Sustainability Reporting in the Port Sector

Abstract: Over the past ten years, there has been a substantial increase in corporate sustainability per-formance coupled with a need to voluntarily and publicly report on these issues. The current prominent and legitimate guidelines framing companies’ sustainability reporting practices are those proposed by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). In addition to providing a frame-work applicable for all types of companies, the GRI has developed Sector Supplements, allowing sectors to report according to their specific needs. However, such guidance has not yet been developed for the port sector. As a result, the objective of this research is to investigate the current state of sustainability reporting in the port sector by focusing on environmental indicators. Using a questionnaire-based method, this study seeks to understand the rationale behind each of these environmental disclosures in order to identify material topic indicators representative of the port sector. Through a Stakeholder theory framework, a list of GRI G3.1 environmental indicators is proposed to be either included or suppressed for the development of a Sector Supplement, or likewise. Potential additional indicators material to the port sector that are not covered under G3.1 is also identified. Complemented with a meeting and interviews with GRI staff, this information has enabled the study to also provide broader recommendations – not limited to the environmental pillar – for the creation of a Sector Supplement, or the equivalent, for the port sector. Overall, this thesis provides an overview of both the current situation concerning sustainability reporting and the potential future stages, which are already seen in more advanced reporting systems in the reporting systems of certain ports.