Se anunță companiile cu cel mai mare ranking al sustenabilității în România

– Agenția The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services lansează a opta ediție a Romania CST Index –

Companiile din România care adoptă și raportează transparent cele mai bune practici din domeniul sustenabilității vor fi anunțate marți, 19 decembrie, la București, în cadrul celei de-a opta ediții a evenimentului Best Practices in Corporate Sustainability, care va avea loc la GlobalWorth Nord Events Center și va fi găzduit de Teodora Tompea.

Conferința, desfășurată sub sloganul Sustainability is Unstoppable. So are you! reprezintă cea mai importantă evaluare a domeniului sustenabilității și responsabilităţii corporative din România. Speakerii evenimentului sunt László Borbély (Consilier de Stat la Cabinetul Prim-Ministrului și coordonator al Departamentului de Dezvoltare Durabilă), Dan Ceaușescu (GreenPoint Management), Alice Nichita (Coca-Cola HBC România), Valer Hancaș (Kaufland România), Andreea Ghiocel (The CSR Agency), Zuzanna Kurek (One United Properties), Ana Cocîrlea (Corporate  Sustanability & ESG Raiffeisen Bank), Corina Radu (Impact Market Romania) și Alina Liciu (The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services).

Agenția The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services analizează în această perioadă rapoartele de sustenabilitate depuse de zeci de companii mari din România, in principal cele care au minimum 500 de angajați. Aceste rapoarte, depuse pentru exercițiul financiar 2022, sunt evaluate pe baza unui scorecard (tabel de punctaj) care are 11 categorii, 78 de indicatori de sustenabilitate și 201 datapoints. Aceste rapoarte reflectă strategia și obiectivele de sustenabilitate, precum și impactul pe care companiile îl au din punct de vedere economic, de mediu și social.

Scorecard-ul utilizat pentru Romania Corporate Sustainability & Transparency Index este un instrument de evaluare aliniat la cele mai importante standarde sau referințe internaționale din domeniul sustenabilității corporative și responsabilității sociale:

  • Obiectivele de Dezvoltare Durabilă ale ONU (ODD);
  • Directiva 2014/95/UE & Directiva UE privind Raportarea Sustenabilității Corporative (CSRD)
  • GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards (GRI Universal Standards 2021);
  • CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project);
  • Business for Societal Impact (cunoscut anterior ca LBG).

Punctajul final al fiecărei companii este ponderat în funcție de industrie, astfel încât la final obținem un procent (nu o adunare de puncte), iar metodologia este aliniată la practicile internaționale. 

Doar 43 de rapoarte publicate în 2023, deși există peste 750 de companii mari

Romania CST Index este o analiză complexă, unică în România, prin care sunt evaluați indicatorii de sustenabilitate ai companiilor din perspectiva nivelului de performanță și transparență în domenii precum schimbări climatice, guvernanță, politici privind diversitatea și anticorupția, responsabilitatea față de angajați, marketing responsabil sau lanț valoric.

Totuși, din cele 750 de companii cu mai mult de 500 de angajați, existente în România în prezent, un procent redus publică rapoarte de sustenabilitate.

“În 2016, de exemplu, erau 10 rapoarte de sustenabilitate pe piața din România, în general în domeniul bancar și Petrol și Gaze. În 2023 avem în jur de 40 de rapoarte de sustenabilitate publicate, aferente anului 2022. Numărul se menține scăzut dacă luăm în considerare că sunt peste 750 de companii care trebuie să crească gradul de transparență și să performeze în ritm accelerat în domeniul dezvoltării durabile”, declară Alina Liciu, Managing Partner The Azores, agenția care analizează rapoartele companiilor din România, pe baza scorecard-ului aliniat la nivel internațional.

