…Harps on compliance, accountability

… as Nigeria’s looks to achieve mandatory ESG reporting by 2028

Harley Reed Nigeria has conducted a one-day capacity building training session for Nigerian journalists and editors on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Sustainability Reporting, with a charge to the media to begin to focus on emerging ESG and sustainability issues, stressing the importance of compliance and accountability.

This is coming as Nigeria has declared commitment to achieving mandatory ESG reporting by 2028.

Harley Reed Nigeria noted that the training was aimed to promote informed media engagement that fosters accountability and supports Nigeria’s move towards mandatory ESG reporting by 2028.

‘‘We believe your (journalists and editors) participation and coverage will be instrumental in stimulating a national conversation around ESG and sustainability reporting,’’ it stated.

While the underlining urgency for media-focus, it said; ‘‘Globally, ESG-driven economies have proven more resilient, socially cohesive, and attractive to investors, while many organisations in Nigeria are beginning to align with global ESG standards, there remains a significant gap in how these issues are communicated to the public.

‘‘Journalists play a crucial role in shaping informed narratives, but limited knowledge of ESG principles and reporting frameworks often leads to underreporting or misrepresentation of sustainability issues.

‘‘Against this background, Harley Reed is organising this training to enhance the capacity of journalists and media professionals to effectively understand, analyse, and report on ESG and sustainability issues.’’

Stressing on this point further during the training session held at Harley Reed Nigeria’s Lagos office, Chinwe Kalu, who is the General Manager, Business Service, disclosed the necessitated of exposing the Nigerian media to ESG and Sustainability reporting due to the growing trends and the importance of public awareness and enforcing accountability.

Agatha Afemikhe, Assistant Manager, Risk and Disclosures, Harley Reed Nigeria, who was one of the resource persons, exposed the participants to the whole gamut of ESG and Sustainability issues, drawing both on Nigeria and global involving trends to take the participants through the various strands, stressing the essence of focusing on ESG because of its grave implications for both economic, human and societal developments.

Afemikhe charged the Nigerian media to look beyond the figures and reports presented to them by both the government and corporate bodies at any given time to probe and interrogate further those reports and data to ensure that the pictures presented reflect true compliance and accountability as its affect ESG.

She further tasked the media to hold the government and corporate bodies accountable by putting them on their toes through its forthright reporting and focus on ESG and sustainability issues as its affect both the environment and social wellbeing of the people and society, noting the different strands of issues, including ethical, emanating from ESG and sustainability.

Harley Reed’s vision is; ‘‘to become the leading pan-African focused professional services provider with a global reach, recognised for our professionalism, expertise, thought leadership, integrity and ethics in all our dealings.’’

While its stated mission is; ‘‘to offer a full suite of service offerings spanning advisory, knowledge and assurance across all industries and sectors. To excel in all we, and do only what we can excel in – partnering with globally respected bodies to deliver lasting value to our clients – representing ourselves and our values.’’

Harley Reed also operates across a number of African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Cote D’Voire, and South Africa as well as the United Kingdom.