Army Sustainability Reporting Kristie Siroonian, PMP LMI 11 May 2011
What Led the Army to Sustainability Reporting In 2006, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and Occupational Health) tasked AEPI to investigate approaches to Sustainability Reporting Army leadership expressed a desire to track progress and accountability and to report results to interested stakeholders for transparency and accountability Use of External Reporting criteria can avoid the appearance of Green Washing Recognition that the Army needed to communicate its experiences in sustainability (both internally and externally)
What is the Value of Reporting to the Army? Reinforces strategic direction by objectively reporting on the Army s ability to: Goal: Reduce Army s boot print Goal: Sustain Army Power Goal: Honest, open, transparent Maintains Army s position as a Global organization Leader in sustainability and further confirms the commitment to the American Public Although the Army was the first federal departmental agency to release a GRI based Sustainability Report, the Army recognizes that this process is based on continual improvement
Why GRI? GRI is a not for profit organization originated in the US in 1997 that: Publishes standards for sustainability reports Facilitates a multi-stakeholder forum to maintain standards over time Serves as a networking forum Is a reputable, respected, and credible multi-stakeholder approach to sustainability reporting www.globalreporting.org
Content of the Army Sustainability Report (ASR) Each ASR covers: Army sustainability mission, vision, leadership message and path forward The Army sustainability story substantiated by data which is accessible and verifiable by the public Highlights current success stories Documents the Army s progress against the GRI framework
Evolution of the ASR AEPI created the first ASR (ASR 2007) covering: Army mission, vision, and leadership Army sustainability strategy s triple bottom line plus FY 2006 performance metrics, highlights, initiatives, and work to be done ASR 2009 continued transparency and accountability in sustainability reporting to interested stakeholders Draft ASR 2010 is being structured to align with new Sustainability drivers, and Army leadership perspective EO 13514 - Oct 2009 Army Sustainability Campaign Plan (ASCP) - May 2010 Reorganization and new leadership at Army Secretariat
Communicating Sustainability Progress ARMY SUSTAINABILITY REPORT (ASR) Sustainability Overview ASCP Progress The ASR: Is a critical component of the Sustainability strategic communication plan Targets a broad group of Army and external stakeholders Performs outreach in addition to reporting data Presents information in publication format Comprehensively reports initiatives and progress SUSTAINABILITY DRIVERS Federal laws Regulations Executive Orders (e.g. EO 13514) DOD directives and instructions DOD SSPP Army Campaign Plan Army Posture Statement Army Regulations ARMY SUSTAINABILITY CAMPAIGN PLAN (Army SSPP) Policy-DOTMLPF- Resource activities across Army Lines of Operation: Materiel Readiness Human Capital Services and Infrastructure All Sustainability indicators Army-level EO 13514 (SSPP) data Army-level EO 13514 (SSPP) data GRI metrics Success Stories OSD DoD-level EO 13514 data ASR CEQ OMB Public Army Leadership Army Soldiers and Civilians Congress DoD and Services Federal Agencies Public Army Energy Security Implementation Strategy Army Energy and Water Campaign Plan ASCP Action Plan tracking data (HQDA SMS) Army Leadership OPRs/OCRs
Benefits of the Reporting Process A Valuable Strategic Engagement Tool within the Army s chain of command as well as external stakeholders Each ASR contained endorsement letters from USA and VCSA voicing support/emphasis This leadership engagement lead to other substantive impetus, e.g., Army Energy Security Implementation Plan Army Sustainability Campaign Plan
Considerations for Future Reporting The Importance of Continued Sustainability Reporting? Executive Orders 13423 and 13514 Senior Sustainability Officials (SSO) Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans (SSPPs) Army Sustainability Campaign Plan Budget cuts, CRAs and furloughs Is there a Need for Voluntary Reporting in a Mandatory Climate? The Assistant Secretary stands behind pending and future GRI based Army Sustainability Reports More progress needed in procurement, influencing the behavior of the supply chain and procurement processes Publically available data
Lessons Learned and Advice for Agencies Considering Using GRI Data reported in the ASR is only as good as the reporting in publically available sources Indicators reported may not reflect the entire boot print of the Army s activities The majority of data do not include contingency operations Army Audit Agency plans to review future data sources to be used in subsequent Sustainability Reports per request ASA (IE&E) Data generated for SSPP expected to enhance future Sustainability Reporting Supply chains pose the greatest risks and opportunities Asking for GRI reporting from suppliers provides mutual benefits
Questions? CONTACT INFORMATION Kristie Siroonian, PMP ksiroonian@lmi.org 571-633-7793
Background
Company Trends for GRI Reporting *Derived from GRI (data as of Jan 2011) by LMI Government Consulting 13