Senator Nick Sherry, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law, has tonight presented the Corporate Responsibility Index (CRI) Awards at the 10th National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development at Parliament House in Canberra.
The winners were EnergyAustralia (Best Performance), Sensis (Best New Entrant) and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Best Progress).
Overall, the top five companies in order of performance were EnergyAustralia, Boral Ltd, Minter Ellison Lawyers, ANZ and Foster's Group Ltd.
The CRI is a strategic management tool designed by business for business, ensuring a systematic approach to managing, measuring and reporting the various impacts that companies have on society and the environment.
"Companies must take a long-term view of their impact on local communities and the natural environment as well as returns to investors."
"I congratulate the winners of the Corporate Responsibility Index for their commitment to sustainable business decisions and practice, including effective reporting."
"The true value of responsible business practice crystallises around effective reporting because it provides a mechanism which helps broader social, environmental and governance issues to be factored into business and investment decision making," Minister Sherry said.