CIPFA publishes report on public body sustainability reporting strategies

CIPFA has called on the public sector to "step it up" in regard to sustainability reporting in a report that sets out guidance, best practice and advice to help public sector bodies prepare sustainability reports and disclose their sustainability impacts.

The report, 'Public sector sustainability reporting: time to step it up', aims to fix the "patchwork" of public sector sustainability reporting frameworks that are "inconsistent and confusing" by drawing on existing standards and frameworks used in other sectors.

According to the report, councils should adopt an approach that aligns sustainability reporting with the wider practice of financial reporting. The four key areas in this approach are governance, the management approach, performance and targets, and strategy.

The report is mainly aimed at public finance professionals and sets out what information needs to be disclosed and the process of producing a high-quality report.

The report's author, Carol Adams, said the report emphasises the "importance of disclosures on governance, management approach, strategy and performance and targets in driving change and maximising the ability of public sector organisations to create a positive impact on economies, society and the environment".

Rob Whiteman, CIPFA CEO, said: "The public sector should be playing a key role when it comes to tackling climate change. Sustainability reporting in public sector bodies has long been overlooked because no sector-specific standards exist. This report aims to change that by proposing using already existing standards that fit the public sector's unique needs."

Whiteman added: "Time is running out. When it comes to sustainability reporting, public bodies need to step up and lead from the front."

Adam Carey