Rapoartele, transparente și mai complexe, de la 1 ianuarie 2025


Din 2024, companiile aflate sub incidența NFRD vor fi nevoite sa înceapă colectarea informațiilor conform noii Directive (CSRD) care crește gradul de complexitate al unui raport de sustenabilitate. Rapoartele pregătite astfel vor fi publicate începând cu 2025. Mai mult, pentru anul financiar 2025, toate companiile care îndeplinesc cel puțin două din următoarele trei criterii: au peste 250 de angajați, au o cifră de afaceri de 40 de milioane de euro și/sau active totale de 20 de milioane de euro, vor avea obligația de a pregăti un raport de sustenabilitate.
“Noua Directivă UE privind Raportarea Sustenabilității Corporative (CSRD) modifică actuala Directivă de Raportare Nefinanciară (NFRD) și este aplicabilă unui număr mai mare de entități europene, care vor avea obligativitatea de a raporta conform unor standarde comune la nivelul UE (European Sustainability Reporting Standards – ESRS) începand cu 1 ianuarie 2025 (pentru anul 2024). În plus, rapoartele vor avea nevoie de un audit de specialitate, iar indicatorii de sustenabilitate trebuie să fie etichetați digital pentru a putea fi găsiți ușor de motoarele de căutare”, spune Alina Liciu, Managing Partner The Azores.

Cum va fi decis clasamentul Romania CST Index 2023

În urma analizei rapoartelor de sustenabilitate, respectând 11 categorii, 78 de indicatori de sustenabilitate și 201 data points, la data de 19 decembrie vom afla care sunt companiile din România care adoptă și raportează transparent cele mai bune practici din domeniul sustenabilității și al investițiilor în comunități.

Companiile care vor întruni peste 80% din punctajul total vor primi distincția Gold Level. Cele care vor avea peste 70% vor intra în categoria Silver Level, iar cele cu peste 50% în categoria Bronze Level.

De ce este important CST Index pentru România

Un index al sustenabilității corporative este util din mai multe motive, deoarece oferă o modalitate structurată și standardizată de a evalua performanța de sustenabilitate a companiilor în funcție de industrie.

”Pe lângă faptul că o companie poate să își compare nivelul de raportare în funcție de standardele internaționale din domeniu, aceasta poate să își compare performanța și nivelul de transparență cu alți jucători din industrie și cu cei considerați top performeri. Investitorii iau și ei în considerare din ce în ce mai mult factorii de mediu, sociali și de guvernanță (ESG) în procesele de luare a deciziilor. Un index de sustenabilitate poate ghida deciziile acestora de a investi, oferind acces la informații concise privind managementul și performanța ESG. În plus, indexul pune accent și pe creșterea nivelului de transparență privind un număr mare de indicatori de sustenabilitate”, încheie Alina Liciu, Managing Partner The Azores.

Companiile fruntașe la ediția precedentă

Anul trecut, la ediția cu numărul șapte a Romania CST Index, în trecut Romania CSR Index, au fost analizate și anunțate o serie de companii care au adoptat și raportat transparent, în 2021, cele mai bune practici din domeniul sustenabilității și al investițiilor în comunități.

Gold Level Recognition: Kaufland România, Coca-Cola HBC România, CEZ România, Raiffeisen Bank, HeidelbergCement România, Banca Transilvania, Greenpoint, Autonom, Romstal, Telekom România, Lidl România, Romgaz şi PENNY România.

Silver Level Recognition: Secom, Teraplast.

Bronze Level Recognition: Transelectrica, Groupama, Profi România.

Evenimentul Best Practices in Corporate Sustainability va fi transmis LIVE pe canalul de YouTube al agenției. Partenerii evenimentului sunt GreenPoint Management, Romgaz, Coca-Cola HBC România și Transelectrica.

Mai multe detalii sunt disponibile pe site-ul agenţiei: www.sustainabilityindex.ro

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Despre The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services

The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services este o agenţie de consultanță in sustenabilitate, înființată în 2013, cu scopul de a sprijini companiile din România privind integrarea sustenabilității corporative în strategia de business. The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services are o abordare axată pe rezultate pe termen lung, utilizarea tehnologiei IT pentru un nivel ridicat de acuratețe a indicatorilor de sustenabilitate și analize/research care să sprijine decidenții din companii în definirea strategiei de sustenabilitate corporativă.

