A recent report by ACCA explores how integrated thinking is communicated in annual reports. Invisible threads: communicating integrated thinking also shares top tips to guide organisations on the path to integrated thinking and integrated reporting, as follows:
Report highlights
ACCA reviewed 14 integrated annual reports for 2019/20 for companies in the International Integrated Reporting Council’s IR Business Network. The research revealed:
Views are divided about the purpose of an integrated report – nearly half of the companies position their integrated reports as sustainability reports.
Strategy and strategic goals are not always communicated coherently.
Sustainability objectives are not yet fully connected to the overarching corporate strategy.
Key value drivers are not discussed consistently through integrated reports – there might not be consensus about what these are.
The integrated report is not always consistent or connected with the financial statements, and vice versa.
