News

Navigating Sustainability Reporting: GRI vs. ESRS

18.09.2024

Corporate Sustainability Due diligence

06.06.2024

On April 24, 2024, the European Parliament finally adopted the final text concerning the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence, also known as CS3D.

In this article, we will provide a quick overview of the key points of this legislation. The goal is to minimize the negative effects caused by companies. The CSRD, on the other hand, focuses on Europe, imposing a reporting framework to enable disclosure and transparency on their sustainable activities. 

ESRS - European Sustainability Reporting Standards

13.03.2024

We introducing you to the ESRS, which stands for European Sustainability Reporting Standards. This standard came into effect as of January 2024. In November 2022, we published an article about the CSRD (Corporate Sustainable Reporting Directive). A year and a half later, we’re back with a new article that complements the one on the CSRD, introducing you to the ESRS.

EU Parliament adopts new sustainability reporting rules

21.11.2022

The new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) was adopted with a large parliamentary majority in favor of more detailed requirements and a wider scope of companies that must report. The EU hopes to end greenwashing, strengthen the EU’s social market economy, and lay the basis for globally comparable reporting standards. 

Double Materiality – Double the effort?

26.09.2022

Many companies will have conducted materiality assessments of the financial impact of ESG risks on their operations, serving mainly the needs of shareholders and investors. All equity and bond ratings, such as MCSI or Sustainalytics are also based on this “outside-inward” view.

In “reverse”, many companies have measured their sustainability performance using the standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The revised GRI version of 2021 focuses clearly on the “inside-outward” impact, e.g. the impact of the company on the environment, the economy, and people. How to manage the double materiality challenge? Two separate exercises or just one?

UEFA publishes its FSR report

06.05.2021

We are pleased to announce that the 2019/20 UEFA Football and Social Responsibility Report has been published

Collaboration on impact reporting with the Fare network

30.04.2021

We are pleased to be working with the Fare network to strengthen its impact reporting system.

SchweryCade joins SD Europe for Erasmus+ fan engagement projects

25.02.2021

SchweryCade joined SD Europe as an external monitoring and evaluation partner for the Erasmus+ fan engagement projects Kick-Off! (2021) and Fans Matter! (2020). The projects focus on capacity-building within national and local fan organisations in Europe.

Non-financial reporting and sport

25.02.2021

A recent Sustainability Report article reports on a growing trend in sport: non-financial reporting. With sustainability weighing heavily on all industries, governments and organisations are beginning to demand greater accountability for environmental and social impact.

GRI Database – a valuable tool soon to disappear

21.01.2021

One of the most useful tools for report writers will soon disappear – the GRI Database!

Following an ongoing review of the platform and a decrease in the number of reports registered on the Database, GRI has decided to discontinue the practice, with the last reports uploaded in December 2020. What a pity!

So where can we go now to read other reports and find such a comprehensive collection of good practices?

Time to report

21.01.2021

The last payments for 2020 are made. The books have closed. Now is the time to start reporting. Usually, the financial report gets priority. Timelines are clearly set by legislation and internal regulations. Less clear are the timelines for non-financial reporting.

So how can you go about managing your 2021 reporting?

SASB and IIRC Merge

20.01.2021

In November 2020, the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) announced that they would merge into one unified organization, hereon known as the Value Reporting Foundation.

We reached out to Jeff Cohen, Director of Capital Markets Integration at SASB, who responded to our two key questions about the merger.

Getting ready for the next cycle

29.10.2020

As we approach the end of the year, sustainability managers are usually busy preparing for the next cycle. As strategies and decisions are weighed, questions are asked. Should we keep the report similar to last year’s? Or shall we plan to make changes and improvements?

Top 10 Sport vs Covid-19 articles

11.06.2020

Each week, for the past ten weeks, I’ve been sharing ten current news articles that have provided me with an insight into Sport’s actions in response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In keeping with the theme of ten, this week I have listed the ten articles that have resonated most with me over the weeks.

