This presentation was made by Eva Lindström, European Court of Auditors, at the 19th OECD Senior Financial Management and Reporting Officials Symposium held at the OECD Conference Centre, Paris, on 4-5 March 2019

1. Sustainability Reporting
in the public and private sector
Eva Lindström
Member of the European Court of Auditors
Annual Meeting of OECD Senior Financial
Management and Reporting Officials
4 March 2019

2. Background
• Changes since 1980s-90s in public accountancy, budgeting, reporting:
inspired by private sector model
• Performance reporting is key to public governance
• Increasing demand for non-financial information in private sector
• EU directive 2014/95 Disclosure of non-financial information and diversity
• BUT reporting is not mandatory for public sector
Slide 2

3. Sustainable development
“Development and growth of one generation
not compromising
the ability of future generations
to meet their needs”
Brundtland Report 1987
Page 3

4. Agenda 2030 & Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Adopted in 2015 by 193 countries
• 17 goals, 169 targets
• Private/public sector
• High Level Political Forum in 9-18
July 2019

5. Sustainability reporting in the private Sector
Sustainability reporting = non-financial information on economic, social &
environmental dimensions related to activities of the
institution (risk and materiality)
How? Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), etc.
Where? Separate or in annual report
Why?
 Preparedness
 Communication
 New opportunities
 Secure & develop business model
Agenda 2030/SDGs could offer a framework for reporting
Slide 5

6. Country experience:
State-owned companies in Sweden
• 47 companies, 135 000 employees, 54 bn EUR (market value)
• Compulsory reporting since 2008
• Relating work to Agenda 2030 since 2016
• International frameworks
• Sustainability goals decided by governing boards
• Top of agenda in every “owner dialogue”
Advantages
 Secure business model
 Long term value creation
 Communication to parliament, citizen etc.
 From strategic sustainable goals to sustainable strategies
Slide 6

7. • Agenda 2030 strategic framework in countries
• Voluntary national reviews to the UN
• 102 countries so far
• Mechanisms for co-ordination vary
Slide 7
Sustainability reporting in the public sector

8. Page 8

9. Transparency and trust
The truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth?
Slide 9

10. The eco-system
Page 10