Beyond Business reveals that the transparency of the leading 25 South African public companies in 2011 is 73%.

Beyond Business Ltd, a leading CSR Consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm, is pleased to announce the results of the first-ever South African Sustainability Transparency Index for 2011. The Index examines the transparency of sustainability issues of the largest companies in South Africa which are publicly traded in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The Transparency Index results are obtained through a detailed analysis the public internet website of each company.

Results show that all of the 25 largest companies in South Africa achieve a "pass" for transparency with scores between 44% and 95% transparency, with the Top Ten coming in at between 78% and 95% transparency. This compares with only 48% for the top 25 companies in the Transparency Index 2011 for the Israeli market. Clearly, South Africa is setting a new benchmark, supported by JSE listing requirements from 2010. 

The Top Ten most transparent companies in the South African Transparency Index are (Transparency Score in brackets):

1. AngloGold Ashanti Ltd (95)
2. Gold Fields Ltd (94)
3. Sappi Ltd (91)
4. Anglo American Platinum Ltd (90)
5. De Beers consolidated Mines Ltd (89)
6. Sasol (88)
7. Sanlam Ltd (86)
8. Eskom Holdings Ltd (83)
9. The Bidvest Group Ltd (79)
10. Barloworld Ltd (78)

Four of the top 10 in the South African Transparency Index are mining companies: AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Anglo American Platinum and De Beers Consolidated Mines. This shows clear sector leadership, raising the transparency of the entire top 25 by a full 9%.

All 25 leading South African companies have published corporate sustainability reports for 2009 or 2010 on their corporate website. The Transparency Index awards extra points for sustainability reporting since it is one of most advanced and effective ways of reflecting a company's policies and performance in the area of social and environmental responsibility. Sustainability Reports have become a critical sustainability communications platform -in 2010, close to 6,000 sustainability reports were published worldwide.

Elaine Cohen, CEO of Beyond Business Ltd, said: "The Transparency Index is one of the few methods of assessing a company's commitment to sustainability which is truly cross-sector and cross-geography. Every company has the same opportunity to be transparent, whatever business they are in and whatever country they operate in. We are seeing the Transparency Index becoming a truly global tool and benchmark for driving sustainability performance."

View the full results and download the South Africa Transparency Index here. 

About the Transparency Index:

The annual Transparency Index was first published in 2009 in Israel. The methodology is now being rolled out globally and is expected to reach another 10 countries in 2011-2012. For more about the Transparency Index, see: www.b-yond.biz/en (Reports and Transparency).

About Beyond Business:

Beyond Business Ltd is a leading CSR Consulting and Sustainability Reporting company based in Israel with global reach. Beyond Business assists companies in defining sustainability strategy and writing their sustainability communications. To date, Beyond Business has assisted clients in Israel and the world in publishing 21 reports between 2008 and 2011. For more details, see www.b-yond.biz/en.

BeyondBusiness Ltd

BeyondBusiness Ltd

BesindBusiness is passionate about sustainability reporting, and specialises in supporting global and local businesses deliver outstanding reports. BeyondBusiness is a leading CSR Consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm. We provide CSR strategy, processes, reporting and assurance, working with the GRI G3 framework, UN Global Compact principles and AccountAbility assurance standards. We partner with Nexxar.com to deilver sustainability reports online, where they come alive, offering optimum accessibility and navigability.

More from BeyondBusiness Ltd