Sport vs COVID-19 News Round-Up_28.05.2020

28.05.2020

This week, universities denounced as “operating in the realm of bad choices” as the push to reopen the college football season in the US gathers momentum; fan ownership model for clubs recommended as a logical deterrent to future crises in football and rugby in the UK; and women’s sport is seen to have the right credentials to continue its rise to the top in our post-pandemic world.

Sport vs COVID-19 News Round-Up_21.05.2020

21.05.2020

There appears to have been a lot of soul-searching in Germany after the re-start of the Bundesliga last weekend. How did it feel, is it worth it and how can we change it? A series of articles in sportanddev.org on reimagining the role of sport and development has also allowed me to include a couple of gems in this week’s round-up. And there’s some interesting insight from the Chairman of Elgin City on the short-term (fatal?) impact that social distancing may have on lower league clubs.

Sport vs COVID-19 News Round-Up_14.05.2020

14.05.2020

Two days before the re-start of the Bundesliga, the focus of attention shifts more heavily towards the practical aspects of sport being played behind closed doors; while international sport federations in Switzerland have been promised financial relief; and more offer their opinions on if and how sport may change in the future.

Sport vs COVID-19 News Round-Up_30.04.2020

30.04.2020

This week, experts consider how sport can make the shift to making more responsible decisions, answers to where support funds and savings will come from start to materialise, and Football looks at the practical aspects of re-starting – or not, as the case may be.

Sustainability reporting and coronavirus

07.04.2020

This year, COVID-19, or coronavirus, has presented a myriad of new challenges for companies and reporters alike. For sustainability reporters completing their current reports, the question is: should information on coronavirus be included, and if so, how?

Coronavirus and cancelled events: what to do with unused participation fees?

06.04.2020

So, what are the next steps an event organiser can take? How can organisers deal with costs, payments and reimbursements? Should participants receive their money back?

Does materiality matter?

10.03.2020

There is a common consensus that companies should focus their social responsibility or sustainability reports on the topics that matter most. These topics, referred to as “material” in the reporting field, are part of the process of verification known as materiality analysis.

ESG Investments

04.11.2019

Enough evidence exists to show that a commitment to sustainability from the financial sector could lead to huge positive impact in climate change and social issues, as well as help to rebuild public trust in the financial sector.

Five pointers towards raising your RESPONSIBLE investment game

22.08.2019

How do we go about stemming catastrophic climate change, alleviating poverty and hunger, achieving universal equality, cleaning up our seas and achieving a more peaceful coexistence? I see responsible investment being one major component of the transition towards this 2030 ideal.

Materiality matters! Using GRI, SDGs or both?

01.07.2019

Materiality is a key concept in the discussion about sustainability strategies and reporting. It was originally outlined by AccountAbility in their first Standards, and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has since built its framework on the same principle.

The Chronicles of Napanian

03.06.2019

My own role last week was to act as a mentor to some of these NPC employees, to help guide them through the chronicles of Napanian and come out on the other side with a robust strategic plan to turn around the fortunes of the fictitious NPC.

Time for Reporting

03.05.2019

These are busy times for reporters, with the compilation and turnover of financial reports taking the priority and attention of many. As a result, sustainability reports often lag behind financial accounting, unless the sustainability information is integrated directly within the financial report. This begs the question: when it is the best time to publish non-financial sustainability or CSR reports?

It’s 2019 and we’re still having the same debate!

11.04.2019

“I am ashamed that in 2019 we have to organise a conference to combat discrimination and intolerance in football. We must dare to change. I am ashamed that here in Europe not a weekend goes by without a discriminatory act taking place in a football stadium, at amateur level or professional level.”

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Workshop

10.04.2019

SchweryCade hosted its first workshop of 2019 at company headquarters in Biel/Bienne on Thursday, 24 January. The subject of the workshop was the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the purpose was to build a greater understanding of what the SDGs are and why and how to use them in a business’s strategy.

How can companies use the UN Sustainable Development Goals for sustainability reporting?

