Assessment of business sustainability reports; Model practice

In recent days, companies need to prepare Sustainability Reports by monitoring social, environmental and economical performances with the purpose of having better benefit from opportunities, understanding characteristics of the risks, creating long-term values and obtaining rivalry advantages besides making profit. Therefore, nowadays these reports are being prepared regularly by companies all around the world; and it is determined that the number of prepared reports increase gradually. These reports, which are today prepared on a volunteer basis in our country and in many other countries, is actually an indicator that shows at what degree companies care about the environment. The purpose of preparing this Thesis is to examine sustainability in companies, corporate sustainability, terms used in sustainability reports, significance and principles of sustainability reports, their contribution to companies, their historical development, reporting frames in connection with sustainability. At the same time, it aims to analyse performance indicators by evaluating content index of these sustainability reports published by companies in Turkey in Accord with GRI-G4 Guide (Global Reporting Initiative – G4) and GRI-G3.1 Guide (Global Reporting Initiative – G3.1); and to perform a Practice in the quality of a guide for preparation of sustainability reports. This study constitutes of three main parts. In part I, following topics are discussed: sustainability, corporate sustainability, terms used in sustainability, historical development, scope of sustainability reports, and their contributions to companies and, finally, types of reporting. In part II, sustainability and relevant standards and indexes are discussed. In part III, performance indexes are analysed by examining content indexes of companies that prepare Sustainability Reports in accord with GRI-G4 Reporting Principles and GRI-G3.1 Reporting Principles in Turkey; and consequently necessary comparisons are made. At the end of such analysis, the degree of implementation of these indicators by companies that make use of these reports is measured. 30 Companies prepared Sustainability Reports in accord with GRI-G4 Guide (Global Reporting Initiative – G4) and GRI-G3.1 (Global Reporting Initiative – G3.1). One of the Companies did not affect its Sustainability Explanation Score by mentioning all indicators in both reports. Sustainability Explanation Score of 25 Companies decreased whilst Sustainability Explanation Score of remaining 4 Companies increased. It is observed that 8 Companies, which prepared Sustainability Reports in accord with GRI-G3.1 Guide (Global Reporting Initiative – G3.1) Sustainability Reporting Principles too. In other words, it can be told that Companies care less about effects of economic, social and their environmental performances when they are preparing said reports; and, they are less transparent. Some Companies seem to care more about their Sustainability Reports and, on these reports, these companies mentioned their activities, environmental, social and economic requirements with the understanding of transparency and accountability. In summary, it is determined that: in order to increase transparency and accountability in companies, it is necessary for them to provide more information about their environmental, social and economic performances.