EnergyCo is an electric utility serving markets in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeastern regions. It operates an infrastructure of nearly 350,000 miles of distribution lines stretching across several states.

EnergyCo issued a sustainability report last year titled “Sustainability report:

Focusing our energy in all the right places.” While the report is lengthy (102 pages), EnergyCo does not indicate the use of GRI reporting framework or any other sustainability reporting standards.

Although topics may be listed in EnergyCo’s sustainability report, few actual metrics/

data are provided in the report. Dollars invested in selected projects are reported in the sustainability reports, but few other data are provided. Goals for the future are listed in the report, but few current measures are provided. The sustainability report also does not include mention of any independent-party assurance of the report.

Requirements:

1. What reasons could EnergyCo have for not using GRI reporting standards (or any other sustainability reporting standards) for its sustainability reporting?
2. What potential issues does a sustainability report prepared without using a standard framework such as GRI raise for stakeholders? Is such a report useful in your opinion?
Explain.
3. Do you think that independent-party assurance of a sustainability report is important? Why or why not?
4. What reasons could EnergyCo have for issuing a sustainability report?