05.12.2018

In 2015, the United Nations agreed upon a common agenda to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and to protect the planet. Since then, the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has become the point of reference.

RESPONSIBALL Forum on Sport and Refugees

26.11.2018

Many have said that how we react to the challenge of accommodating and integrating refugees and other displaced people will define our generation. It’s our time now to stand up and be counted.

What I learned about events at the opening party of a Bulgarian playground

20.08.2018

In recent months, as an intern at SchweryCade, I have learned that events that are not managed sustainably can often cause a negative environmental impact. However, a recent trip to northern Bulgaria reminded me that they can also have a huge positive social impact…

Read more

RESPONSIBALL Forum on Refugees and Sport

29.06.2018

Last week, on World Refugee Day, RESPONSIBALL launched the website for the Forum on Refugees and Sport.

The Forum is to be held in Lausanne, Switzerland, on November 8, 2018. It will appeal to governing bodies, leagues, clubs, NGOs, UN agencies, and all those engaged with and interested in effectively addressing this topic.

UEFA FSR Workshop

28.06.2018

With a view onto the pristine Lake Geneva and of towering Mont Blanc beyond, Schwery Consulting again facilitated the annual UEFA Football and Social Responsibility (FSR) Workshop at UEFA Headquarters in Nyon, bringing together European football and social responsibility partners from across the continent.

We're changing our name!

28.06.2018

Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC, WWF to WWE, Marathon to Snickers, Fruitella to Starburst, Jerry’s Guide to the World Wide Web to Yahoo! (you knew that one, right?), and now us!

Fussball WM in Russland

13.06.2018

Am 14. Juni beginnt die Fussball-WM. Alle blicken gespannt auf Russland. Wird Russland ein guter Gastgeber sein? Haben sie die wichtigsten Herausforderungen wie die Sicherheit, Transport, Abfall, Diversität und Inklusion im Griff. Und was bleibt nach der WM für ein kulturelles Erbe übrig? Rolf Schwery ist gerade aus Moskau zurück und wagt eine erste Einschätzung.

Events and Sustainability in practice

04.06.2018

The seminar “Events and Sustainability” at the University of Berne is now almost over and thus also a time with a highly motivated and inspiring group of students.

Read more

Leitfaden Nachhaltiges Eventmanagement

14.05.2018

Endlich ist es geschafft: Der Leitfaden zum nachhaltigen Eventmanagement steht. Die Datenblätter werden regelmässig aktualisiert und schrittweise mit weiteren Themen ergänzt.

UEFA Football and Social Responsibility report 2016/17

08.05.2018

UEFA has published its fifth Football and Social Responsibility (FSR) report, closing the loop on a cycle of five reports, spanning seasons 2012/13 to 2016/17. The 2016/17 report includes a look back at the main achievements of UEFA’s FSR Partners over the past five seasons across the European football governing body’s eight strategic issues.

“Who reads these reports anyway?!”

02.03.2018

Together with Migros, Switzerland’s leading supermarket chain, we’ve developed an innovative report style, which is complementary to international reporting standards, and – the coup d’etat – presented in a digestible format for those low on time but high on interest.

Sustainability Reporting in 2017

02.03.2018

A staggering 5,000 companies and organizations uploaded their sustainability reports to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) database in 2017.

UEFA member associations shine in social responsibility seminar

27.02.2018

Representatives from 13 of UEFA’s member associations, as well as three UEFA staff, participated in a Football and Social Responsibility (FSR) seminar at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland in January.

Sustainability Reporting in Switzerland

05.02.2018

100+ companies and organizations in Switzerland regularly report on their sustainability performances. In 2017, there were 99 reports uploaded to the GRI Database, which is a collection of all types of reports related to sustainability and social responsibility.

Sustainability Reporting in Russia

26.01.2018

Around 100 companies and organizations in Russia regularly report on their sustainability performances. In 2017, there were 81 reports uploaded to the GRI Database, which is a collection of all types of reports related to sustainability and social responsibility.

Formula E – “We’re not just a race!”

