Ford's Sustainability Report Among the World's Best
7 May 2008
Ford Motor Company's Sustainability Report, designed and produced in print and online by communications agency Flag, has won the award for "Best Sustainability Reporting" from the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in North America.
The award recognises excellence in reporting sustainability, environmental and social issues by companies based in the United States and Canada. It also gives guidance to other organisations that are publishing, or intend to publish, sustainability reports. An independent, 12-member panel of judges considered nearly 90 reports before unanimously naming the co-winners of this year's award.
In a summary report, Ceres and ACCA lauded Ford's 2006/07 Sustainability Report for presenting "a complete picture of the key sustainability issues faced by both the company and its industry" and for "including a comprehensive materiality analysis".
The judges praised Ford for showing highlights in the print report and encouraging readers to dig in to the details online. Judge David Vidal, director of research and global corporate citizenship for the Center for Corporate Citizenship & Sustainability, The Conference Board, said that Ford's report stood out from the pack due to its candour and transparency. "The layout and organisation of Ford's report around themes of relevance, and its execution, were also outstanding," Vidal added.
Flag has worked alongside Ford's Sustainability Business Strategy Office and Buzzword, a coalition of writers and editors, since 2001.
Ford shares this year's award with Timberland clothing company.
In addition to receiving ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards in both North America and the UK, Flag's work has also been recognised by the PR Week Awards, the International ARC Awards and the IVCA Clarion Awards.