Environmental Accounting and CSR: Introduction

The CSR Information Technical Committee studies Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and qualitative information in CSR disclosure practices. It has issued the research report No.28 in 2006, in which was presented a list of KPIs relevant to corporate value. The committee now focuses on KPIs as CSR management indicators for various stakeholders.

"The Law Concerning the Promotion of Business Activities with Environmental Consideration by Specified Corporation, etc., by Facilitating Access to Environmental Information, and Other Measures" was enacted in 2004, which requires Specified Corporations to prepare environmental reports. In addition, needs for accessing corporation information are increasingly growing to cover CSR information as well as environmental information. Considering these trends, the CSR Assurance Technical Committee studies assurance engagement concerning CSR information.

The Environmental Accounting Technical Committee studies and promotes environmental accounting. The committee translated into Japanese " An Introduction to Environmental Accounting as a Business Management Tool " issued by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and " International Guidance Document : Environmental Management Accounting " issued by IFAC. The committee submitted various comments to the Ministry of the Environment regarding Environmental Accounting Guidelines. In 2006 it issued the research report No.27, in which it proposed a framework on disclosure of climate risk information, including greenhouse gas emission data, in the annual reports.