Cel mai important și complex proiect al agenției este Romania CST Index, în trecut denumit Romania CSR Index, ranking lansat în 2016 şi care este singurul din România care evaluează indicatorii de sustenabilitate ai companiilor: informaţii despre managementul sustenabilității, impactul economic, de mediu şi social. Indexul este lansat în fiecare an în cadrul conferinţei Best Practices in Corporate Sustainability.

În 2019, agenția a lansat Community Index, cel mai cuprinzător ranking al proiectelor corporate de investiții în comunități și un centralizator al celor mai bune campanii de CSR derulate în fiecare an de companiile din România. Rezultatele ranking-ului, împreună cu studii de caz şi interviuri ale unor experţi naţionali şi internaţionali sunt prezentate în fiecare an în Community Index Magazine, singurul anuar bilingv dedicat investițiilor în comunități derulate de companiile din România.

EFRAG-GRI joint statement of interoperability

Source: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), 5 September 2023

EFRAG and GRI have published today a joint statement on the high level of interoperability achieved between the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and the GRI Standards.

Following the requirement of the CSRD to adopt a double materiality approach and to take account of existing standards, ESRS and GRI definitions, concepts and disclosures regarding impacts are fully or, when full alignment was not possible due to the content of the CSRD mandate, closely aligned.

Existing GRI reporters will be well prepared to report under the ESRS. Entities reporting under ESRS are considered as reporting with reference to the GRI Standards and will therefore avoid the burden of multiple reporting.

Hans Buysse, EFRAG Administrative Board President said: “This joint statement concludes several years of diligent work towards a high level of interoperability between the ESRS and GRI standards. The efforts made by the GRI and EFRAG Sustainability Reporting teams will prevent the need for double reporting by companies resulting in a user-friendly reporting system without undue complexity. Our collaboration with GRI is bearing fruit and we are already preparing ourselves for the next challenges in the field of sustainability reporting.”

Patrick de Cambourg, EFRAG Sustainability Reporting Board Chair, stated: “EFRAG and GRI have been actively cooperating on sustainability reporting and on the elaboration of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards since 2021. This productive relationship, driven by a co-construction spirit and a careful attention to convergence, is now reaching a new milestone with this statement regarding the interoperability between the ESRS and the GRI Standards. It confirms our initial choice to cooperate closely with the best practitioners in the field in building robust sustainable reporting standards that will meet both the EU ambition and our commitment to contribute to global progress. We look forward to continuing this fruitful cooperation shaping further the future of sustainability reporting.”

Eelco van der Enden, CEO of GRI, said: “This is great news for businesses and for GRI reporters. They can use their current reporting practices to prepare for the new requirements under ESRS. What is more, ESRS reporters are considered as reporting with reference to the GRI Standards and have the possibility to report on additional topics not covered by the ESRS in accordance with GRI Standards. GRI is fully committed to actively engage with EFRAG and other standards setters to reduce the reporting burden for companies. The next step being the collaboration with EFRAG on the development of an interoperable digital taxonomy and multi-tagging system, including a full mapping of the GRI Standards and the ESRS. This further reinforces the relevance of GRI and the critical importance of combining its global approach with the momentum demonstrated at jurisdictional level.”

Carol Adams, Chair of the GSSB, said: “Since the early stages, we have actively engaged with EFRAG in the development of the ESRS. With this high level of interoperability achieved, we have now turned our attention to developing a detailed mapping of the disclosures from both sets of standards and technical guidance, which will help companies that report using GRI Standards prepare for CSRD requirements. Over time, I look forward to seeing companies reporting under these requirements increase their reporting using GRI sector standards and additional GRI topic standards.”

Yearbook Launch 2023: Sustainability Index Magazine! Sustainability profiles and current status in Romania and CEE

The bilingual yearbook brings to the forefront top performers in sustainability according to Romania CST Index ranking, as well as the latest trends and innovations in corporate sustainability from local and international experts

Bucharest, the 15th of May, 2023

  • The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services agency launches the first edition of the Sustainability Index Magazine, a Romanian-English bilingual yearbook that aims to present the current status of corporate sustainability in Romania.
  • In the magazine, the readers will find the results of the only corporate sustainability index in the country, Romania CST Index, as well as interviews with national and international experts, educational articles, and case studies.
  • The publication aims to promote corporate sustainability as a responsible business management practice, as well as to help companies develop a better performing strategy based on aggregated market information.

