NSE, GRI, Dangote Group Host Sustainability Reporting Workshop

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in partnership with Dangote Cement Plc and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), on Thursday, September 26, 2019, organized a capacity development workshop on sustainability value proposition and reporting for accountants, financial analysts and communication practitioners.
The workshop, according to a statement by the NSE, was driven by the need to demonstrate the relationship between financial and non-financial functions and the strong synergy between the two in achieving business continuity.
It brought together over 70 participants from the media, accounting and investment communities.
Speaking at the event, Bola Adeeko, Divisional Head, Shared Services, NSE, said the bourse recognizes “that sustainability should not be separated from core business strategy as it involves operating in a way that takes full account of an organization’s impact on the planet, its people and the future.
“At the NSE, we continually seek innovative initiatives to build competence for businesses within our ecosystem. This workshop is designed to help accountants, financial analysts and communication practitioners respond to new demands resulting from changes in the way businesses now define value creation”.
The event introduced participants to the concept of sustainability reporting within the context of the GRI Standards and the NSE Sustainability Disclosure Guidelines and helped accounting and investment professionals understand the role of impact measurement, innovation and value creation of sustainability reporting in improving corporate financial performance.
The workshop also helped communications practitioners understand recent advances in sustainability reporting with the aim of improving reporting of sustainability issues across the capital market.
The event was headlined by senior executives of Dangote Industries Limited like Dr. Ndidi Nnoli, Group Chief Sustainability, and Governance Officer, who introduced the workshop participants to the group’s value creation model, which builds on the 7 Sustainability Pillar Methodology.
“Our work in Dangote Cement Plc showcases the importance of mainstreaming sustainability as the key to engendering holistic business impact, innovation, and value creation. The workshop, scheduled during the United Nations 74th General Assembly, supports the implementation of SDGs in Africa by establishing the positive correlation between financial and non-financial (ESG) functions and the potential synergy between responsible business growth and sustainable development.”
The NSE said in the statement that it realizes the crucial role of accountants, financial analysts and communications professionals in facilitating behavioral change in support of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), designed the session in collaboration with GRI as part of the collaborative partnership to improve the performance and disclosure of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues across the ecosystem of the NSE.
The statement quoted Douglas Kativu, Director, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Africa and lead facilitator at the workshop as saying “the GRI Standards help companies understand and disclose their impacts on the world – and by doing so enable them to manage these impacts and improve ESG performance. Accountancy professionals, financial analysts, and communications specialists all have important roles in supporting corporate sustainability reporting; therefore I was delighted by the engagement achieved through this session.”

Photo caption: Olumide Orojimi, Head, Corporate Communications, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Ms. Ugochi Obi, Head, X-Academy, NSE; Bola Adeeko, Head, Shared Services Division, NSE; Dr. Ndidi Nnoli, Group Chief Sustainability and Governance, Dangote Industries Limited and Douglas Kativu, Director, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Africa during a capacity development workshop on sustainability reporting for accountants, financial analysts and communication practitioners at the Exchange on Thursday, September 26, 2019.

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