Picpa Doha webinar on ESG reporting

Awebinar on ‘Sustainability and Integrated Reporting: Leading Beyond the Numbers’ was hosted recently by the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (Picpa) Doha in collaboration with SyCip Gorres Velayo & Company (SGV).

It was also the first time Picpa Doha hosted a virtual meeting in partnership with professionals and students from Picpa Isabela and Our Lady of Fatima University, both situated in the Philippines. Conrad Allan M Alviz (partner, SGV) and Diana Rose A Sadili-Chu discussed the ABCs of Environmental, Social, and Governmental (ESG) reporting, an emerging topic in the accountancy profession.

The webinar aimed at creating long-term value with sustainability, sustainability reporting and assurance, global developments and regulatory landscape of sustainability reporting, and how accountants can lead on sustainability and climate action.

Thousands of institutions (both profit and non-profit) are rejigging their business models, re-organising corporate systems, and spending substantial time, funds, and resources to embed sustainability into core methodologies. As a result, many have come to see ESG reporting not as a regulatory burden but as a tool to attract investors.

According to Alviz: “The rise of independent assurance — coupled with enhanced standards and increased automation and reporting rigour — has the potential to further build trust in sustainability information and among ecosystem actors.”

Diana provided updates on the sustainability reporting in the Philippines, where she mentioned that “the listed companies’ sustainability reporting showed improved quality and coverage, but more needs to be done.”