Ensuring Credible Sustainability Reporting

There are a number of ways we ensure our sustainability reporting structure is credible.

One way is to find out what our partners, stakeholders and opinion leaders say about our reports. Through regular stakeholder engagement, we’re able to address their concerns in our reports and in our day-to-day work. VANOC will continue to engage stakeholders in annual consultations.

Another means of ensuring credibility is through independent assurance – retaining an outside party to review the information presented in our Sustainability Report and comment on its reliability. We will obtain independent assurance for our 2008-09 and 2009-10 reports

To do this, we identified key external stakeholders and opportunities to engage with them. We also consulted with our corporate sponsors. Further, we completed specific stakeholder engagements for our sustainable purchasing program. These have helped build relationships and identify specific areas for further input and, in some instances, collaboration.

In 2006-07, for instance, we conducted 82 engagements (44 information-sharing,16 consultations, 9 advice seeking, 13 shared decision-making). We also conducted engagement programs in areas including transportation planning, the Cultural Olympiad and environmental compliance.