Strategic Corporate Sustainability and Integrated Reporting

Managing the triple bottom line is necessary for organizations to stay competitive in today's environment. It's about successfully managing many interests — the community, workplace, marketplace, investors and others — in a way that contributes to the overall prosperity of your organization.

The marketplace demands transparency in sustainable corporate operations. Companies are responding to interested stakeholders by publishing corporate sustainability reports (CSRs), which disclose economic, environmental and social aspects of business.

The number of CSRs published has increased steadily over the past decade, with a 22 percent growth to more than 1,700 companies worldwide using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework in the latest reporting period. The number escalates when factoring in other reporting frameworks from AccountAbility and the International Organization of Standardization.

Formula for Successful Corporate Sustainability Reports

A good CSR should be based on strategies that add value to that particular company. Reporting organizations need to develop strategies that they have influence over, resonate with stakeholders and, ultimately, help pay for themselves.

When it comes to implementation, Burns & McDonnell not only helps clients successfully plan and communicate through CSRs but also execute sustainability strategies that pay for themselves. Greenhouse gas inventories and energy audits often reveal such opportunities.

Testimonials
Representative Clients
Services
Meet Our Team
Live Presentations

Southwest Airlines

“I see our award-winning One Report as a competitive advantage. As a transparent representation of our triple bottom line, our One Report integrates what our stakeholders want to know about our performance, our people and our planet.” – Marilee McInnis, senior manager of community, Southwest Airlines

Read 2011 Southwest Airlines One Report^TM >

MillerCoors

"This report successfully achieves our goal of creating a stronger connection using digital communications to showcase a great company behind great beers. Burns & McDonnell captured our stories — stories that foster those connections and enhance the value of our corporate sustainability reporting strategy." - Kim Marotta, sustainability director at MillerCoors

"This report is significantly more substantive than prior years, including more data and discussion of both successes and challenges. MillerCoors and Burns & McDonnell have created content that really engages our readers. Well done." - Bart Alexander, chief corporate responsibility officer at Molson Coors Brewing Co.

Read the MillerCoors 2012 Sustainability Report >

Representative Corporate Sustainability Reporting and Greenhouse Gas Inventory Clients

AMR Corp. (American Airlines and American Eagle)
CLECO Corp.
Continental Airlines
Cooper Industries
Hawker Beechcraft Aircraft Co.
JetBlue
Johnson County, Kan.
Meritage Homes
Midwest Energy
MillerCoors
Otter Tail Power Corp.
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Simmons Foods
Southwest Airlines
University of Missouri
US Airways
Washington University
Westar Energy

Matt Cox, PE, PG, GRI Certified, has extensive experience identifying sustainable solutions for commercial and industrial clients. He consults with FORTUNE 500 companies to focus and enhance their sustainability initiatives — including developing strategic reporting objectives and key performance indicators, establishing effective stakeholder engagement platforms, conducting materiality assessments and value chain mapping, and managing content development for corporate reports. He draws from his experience as a professional engineer in the completion of renewable energy, brownfield redevelopment, waste minimization, energy conservation and other sustainability projects. He understands the challenges of collaborating with subject-matter professionals and business partners to develop an achievable strategy and achieve outstanding results while maintaining budget and schedule.

Candice Derks, LEED AP, GRI Certified, RABQSA Certified, has implemented sustainability initiatives at Burns & McDonnell’s World Headquarters — including a focus on achieving compliance with LEED^® criteria — as well as for our clients. In developing CSRs for several FORTUNE 500 companies, she offers her expertise in calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories following the World Resource Institute, energy consumption analysis, vehicle emissions analysis, environmental sourcing and recycling programs. She has helped clients expand their sustainability strategy through key performance indicator development, materiality assessment, and green ratings and rankings including CDP reporting.

Kindra LeFevre, GRI Certified, brings experience as a professional writer and editor for internal and external corporate marketing collateral, business publications and lifestyle magazines. In her role as a GRI-certified sustainability specialist, she assists FORTUNE 500 companies in planning, writing, editing and executing CSRs as well as with the development and expansion of sustainability strategy. While working full time, she recently earned an MBA with a marketing certificate in brand/product management from the University of Houston.

Carrie Barton, GRI Certified, uses her 14 years of experience in environmental, community and fiscal impact analysis and communications to craft CSRs for major companies such as MillerCoors and Southwest Airlines. Carrie is GRI certified and enjoys communicating sustainability information to a general audience. She has prepared environmental reports for a wide range of industries, including consumer products, energy, transportation and land development. As a project manager, Carrie takes pride in listening closely to the needs of each client and working collaboratively to deliver an accurate and engaging report on time and within budget.

Rebecca Vanderbeck, PE, has more than a decade of experience in environmental engineering, including sustainability projects and carbon footprint evaluations, permitting and compliance, water and wastewater treatment systems design and permitting, and other aspects of environmental engineering design. Her technical expertise allows her to assist clients with GHG emissions calculations and assurance, review and analysis of energy and water use data, evaluation of recycling programs, and other sustainability projects. In addition to being involved in sustainability planning and CSR reporting, Rebecca has also developed benchmarking studies for a large trade organization to determine sustainability program and reporting trends both within the organization and for the industry as a whole.

Thomas Moriarty, GRI Certified, is an environmental scientist in the Industrial Service Group of Burns & McDonnell's Environmental Division. His responsibilities include assisting lead geologists and project managers with various environmental projects. Thomas is GRI certified and has experience providing external assurance for CSRs using the GRI framework. His experience also includes field investigation and sampling, report preparation and submittal, and emergency release response.

GRI Master Classes ($250 per class)

Thursday, June 6 | 1-6 p.m.
Burns & McDonnell World Headquarters
9400 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, Mo.

Just two weeks after the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) releases the fourth generation of its reporting framework (G4), Burns & McDonnell will host the Midwestern launch of two GRI Master Classes — G4 Download and G4 Applied to the U.S. Context — as part of its sixth annual Sustainability Summit. These two pre-conference workshops provide practical guidance and lessons on navigating some of the challenges associated with sustainability reporting.

For additional information and to register, visit: www.burnsmcd.com/sustainability-summit/GRI-G4