The European Commission calls for tenders for the development, publication and maintenance of a database about CSR performance of selected European companies.
The Commission intends to promote improved transparency about social and environmental performance of European companies.
This contract entails the development, publication and maintenance of a database on the social and environmental performance of European companies.
The aim of this contract, which consists in the publication of the content of existing sustainability reports in a comparable and consistent format, is two-fold, i.e. to make known the achievements of European companies in the field of CSR and to promote and develop the practice of sustainability reporting. It also aims at setting a benchmark for the CSR efforts of European companies.
The publication of the content of sustainability reports in a comparable and consistent format is also expected to encourage the companies to publish their sustainability reports on a comparable basis and to promote the idea of a common framework for sustainability reporting.
The contractor should be responsible for the task of developing, publishing and maintaining a database on the social and environmental performance of European companies. This task should be undertaken in regular and close co-operation with the European Commission.
The database to be developed, published and maintained for 2 years, shall :
– include data about the economic, social and environmental performance of selected companies;
– be developed and maintained on the basis of data published by companies in their sustainability reports and through other channels, including their annual reports and their websites;
– be standardised according the GRI guidelines for sustainability reporting;
– include data for all large European companies (more than 1000 employees in Europe) publishing a sustainability report;
– also list for reference, large European companies (more than 1000 employees in Europe) not publishing any sustainability report;
– for each company included in the database, provide data about the reporting process and methodology (standard, assurance, etc.)
– for each company listed in the database, provide data about their country and sector of origin, their affiliation to CSR initiatives, networks, received CSR awards, their inclusion in SRI indexes, etc.
– provide links to CSR-related websites and resources of the companies included in the database;
– offer online tools allowing for the comparison of the performance of a specific company or sector regarding a specific indicator in comparison with another company or sector or the sector average;
– be made freely accessible to the general public by means of an Internet site;
– remain the property of the European Commission, including its methodology.
Several expert organisations in the field of sustainability reporting will be invited by the Commission to take part in the advisory committee of the project, which will meet 3 times in Brussels.
