Sustainability, a team effort
SustainAbility School #54
Transparent reporting of the economic, social, and environmental impact of companies has received increasing attention in recent years, becoming a key aspect of business strategies today. Responsibilities related to sustainability have progressively moved away from the optional sphere, gradually becoming obligations.
In Romania, according to the current national regulations (Order of the Ministry of Public Finance 3456/2018), the obligation to provide non-financial information applies to all entities with over 500 employees. However, there is a new European directive on corporate sustainability reporting (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive – CSRD), which is expected to be adopted in 2023 and will further change the rules of the game. It is estimated that the CSRD will require around 50,000 large enterprises and listed companies in the European Union (EU) – compared to 11,000 at present – to publish information about their supply chain, their impact on ecosystems, climate change, forests, and local communities, as well as their governance policies. At the same time, these new provisions also introduce a common framework for reporting sustainability indicators: the European Sustainability Reporting Standards.
Reporting is thus becoming an increasingly important tool for economic players, a key element in developing sustainability strategies. Understanding the importance of such a process beyond the legal obligation, more and more companies are choosing to conduct such an analysis, even though they are not subject to regulations. One such company is Secom, a Romanian entrepreneurial organization with 190 employees, a trendsetter and authority leader in the dietary supplement industry, active for nearly 20 years.
On October 5, 2022, Secom Healthcare launched its first sustainability report. The report "We Choose Responsibly for a Healthier Future" was created following the international Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, together with the consulting team of The CSR Agency, and is the result of a complex analysis, involving consultations with over 1,340 external and internal stakeholders and an in-depth review of the company’s activities conducted in 2020 and 2021.
Join us to learn more about how Secom Healthcare’s first reporting process unfolded in a webinar led by Alina Tătaru (Corporate Communications Manager, Secom Healthcare Group) and Andreea Ghiocel (Reporting Division Manager, The CSR Agency).
In Romania, according to the current national regulations (Order of the Ministry of Public Finance 3456/2018), the obligation to provide non-financial information applies to all entities with over 500 employees. However, there is a new European directive on corporate sustainability reporting (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive – CSRD), which is expected to be adopted in 2023 and will further change the rules of the game. It is estimated that the CSRD will require around 50,000 large enterprises and listed companies in the European Union (EU) – compared to 11,000 at present – to publish information about their supply chain, their impact on ecosystems, climate change, forests, and local communities, as well as their governance policies. At the same time, these new provisions also introduce a common framework for reporting sustainability indicators: the European Sustainability Reporting Standards.
Reporting is thus becoming an increasingly important tool for economic players, a key element in developing sustainability strategies. Understanding the importance of such a process beyond the legal obligation, more and more companies are choosing to conduct such an analysis, even though they are not subject to regulations. One such company is Secom, a Romanian entrepreneurial organization with 190 employees, a trendsetter and authority leader in the dietary supplement industry, active for nearly 20 years.
On October 5, 2022, Secom Healthcare launched its first sustainability report. The report "We Choose Responsibly for a Healthier Future" was created following the international Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, together with the consulting team of The CSR Agency, and is the result of a complex analysis, involving consultations with over 1,340 external and internal stakeholders and an in-depth review of the company’s activities conducted in 2020 and 2021.
Join us to learn more about how Secom Healthcare’s first reporting process unfolded in a webinar led by Alina Tătaru (Corporate Communications Manager, Secom Healthcare Group) and Andreea Ghiocel (Reporting Division Manager, The CSR Agency).
By attending this webinar, you will learn about:
-
SECOM’s mission is to enhance health and well-being through high-quality, innovative, and trustworthy products and services, delivered ethically;
-
SECOM began exploring sustainable development and CSR strategies in 2020, aiming for long-term impact by engaging stakeholders, setting clear sustainability priorities, and forming a cross-functional sustainability team;
-
Materiality assessments and stakeholder engagement (1,200 external stakeholders, 177 internal responses) were conducted to align SECOM’s strategies with real-world expectations, shaping community investment priorities and sustainability projects;
-
Reporting on sustainability helps build trust, enhance reputation, attract capital, and motivate employees, creating value for all stakeholders and driving organizational development;
-
Building a committed sustainability team requires a dedicated project manager, continuous communication, and CEO and management support to overcome challenges and sustain motivation;
-
Recent shifts from the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) extend reporting requirements to more companies, requiring them to provide transparent, assured, and digital sustainability information;
-
The EU Taxonomy Regulation provides a classification system for sustainable economic activities, focusing on environmental sustainability and requiring companies to report relevant revenue, capital, and operational expenditures linked to sustainable practices;
-
The reporting process involves five main steps: preparing the process, conducting a materiality study, collecting data, drafting the report, and communicating the findings. This approach ensures comprehensive sustainability assessments and transparency;
-
Effective sustainability efforts must move from planning to practical implementation, emphasizing data collection, internal and external communication, and adaptability to ongoing regulatory updates;
-
Sustainability is viewed as a collaborative effort, requiring alignment across teams, constant evaluation, and adaptation to evolving standards and stakeholder expectations;
About the guest speaker
Alina Tătaru is the Corporate Communications Manager at Secom® Healthcare Group. Alina initiated and coordinated the sustainability project within the organization starting in 2020, encouraging the owners and the management team to support the initiative with human and financial resources, even though the company had no legal obligation. Alina created a pro-sustainability movement within Secom, attracting a team of over 20 colleagues from all departments, together laying the foundations of a transformational project with short, medium, and long-term impacts across the entire organization.
Andreea Ghiocel is the Reporting Division Manager at The CSR Agency, responsible for planning, managing, and monitoring non-financial reporting projects. She graduated in 2012 from the Maritime University of Constanța, Faculty of Naval Electromechanics, with a specialization in Environmental Engineering and Protection in Industry. She coordinated the Environmental Protection Scientific Circle for four years. Andreea is certified as an environmental inspector, energy management auditor, and civil protection inspector. Additionally, she studied product life cycle management for two years.
Devino membru
SustainAbility School este un program de educație dedicat exclusiv angajaților din organizațiile membre ale Ambasadei Sustenabilității în România prin programul Coaliția România Sustenabilă.
Dacă ești angajatul unuia dintre membri, creează-ți cont gratuit aici.
Dacă angajatorul tău nu s-a implicat încă, dar vrei să participi la edițiile viitoare și să ai acces la edițiile trecute, cere decidenților din organizația ta să devină membru.
Dacă angajatorul tău nu s-a implicat încă, dar vrei să participi la edițiile viitoare și să ai acces la edițiile trecute, cere decidenților din organizația ta să devină membru.