Thus, Sustainability Index Magazine follows in the footsteps of Community Index Magazine, the bilingual yearbook that contains the results of the only index of programs and projects carried out by companies in Romania to invest in their communities, launched in 2019.

The publication can be useful not only to professionals in the field, but also to local and multinational companies, investors, universities, PR agencies, and authorities.

The first issue of the magazine is over 120 pages long and is offered free of charge to help raise the level of market know-how. It is offered in digital format, as a flipview, and can be viewed here: https://sustainabilityindex.ro/sustainability-index-magazine-2023/

What will you find inside Sustainability Index Magazine?

The first edition of Sustainability Index Magazine brings to the fore the sustainability profiles of companies that have published sustainability reports for their activity in Romania. The profiles are set up on several coordinates to have a real and clear picture of the companies’ objectives and investments in Romania: the audit of sustainability reports, achieved targets, and future objectives.

The yearbook offers exclusive interviews with experts in the field of corporate sustainability, recognized globally and regionally, such as:

  • Alice Schmidt, Global Sustainability Advisor and Author of “The Sustainability Puzzle”
  • Magdalena Krzysztofik, Head of CEE at Steward Redqueen
  • Simona Stiliyanova, co-founder and Managing Partner at Osnova and ESG and Marketing Director at BlackPeak Capital
  • Arianne Hofstetter, co-founder of Global ESG Monitor

It also features interviews with nationally recognized personalities with extensive experience in management and sustainability strategies, such as:

  • László Borbély, State Councillor, Department for Sustainable Development, Government of Romania
  • Cosmin Ghiță, CEO Nuclearelectrica
  • Ömer Tetik, CEO Banca Transilvania
  • Marco Hößl, CEO Kaufland Romania and the Republic of Moldova
  • Alexandru Stânean, General Director TeraPlast

What is Romania CST Index?

Romania CST Index (Corporate Sustainability & Transparency Index), launched in 2016, is the first ranking in our country dedicated to corporate sustainability. The index identifies the companies with the highest degree of transparency and performance in Romania. For this purpose, it proposes a complex and transparent analysis, aligned with international standards, and constitutes the largest database on the sustainability indicators of companies in the country.

To carry out the analysis, the index uses public data of companies regarding environmental, social and governance aspects. The indicators assessed cover areas such as climate change, sustainable products, labor practices, investment in communities, risk management, responsible marketing or the supply chain, among others.

What are the main objectives of Romania CST Index?

A sustainability index is important because it is a tool for evaluating a company’s performance compared to other players in the industry and in the country. Romania CST Index aims to contribute to increasing the level of transparency regarding sustainability indicators and to recognize the companies with the greatest progress in Romania in addressing the principles and requirements of international standards for corporate sustainability management and reporting.

Thus, Romania CST Index aims to promote corporate sustainability as a responsible business management practice. At the same time, the index can help companies better develop their strategy based on market information.

What are the results of the analysis?

2023 comes with many challenges, but also opportunities for the corporate environment in the EU and implicitly in Romania to integrate sustainability considerations into business decisions. The legislative changes at EU level set ambitious new targets for transparency and ESG performance, but also bring more clarity and coherence.

Romania CST Index analysis indicates a slight increase in the number of companies that publish sustainability reports. We are also seeing progress in setting targets for environmental, social and governance factors, and best practices from industry leaders that point to opportunities for improvement across the sector.

However, the number of companies that publish sustainability reports continues to be reduced, below 10% in 2022 in Romania, out of the total of over 750 companies that have this obligation.

ESG is starting to be integrated in every department of organizations: finance, procurement, HR, or marketing. This change indicates a need to increase the number of trainings on sustainability principles so that all these professionals understand the importance of integrating these principles into their business strategy and practices.

