Last 21 March, Telefónica shared its CSR report model in an online conference organized by Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), as part of its Knowledge Share Project programme. This Programme endeavours to initiate a debate in regard to the trends affecting such significant matters as reporting and the role which the entity can play in this changing environment.
Alberto Andreu, Telefónica’s Corporate Sustainability Officer, explained the report model in three blocks. The Company will be using this model for the second consecutive year, in view of the fact that it was so well accepted last year, the degree of transparency it offers to all of its stakeholders according to their respective demands (local, sectorial and global) and its possibilities of comparison with other companies in regard to its idea of communicating progress and management.
This model, which has already been proven and accepted by the Telefónica stakeholders, covers the ten principles of the Global Compact with GRI’s directives and indicators, which are in turn exchanged with the GeSI (Global e-Sustainability Initiative) directives and the SAM classification agency in the preparation of the analysis of the Company’s own material nature.
In addition to the Corporate Report, the company publishes Sustainability Reports in the 18 countries in which it operates with different degrees of local AA1000 and GRI+ verifications, according to the experience which these countries have in the publication of reports.
During the conference, which was attended by approximately thirty experts, many matters were discussed, such as the integrated Report (integrating the RSC information with the financing company in a single report), the differences in the material nature (identification of relevant subjects for the groups of interest) among the countries, and the advancements made in cooperation between GRI and the Global Compact.
In the Knowledge Share Project programme, a total of 17 companies participate in order to discuss the reporting methods, human rights, the supply chain, etc. In addition to Telefónica, other companies are Natura (Brazil), Shell (Netherlands); Codelco (Chile); and Ford (U.S.A.).
