The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), in partnership with the Dangote Cement Plc and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has trained 70 professionals toward boosting business continuity in Nigeria.
Mr Bola Adeeko, the Divisional Head, Shared Services, NSE, said on Thursday in Lagos that participants at the training were from the media, accounting and investment communities.
Adeeko said that the workshop was part of the collaborative partnership to improve the performance and disclosure of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues across the ecosystem of the NSE.
“We recognise that sustainability should not be separated from core business strategy as it involves operating in a way that takes full account of an organisation’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,” he said.
Adeeko said that the workshop exposed participants to the concept of sustainability reporting within the context of the GRI Standards and the NSE Sustainability Disclosure Guidelines.
He said it helped accounting and investment professionals to understand the role of impact measurement, innovation and value creation of sustainability reporting in improving corporate financial performance.
“The workshop also helped communications practitioners to understand recent advances in sustainability reporting with the aim of improving reporting of sustainability issues across the capital market,’’ he said.
Also, Dr Ndidi Nnoli, Group Chief Sustainability and Governance, Dangote Industries Ltd. (DIL), said that the company builds on seven 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 establishes the positive correlation between financial and non-financial ESG functions and the potential synergy between responsible business growth and sustainable development,” she said.
Nnoli said that Dangote acknowledged the crucial role played by accountants, financial analysts and communications professionals in facilitating behavioural change in support of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In his remarks, Mr Douglas Kativu, Director, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Africa, said that the GRI Standards help companies to understand and disclose their impacts on the world.
Kativu said that the initiative also enable them to manage these impacts and improve ESG performance.
He said that accountants, financial analysts and communications specialists all play important roles in supporting corporate sustainability reporting.