Finally, an important aspect that emerges from the analysis is the need for a data collection and monitoring strategy and infrastructure. The sustainability strategy must include a high number of SMART indicators. Objectives must be measurable, clear and aligned to the industry and specifics of the organization. Analysts and investors need this information to compare various organizations in the same industry and assess who is performing best.

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About the Editor

The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services is a sustainability consulting agency, established in 2013, with the aim of supporting companies in Romania regarding the integration of corporate sustainability in their business strategy. The Azores Sustainability & CSR Services has an approach focused on long-term results, the use of IT technology for a high level of accuracy of sustainability indicators and analysis/research to support decision-makers in companies in defining their corporate sustainability strategy.

The most important and complex project of the agency is Romania CST Index, previously called Romania CSR Index, a ranking launched in 2016 and the only one in Romania that evaluates the sustainability indicators of companies: information on sustainability management,  as well as economic, environmental, and social impact. The index is launched every year during the Best Practices in Corporate Sustainability conference.

In 2019, the agency launched Community Index, the most comprehensive ranking of corporate investment projects in communities and a centralizer of the best CSR campaigns carried out every year by Romanian companies. The results of the ranking, together with case studies and interviews of national and international experts, are presented every year in Community Index Magazine, the only bilingual yearbook dedicated to investments in communities carried out by Romanian companies.

New rules on corporate sustainability reporting: provisional political agreement between the Council and the European Parliament

The Council and European Parliament reached a provisional political agreement on the corporate sustainability reporting directive (CSRD), according to a Press release published on the Council’s website.

The proposal aims to address shortcomings in the existing rules on disclosure of non-financial information, which was of insufficient quality to allow it to be properly taken into account by investors. Such shortcomings hinder the transition to a sustainable economy.

Bruno le Maire, Minister for economic affairs, finance and industrial and digital sovereignty

This agreement is excellent news for all European consumers. They will now be better informed about the impact of business on human rights and the environment. This means more transparency for citizens, consumers and investors. It also means more readability and simplicity in the information provided by companies, who must play their full part in society. Greenwashing is over. With this text, Europe is at the forefront of the international race to standards, setting high standards in line with our environmental and social ambitions.Bruno le Maire, Minister for economic affairs, finance and industrial and digital sovereignty

What are the new rules?

The corporate sustainability reporting directive amends the 2014 non-financial reporting directive. It introduces more detailed reporting requirements and ensures that large companies are required to report on sustainability issues such as environmental rights, social rights, human rights and governance factors.            

The CSRD also introduces a certification requirement for sustainability reporting as well as improved accessibility of information, by requiring its publication in a dedicated section of company management reports.

The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) will be responsible for establishing European standards, following technical advice from a number of European agencies.

Who will be covered by the directive?

EU rules on non-financial information apply to large public-interest companies with more than 500 employees and to all large companies and all companies listed on regulated markets. These companies are also responsible for assessing the information at the level of their subsidiaries. 

The rules also apply to SMEs, taking into account their specific characteristics. An opt-out will be possible for SMEs during a transitional period, meaning that they will be exempted from the application of the directive until 2028.

For non-European companies, the requirement to provide a sustainability report applies to all companies generating a net turnover of EUR 150 million in the EU and which have at least one subsidiary or branch in the EU. These companies must provide a report on their ESG impacts, namely on environmental, social and governance impacts, as defined in this directive. 

Who ensures the quality of reporting?

Reporting must be certified by an accredited independent auditor or certifier. To ensure that companies comply with the reporting rules, an independent auditor or certifier must ensure that the sustainability information complies with the certification standards that have been adopted by the EU. The reporting of non-European companies must also be certified, either by a European auditor or by one established in a third country.

From what date will the rules apply?

The application of the regulation will take place in three stages:

  • 1 January 2024 for companies already subject to the non-financial reporting directive;
  • 1 January 2025 for companies that are not presently subject to the non-financial reporting directive;
  • 1 January 2026 for listed SMEs, small and non-complex credit institutions and captive insurance undertakings.

Next steps

The provisional agreement reached today is subject to approval by the Council and the European Parliament.

From the Council’s side, the provisional political agreement is subject to approval by the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper), before going through the formal steps of the adoption procedure. The directive will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.