What are the Integrated Reporting Awards?
Hosted by the Chartered Governance Institute of Southern Africa in partnership with JSE Limited, the Integrated Reporting Awards have been recognizing excellence in corporate reporting since 1956. The Institute pioneered these awards, which have since become more widespread.
The awards provide a platform for peer-to-peer comparison and a benchmark for good corporate governance and risk management practices. Their primary objective is to promote accurate, transparent financial reporting and full disclosure of all relevant information to stakeholders.
Participation in the awards is voluntary, with companies choosing to submit their integrated reports for evaluation. Each report is individually assessed by a panel of judges based on stringent criteria, ensuring unbiased adjudication.
CGISA has been a member of the Integrated Reporting Committee of South Africa (‘IRC’) since the IRC’s early days. IRC is a national body committed to providing guidance on integrated reporting.
Does your Integrated Report lead in…
…sustainability?
…diversity, equity and inclusion?
…remuneration transparency?
…King IV governance?
…social and ethics
committee excellence?
…climate change?
Then you should submit your report for the Integrated Reporting Awards! Reward your hard work and reporting excellence and benchmark yourself against your peers by entering the Integrated Reporting Awards!
About the awards
The objective of the Integrated Reporting Awards is to encourage innovation and excellence in integrated reporting in Southern Africa across the board, not only in the top JSE-listed companies
- Overall
- Top 40
- Mid Cap
- Small Cap
- Fledgling/AltX
- Regional
- NGO/NPO/NPC
- Public Sector
- SOEs
- Unlisted
The first four categories are determined by the JSE Ltd Top 40 Index, Mid Cap Index, Small Cap Index, Fledgling Index and AltX listing. Allocation to a category is determined by the respective company’s categorisation on the JSE Main Board on September of the specific year. The allocation of entrants into categories ensures that each organisation’s integrated report is scored against their peers.
The reports are adjudicated in line with the integrated reporting framework across three areas:
- guiding principles
- content elements
- fundamental concepts
The judges’ assessments cover a number of areas, such as:
- overall presentation of the integrated report
- organisational overview and external environment and the impact on strategy
- disclosure of the short-, medium- and long-term strategy and resource allocation
- disclosure of performance against strategic objectives
- discussion of stakeholder engagement
- impact of risks and opportunity
Additional aspects considered by the judging criteria include:
- clear presentation of the business model
- actions taken by the governing body and governance of key management remuneration
- discussion of drivers of performance and how the organisational governance structure supports its ability to create value
- the overall integration of the above elements
Given the increasing focus on ESG and sustainability disclosures, in 2022, the scoresheet was updated to incorporate elements of meaningful sustainability related information. This includes whether the reporting entity has articulated its sustainability-related risks and opportunities within its report.
Cumulative winners of the Integrated Reporting Awards since 1956
- Edgars Consolidated Stores Ltd
- 20
- SABMiller Plc
- 16
- Nedbank Group Ltd
- 12
- Barloworld Ltd
- 10
- Anglo Platinum Ltd
- 10
- Anglo Alpha Ltd
- 9
- York Timbers Holdings Ltd
- 8
- Transnet Ltd
- 7
- AngloGold Ashanti Ltd
- 6
- Anglo American Coal Corporation Ltd
- 6
- Rand Mines Ltd
- 6
- Cotlands
- 6
CGISA and the IRC
The Chartered Governance Institute of Southern Africa (CGISA) has been a member of the Integrated Reporting Committee of South Africa (IRC) since its early days. The IRC is a national body dedicated to providing guidance on integrated reporting, a critical tool for corporate sustainability and promoting a stakeholder-inclusive environment.
Companies must invest significant effort in their integrated reports to operate transparently and demonstrate good corporate citizenship. These reports help stakeholders understand a company’s strategies, objectives, and risks.
South Africa was the first country to mandate that listed companies produce integrated reports. Through its annual Integrated Reporting Awards, CGISA is committed to upholding the importance of integrated reporting and encourages all companies to prioritize it.
Mervyn King, chairman of the IRC, also chairs the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC). In March 2017, he was awarded honorary fellowship by CGISA.
