The Nigerian Stock Exchange’s (NSE) virtual Facts Behind the Sustainability Report has gone virtual, with the maiden virtual edition held on Wednesday.
Among the highlights from the event, it was stressed that Meaningful engagement between investors and listed companies will have to be driven by the promotion and disclosure of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles.
This will result in sustainable reporting of the facts, and adherence to corporate governance principles.
The event which was headlined by Courteville Business Solutions, culminated in a digital Closing Gong ceremony.
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Speaking during the webinar, the Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON commended the Courteville Business Solutions Plc for championing the maiden edition of the series.
“We commend the Board and Executive Management for their leadership in integrating sustainability into the core of their business operations. We encourage Courteville Business Solution Plc to continue adhering to high standards of corporate governance, deepening its social impact, exceeding regulatory compliance levels, and delivering greater returns to its shareholders”, he said.
He noted further that the virtual event was going to be the first in a series of virtual Facts Behind the Sustainability Report (FBSR), as the NS has continued to leverage technological infrastructure to maintain remote operations and engage stakeholders, given the challenges of the global pandemic.
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The Facts Behind the Sustainability Report presentation series, was first launched in 2019, but the movement restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic has led to the virtual hosting of the event.
On his part, the Group Managing Director, Courteville Business Solutions, Dr. Adebola Akindele thanked the Management of the NSE for allowing the company to headline the event.
“In our bid to institutionalize sustainability goals and integrate into our corporate governance, we created the Social Capital Management Unit(SCMU) in line with the NSE’s Sustainability Disclosure Guidelines.
“We have recorded impressive results across economic, environmental, social and governance standards and we continue to build on our efforts, ensuring that we remain transparent and accountable to our stakeholders” he explained.
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The event also featured a special presentation from Chair, Business and Sustainable Development, University of Edinburgh Business School, Professor Kenneth Amaeshi who highlighted the value of sustainability reporting.
He noted that, “Sustainability is an impact management mindset for organisational and societal benefits, and a good sustainability strategy is deeply rooted in transparency and disclosures. Sustainability reporting can, therefore, be viewed as a health check for organisations to see how they can improve performance, build trust and improve efficiency.”
To commemorate Courteville Business Solution’s achievements and their participation in the maiden virtual Facts Behind the Sustainability Report, Dr. Akindele had the privilege of sounding the digital Closing Gong of the NSE.