19.12.2017

Earlier this year, Hugo Boss announced that it would be withdrawing its Formula 1 sponsorship, which started nearly 40 years ago, in favour of Formula E. The sport’s growth has gone beyond expectations, welcoming new manufacturers Nissan and BMW in 2018-19. So what’s been drawing hearts and minds to this fast growing spectator sport, which is only just in its fourth season?

UEFA to host Football and Social Responsibility seminar at HQ in Switzerland

20.11.2017

UEFA is organising a football and social responsibility seminar for practitioners within European football associations and football clubs.

RESPONSIBALL Ranking 2017

12.09.2017

The seventh annual RESPONSIBALL Ranking has been published. The Ranking presents the social responsibility scores of the first division clubs in top-level international football leagues.

I’ll tell you a story

21.08.2017

Today, we highlight a new trend in sustainability reporting: Reporters using case studies and personal stories to bring their sustainability reports to life. For example, the multinational chemistry company Clariant has just published its 2016 sustainability report. The report presents the sustainability views of six Clariant employees from Europe by asking them the question: “What does sustainability mean for your professional life and how does it affect your daily routine?”

RESPONSIBALL Internship

19.09.2016

Schwery Consulting, a social entrepreneurship based in Switzerland, is recruiting for an intern with good knowledge and understanding of social research, with a passion for sport (in particular football) and a commitment to social responsibility.

We have recently launched the annual RESPONSIBALL Ranking, and are working to improve a new beta version of the website www.RESPONSIBALL.org. As such, we require support mainly to develop and promote the RESPONSIBALL platform as well as other Schwery Consulting projects in the field of football and social responsibility.

RESPONSIBALL Ranking 2016

25.08.2016

The sixth annual RESPONSIBALL Ranking was published today. It presents the social responsibility scores of the first division clubs in several top-level football leagues.

Top three unchanged
The top three positions in the Ranking remain unchanged from last year. The clubs that were promoted to the Dutch Eredivisie league at the end of the 2014/15 season – NEC, Roda and De Graafschap – only served to solidify the Netherlands’ dominance at the top of the Ranking for the second year in a row. If the rise to first place in 2014 of the Danish Superliga clubs was a surprise to some, their “bouncebackability” has been clear to see in the consecutive two seasons: they again finish a strong second, with the English Premier League clubs close behind in third.

Sustainable Event Management Course

12.07.2016

The University of Bern (UniBe) is offering its first course on Sustainable Event Management (3 ECTS). The study programme will be taught by Schwery Consulting and organised in cooperation with UniBe and the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE).

The course will be led by Rolf Schwery, PhD, and takes place in the Spring semester of 2017. It will involve 26 hours of teaching, and aims to equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to develop a sustainability strategy for an event. For further information please contact rolf@schwery.com

Stars of Sounds 2016: A complete success - and nearly no mess

05.07.2016

Littering and waste are highly critical issues at festivals. A comprehensive waste concept, such as that implemented at the Stars of Sounds event in Murten, Switzerland earlier this summer, really pays off.

Stars of Sounds is an annual music festival, held in early June, and taking place at Murten and Aarberg, two locations in the north-west of Switzerland. With an interesting line-up Murten attracted more than 28,000 visitors alone this year.

The first event was held in 2015 to great acclaim, though organisers of the festival were determined to improve one aspect in particular: waste management.

UEFA Publishes Football and Social Responsibility Report

15.06.2016

UEFA has published its third Football and Social Responsibility (FSR) report using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework as a guide, for the first time.

The report reviews the 2014/15 season’s activities and, by doing so, illustrates the ways in which football can contribute to society. It uses GRI to report in a structured and concise manner that closely follows international sustainability reporting standards.

Midway through a five-year FSR cycle (2012-2017), the report looks back at a season during which UEFA organised the Respect Diversity conference in Rome; included Amputee, Blind and Special Olympics showcase football matches in the build-up to the Champions League final; and kicked-off its Captains of Change initiative, aimed at fostering more diversity in the management of European football.

