GEMI Releases New Corporate Transparency Tool

Source: GEMI, 4 October 2004

The Global Environmental Management Initiative has released a new tool been designed to provide approaches that a company may consider as it addresses transparency-related challenges and opportunities.
Transparency: A Path to Public Trust" consists of a six-step process designed to assist in the identification of transparency-related opportunities and risks, determining the business case for action, and engaging your organization in developing and implementing an effective transparency strategy.

"GEMI is very pleased to announce the release today of ‘Transparency: A Path to Public Trust,’" said Elizabeth Girardi Schoen, Senior Director, Environmental Affairs, Corporate, Environment, Health & Safety, Pfizer Inc and Chair of GEMI. "This new tool and the case studies included in it are the result of a collaborative effort among the GEMI membership and leadership from the Work Group’s Co-Chairs Robert (Robin) Tollett, HSE Program Manager, The Procter & Gamble Company and Leslie Montgomery, Environmental Stewardship Program Manager, Southern Company, with the support of Melissa Spear, Jim Dray and Patricia Budd of RETEC and Pogo Davis, consultant," she continued.

Co-Chair of the Work Group that developed "Transparency: A Path to Public Trust," Robin Tollett, stated, "This new tool describes the process by which information about how an organization operates and performs is delivered to stakeholders. The degree of openness of an organization is a function of its underlying corporate culture and commitment to HSE and excellence, as well as the level of trust that exists with its stakeholders."

"The intent of this tool is to help EHS professionals and their companies design an approach to transparency that can be considered in order to create value by building sustainable, productive relationships with key stakeholders based on credibility, integrity, and trust," said GEMI’s Transparency Work Group Co-Chair, Leslie Montgomery. "GEMI anticipates that ‘Transparency: A Path to Public Trust’ has been designed as a guide to developing and enhancing relations with stakeholders and creating business value," she concluded.

This new GEMI tool is intended for a broad audience, including: investors; customers; employees; neighbors; interested NGOs; and stakeholders.

Download the full tool document (pdf)