The conference gathers business leaders, NGO leaders, researchers, students and community members to discuss the most pressing issues impacting businesses in African Countries. The conference was online and in-person in Morocco.
The paper was titled “Sustainability reporting in the retail sector of South Africa” and involved a qualitative analysis of the sustainability reports of listed retail companies that are part of the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index. Sustainability reports provide internal and external stakeholders with an overview of the economic, social, environmental and governance dimensions of the company.
Results of the analysis of the contents show that the majority of the sustainability reports focussed on social issues while little attention is given to governance issues. The need for regulatory authority and dedicated reporting were also confirmed. Sustainability reports are a vital tool to demonstrate to consumers, communities and other stakeholders that business is indeed future-focused.