Volunteer for RESPONSIBALL

11.05.2016

RESPONSIBALL is an online sustainability platform for football clubs. It’s motto is that ‘football clubs are more than just businesses; they are cultural institutions’, and it serves to act as a platform to encourage knowledge sharing and enhance progress of sustainability in football.

We have worked with volunteers for the five previous editions of the RESPONSIBALL Ranking – an annual sustainability ranking of top-level football leagues. They have helped us to collect data that we need to rank country leagues based on our own sustainability indicators.

We’re once again counting on volunteers to follow in their footsteps…

Event Hosts on 'Sustainability'

02.05.2016

“Change or be changed”: that was the message from International Olympic Committee President, Thomas Bach, during his opening address at the recent SportAccord Convention 2016 held in the Olympic Capital, Lausanne.

President Bach’s statement reflected the core message behind Olympic Agenda 2020 which has set the direction for the future of the Olympic Movement, particularly in the areas of ‘sustainability’, ‘credibility’ and ‘youth’. Not surprising, therefore, that these three themes were at the core of many of the discussions held throughout the week-long gathering of international sports leaders.

With over 40 active and engaged hosts represented at SportAccord Convention 2016, Schwery Consulting took the opportunity to speak one-on-one with multiple city and country representatives to gauge their views on sustainable event management as it relates to international sports events.

Schwery Consulting welcomes former TSE Consulting Partner Caroline Anderson

03.03.2016

Schwery Consulting, the Swiss-based social entrepreneurship that supports organisations in the field of social responsibility and sustainability with a focus on sport and well-being, has announced today that Caroline Anderson, former Director and Partner at TSE Consulting, has joined their team.

Schwery Consulting, launched in 2007, supports organisations in developing a strategic approach to social responsibility. Working with event rights holders, facility owners, host cities and private sponsors, Schwery organises workshops and trainings on sustainability-related topics; develops customised management tools; conducts research projects; and supports organisations in reporting on impact and value creation.

Rolf Schwery, Executive Director, Schwery Consulting, said: “We are delighted to have Caroline onboard to further strengthen our team of accomplished professionals working in this growing sector. Her communication expertise and global sports network will help us in adding further value to the support we provide to our sport, public and private sector clients worldwide.”

Caroline Anderson, Communication Expert, Schwery Consulting, said: “It’s great to be joining the team at Schwery. The various products they have developed, such as the platform created for Migros, Swiss supermarket chain, to track the sustainability impact of the over 150 sports events they sponsor here in Switzerland ever year, both impressed and excited me. There is always a lot of talk about sustainability and social responsibility in the sports world. Schwery assists in turning this talk into action and I look forward to contributing to that.”

AA1000 ASSURANCE STANDARD

01.02.2016

Schwery Consulting has signed a Licence Agreement with AccountAbility to provide Sustainability Assurance Services. Two levels of assurance engagement – high or moderate – can be offered. Assurances conducted according to the AA1000 Standard adds credibility to a sustainability report as the process is guided by clear principles.

Migros Sustainable Event Forum

27.01.2016

Migros Sponsoring-Team held its second annual forum on sustainable events for organisers of the events that it sponsors in Switzerland. In cooporation with Schwery Consulting, the forum focused this year on three main topics: reusable containers, transport, and monitoring practices.

RESPONSIBALL Ranking 2015

01.10.2015

For the fifth consecutive year, we have assessed a football club’s commitment to social responsibility, based on its communication of certain indicators across three main pillars. Last year, we were swept off our feet by Danish clubs’ overnight rise to the top of the ranking. Although Denmark has stuck around this year, proving it was no anomaly, this year’s leaders, the Dutch Eredivisie clubs, come as much less of a surprise.

UEFA's Social Responsibility Report 2013/14

16.05.2015

UEFA’s Football and Social Responsibility unit published its 2013/14 report illustrating how football can contribute to society. The report, compiled by Schwery Consulting, confirms UEFA’s commitment to further develop a reporting framework to measure the progress made by its social responsibility activities on an annual basis.