VIEWPOINT: On your marks, get set – go for sustainability

“The result – watered-down ‘integrated reports’ and ‘sustainability reports’ that were full of disclosure gaps.” The penny has finally dropped. To survive and thrive, companies are embedding sustainability into management reporting For corporate South Africa, sustainability became real in 2010, when the King III Code became effective for JSE-listed companies. Managements now needed to ‘comply…

ANALYSIS: Hedge Accounting: Is it feasible?

“Differing accounting recognition and measurement criteria, applied to various components of a hedge relationship, create volatility in financial reporting” Hedge accounting is becoming imperative for companies exposed to exchange rate volatility The recent volatility in the South African rand (ZAR) has seen many local corporates scrambling to control the impact of dwindling local currency value…

SPECIAL FEATURE: Can SMEs benefit from sustainability

“Sustainability in the supply chain is increasingly considered as critical to delivering long-term profitability, replacing financial cost, value, and speediness as the chief concern.” Adopting sustainability practices can make smaller companies more competitive in supply chains The effects of the worldwide economic downturn, combined with environmental degradation and social volatility, are not conducive to a…

Accountants breed accountants

If each CA(SA) donated R500 per annum (fully tax deductible), SAICA could support 50% more bright young students At the inaugural North-West dinner for the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants in South Africa (ABASA), many accountants were left wondering as to how one particular family could produce such provincial success in the accountancy…

SPECIAL FEATURE: Building sustainability into investment decisions

“Capital investments made by organisations result in the commitment of significant resources to projects expected (in most cases) to enhance the value of the organisation and/or provide shared community benefits over time.” An Australian study reveals trends in incorporating sustainability impacts when making capital investment decisions The past decade has seen the emergence of significant…

SPECIAL FEATURE: Green buildings are good business

“It is important to note that there is a lot of ‘greening’ that companies can do with existing buildings.” Going ‘green’ is now mainstream for cost-efficient building design A ‘green building’ is defined as one that is energy efficient, resource efficient and environmentally sustainable. It incorporates design, construction and operational practices that significantly reduce or…