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Training Workshops

Morning Training Session

Valuation Workshop “Selling sustainability value to the capital markets” Dialogue between companies and investors

9:00-10:00

Overview of the issues

Bringing participants to a common understanding of existing initiatives, proposals and expertise focused on advancing the inclusion of SD performance into business valuations (WBCSD-UNEP FI research)

10:00-10:30

What is sustainability (ESG) value? Perspectives of companies (investees) & money managers (investors)

A: Investors (Financial institutions)
Investors formulate their perspective on sustainability value and its relevance for business valuations

B: Investees (Companies)
Companies formulate their perspective on sustainability value and its relevance for business valuations

10.30am – 10:45am BREAK

10:45 - 11:30am

“Speed dating” immediate feedback dialogue between company managers & money managers to identify relevance & gaps

One to one conversations between investors & investees, where companies give proto-type answers to investors’ questions - - Participants verify the relevance / gaps of investor vs. investee lists of most relevant CSR and SD performance information

11:30 - 12:00am

Summary & Conclusions

What are the key messages for the capital markets and key messages for companies that have emerged from this session?

Participation in this important event is limited to 60 spaces – Registration is open to all company managers and investment managers - even those who are not delegates to the full conference, although conference participation is encouraged for background.

Afternoon Training Session

CSR REPORTING TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS – GRI-G3

2pm - 3pm

Session One: Introduction to CSR reporting using the GRI-G3 Standard

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI-G3) is the best practice standard for CSR reporting. It aims to make non-financial reporting as straight-forward and comparable as normal financial accounts. The three sessions in day-two will describe in detail how the GRI works, what data is required and how you can begin to meet the challenges of this new framework.

Clarifying the Global Reporting Initiative (G3) Guidelines
Setting the boundaries and scope of the report
Investigating materiality in CSR reporting – what does it mean?
Structuring a CSR report for maximum impact

3.00pm – 3.15pm BREAK

3.15pm – 4.15pm

Session Two: Mastering advanced CSR reporting to GRI-G3 Standards

This session will cover the central building blocks of the GRI, the protocols for disclosure on management approach, the standard reporting protocols, understanding performance indicators – where to find them and how to use them and the special reporting requirements for specific industrial sectors.

Using the GRI Application Level indicators.
Disclosure on Management Approach – DMA
Reporting protocols
Understanding performance indicators
Sector supplements and application levels

4.15pm - 4.30pm BREAK

4.30pm - 5.30pm

Session Three: Finishing-off the report and final checklist

This final session will add the finishing touches to the reporting process by showing the requirements and approaches to auditing and verification, how the CSR report can be used as the basis for development of company strategy and some of the most effective and least effective reports available in the market.

Applying audit techniques to identify gaps in CSR reporting
Alignment of CSR reporting with opportunities for improving performance management
Case studies of good and bad approaches to CSR reporting
Incorporating and establishing effective methods for communicating non-financial performance
Re - enforcing the importance of third - party report verification

All training includes coffee and networking breaks, course materials and attendance certificate.

ABOUT YOUR TRAINERS

Arshad Adam

BBA (Hons), MSc, FCCA

Arshad Adam is a founder and Finance Director of OWW Consulting in Malaysia and Singapore. He is a Chartered Accountant who trained with Deloitte Touche. He is currently the Finance Director of OWW Consulting, a boutique consulting firm based in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. He also has to his credit a Masters in International Business Management with distinction from the University of Nottingham and a Bachelor in Business Administration with gold medal from the International Islamic University Malaysia.

At OWW, he is responsible for the set up and management of the Malaysian and Singaporean SRI Indexes for the firm under the “Responsibility” series of Indexes. He also specialises in analysing and comparing the different regional CSR reports against headquarters’ CSR reports for large multinationals with operations in Asia. His recent CSR consultancy work has assisted major Malaysian conglomerates in the automotive and construction sectors with the assessment and reporting of their CSR programmes to GRI standards and has provided assistance to companies on sustainability management in the oil palm industry.

Arshad was a Member of the Financial and Management Accounting Committee of the Malaysian Institute of Accountant (MIA) 1998 and 1999. This committee represents Malaysia at the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) in New York. He was also and Appointed Member of the Internal Audit Committee of the Malaysian Institute of Accountant (MIA) in 1998 and 1999, this committee is concerned with internal audit practices in Malaysia.

Cheryl Hicks

Cheryl Hicks is a manager in the WBCSD’s Business Role focus area and the lead on two workstreams: Valuation & Capital Markets; and Sustainable Consumption. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development is a CEO-led business association of over 200 multinational corporations with a shared commitment to sustainable development and business leadership for change. For the past year Cheryl has lead the WBCSD’s newest finance initiative which brings business together directly with financial institutions to accelerate action on valuing sustainability in the capital markets. This initiative builds on the WBCSD’s expertise in sustainability reporting & accountability where Cheryl has been a member of the core team since 2004. Cheryl has 12 years of business experience including 7 years working at the intersection of business, finance and sustainable development. Cheryl is Canadian and throughout her career has worked and lived in Australia, Canada, Colombia, South Korea, and is currently based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Dr Geoffrey Williams

(MA(cantab), MA(oxon), MA(econ), PhD, FRSA)

Dr Geoffrey Williams is a founder and Managing Director of Owens, Williams & Wood Consulting in Malaysia and Singapore. He has designed and directed numerous research projects for the UK Government (DTI), European Commission (DG-Research), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the European Standards Agency (CEN), among others. He has also worked with private companies and charities including PA Consulting Group, leading UK law firm Allen & Overy, and the Wellcome Trust UK. He is a member of the EU Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EUMCCI) CSR Committee. His recent CSR consultancy work has assisted major industrial conglomerates on CSR management, reporting and sustainability management in the hotels and resorts industry, the palm oil sector, the forestry industry, the construction industry, the automotive sector and the banking and financing business.

Geoffrey has held academic positions at London Business School, Pembroke College University of Oxford and elsewhere. He has published extensively in leading academic journals worldwide. He is an Associate Member of the Centre for Business, Organisations and Society, School of Management, University of Bath, United Kingdom and was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) in 2004.

Further information can be found at his listing at the Social Sciences Research Network (SSRN) where he is ranked in the top 5% of Social Science authors in the World.