly.

GRI Chief Executive, Ernst Ligteringen, said, "“The Readers Choice Awards play an essential role in the ongoing evolution of sustainability reporting. In 2008 the readers made it clear that transparency can help to build trust, but the readers aren’t fools. They read these reports with a purpose and they want the truth, and particularly the whole truth - not just selective reporting where companies’ performance is good.  The readers also told us that they want to see a link between sustainability issues and a company’s overall strategy.  These were important insights that reminded reporters of the importance of full and credible disclosure. This time we look forward to hearing from the reporters too.  What are the objectives reporters set in issuing a report? In the eyes of the readers, are these objectives being met? Finding answers to these questions will inform the continuing evolution of sustainability reporting.”

Thousands of readers participated in the 2008 GRI Readers’ Choice Awards, when finalists included CILSA, the City of Melbourne, Banco Bradesco, Natura Cosmeticos, BMW, Deutsche Bank, CEPSA, Repsol, Vodafone España, Athens International Airport, Infosys Technologies, ITC, Tata Motors, Italcementi, Findesa, ABN Amro Holding, Royal Dutch Shell, Sasol, BP Group, HSBC Holdings, Vodafone Group and Coca-Cola.

For more information, click here .