For the second consecutive year, R&A was commissioned by AAP to devise, draft and publish the company’s sustainability report, this one for the 2023 financial year. R&A had responsibility for all aspects other than design, though there was interaction with the design team to ensure a coherent layout of the contents.
The work was guided by a range of standards, on all of which R&A has the required expertise. These include the Global Reporting Initiative, the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, the International Sustainability Standards Board, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures.
R&A led a double materiality assessment for the AAP leadership teams, which was ratified by the Board. The outcome of the assessment of the top material issues was a major basis for the structuring of the report.
There followed the setting up and carrying out of interviews with 35 heads of department and senior managers responsible for the relevant disciplines. This process took almost a month. Interviews were also carried out with the chairs of the two relevant board committees and the CEO for their respective messages to stakeholders.
The drafting of the report began soon after the first interviews were conducted. The 3-person R&A team drafted the various sections of the report according to the structure that had been agreed with the AAP principals. Interactive feedback processes with the responsible managers were required and continued until shortly before publication towards the end of March.
The report has been recognised both locally and internationally as a best practice report, and complies and is aligned with sustainability and mining standards.
