ENG: Use integrated reporting as „an opportunity for holistic enterprise management”!

25.05.2017

ICV White Paper: practical use proposals for "Integrated Reporting" / To use oppor-tunities for digitization is "a challenge for the future"

Munich, May 15, 2017– Use "Integrated Reporting" (IR) as an opportunity to set up a holistic management of the company and not just to reduce it to a compulsory reporting system, experts from the International Association of Controllers (ICV) advise. In a White Paper that has now been presented, they make practical proposals for the implementation of IR and devote themselves to the impact of future IR regulations on the role of controllers. They call making use of the new possibilities of digitization in the implementation of IR a "challenge for the future".

"Integrated Reporting" combines financial and sustainability reporting with the internal management system. This is why the ICV experts in Integrated Reporting also see far more than an additional external reporting obligation. On September 21, 2016, the Federal Government [in Germany] published the draft government CSR directive. The holistic concept of "Integrated Reporting" can and should, in the opinion of the White Paper authors, go far beyond the fulfillment of legal CSR guidelines. Enterprises which are not affected by the statutory obligations can also use IR, for example to respond to the ever-growing information needs and demands of stakeholders on the social impact of companies. In the opinion of ICV experts, the link between financial and non-financial information makes the factors of influence transparent in the entire value-added process. This means great value for the company's management.

The "Green Controlling" expert work group of the International Association of Controllers has developed the White Paper, which has now been presented, primarily for controllers. It provides a quick overview of the content of the CSR directive and helps companies to assess their own impact. The "Integrated Reporting" is presented as a way of meeting the CSR reporting obligation.

According to ICV experts, there is no general model for implementing IR in practice. The concrete design must always be individual. Practical examples outlined in the White Paper come from companies that have dealt intensively with Integrated Reporting. Flughafen München GmbH, Deutsche Telekom AG, Deutsche Bahn AG and DATEV e.G. do report.

The authors also discuss the implications of the IR for the role of controllers. "Integrated Reporting" could broaden the scope of its work by incorporating new topics and data into its activities. This would enable them to manage a holistic set of indicators that "has a holistic view of the company's situation, including control-relevant sustainability indicators". As a "challenge for the future", the authors see the task "to make use of the possibilities of digitization for Integrated Reporting."

 

The White Paper of the expert work group Green Controlling of the International Association of Controllers (ICV), "Integrated reporting - steps towards holistic management: Practical proposals for the use of integrated reporting with a focus on the definition, collecting and presentation of key figures", is available as a 37-page PDF document on the ICV website www.icv-controlling.com for ICV members for free download. Non-members can order the document at the price of EUR 7.50 at the ICV Office.

 

On June 22, ICV and the CA Controller Academie in Munich will be holding the public discussion "Sustainability and Controlling" (Info: www.icv-controlling.com/en/events/regional-events/fachtagung-nachhaltigkeit-und-controlling.html)

 

 

The International Association of Controllers (ICV) has in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland and 12 other countries in Central and Eastern Europe around 6,500 in practical Controlling active members. The key objective of ICV controlling philosophy is reaching permanent economic success. With its honorary chairman Dr. Albrecht Deyhle the association, founded in 1975 has shaped the Controlling in German speaking countries placed and influenced. The ICV merges controllers, CFOs, managers and scientists and  it is strictly oriented its members’ benefit. Experience, communication and being focused  on future-oriented trends are foundations of ICV. ICV combines practical experience with the latest research results and prepares its knowledge for practical implementation. The ICV is makes personal contribution to the success of its members and to the sustainable performance of companies. Siegfried Gänßlen is the chairman of ICV, CEO of Hansgrohe SE, Schiltach, Vice-Chairman of ICV is Prof. Dr. Heimo Losbichler, FH Steyr.

 

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