RELIABLE, CONSISTENT INFORMATION

The reliability of the integrated report must live up to the goals of such a form of communication. The financial statements are already subject to checks and controls, both internally and externally, as well as recommendations concerning their reliability.

The internal auditor helps to improve risk management and internal control procedures. The external auditor expresses an opinion in which he concludes that the financial statements provide a true and fair view of the entity or group s activities and financial position. Certain sustainability reports are also subject to similar verification procedures.

Your non-financial reporting needs to be linked to core business, to address aspects of real value, to be taken as seriously as a balance sheet, and to be owned and operated with the same rigour as financial reporting.

TURID ELISABETH SOLVANG, CHAIR ecoDa (EUROPEAN CONFEDERATION OF DIRECTORS ASSOCIATIONS) AT THE ecoDa ECIIA-ACCA CONFERENCE ON NON-FINANCIAL REPORTING: THE IMPACT ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BOARDS AND AUDITORS , 15 MARCH 2016.

69% of respondents to the CFA Institute survey felt that exter- nal communications concerning ESG (environmental, social and governance) should be subject to independent verification procedures.

SEE CFA INSTITUTE

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