AA1000 Standards Board
Meeting Minutes
Attendees:
Alan Knight - Associate Senior Partner, AccountAbility
James Farrar - VP, Corporate Citizenship, SAP
Jermyn Brooks - Chair, Business Advisory Board, Transparency
International
Olaf Brugnan - Senior Manager, CSR Monitoring & Reporting, Rabobank
Group
Richard Boele - Founder and Managing Director, Banarra
Kazatuka Okubo - CCaSS Leader, Partner, Ernst &Young Japan
Anant Nadkarni - VP, Group Corporate Sustainability, TATA Council for
Community Initiatives, Tata Group
Helena Barton – Global Manager for DNV’s CR Services.
Claire Head – Senior Partner, AccountAbility
Laura Brooks – Standards Partner, AccountAbility
Christina Enotiades – Associate, AccountAbility
Tesshi Nakamura – Senior, Area Strategies, Ernst & Young Japan
Apologies
Carsten Schmitz-Hoffman - Head of Programmes for Social and Ecological
Standards, GTZ
Date:
29 May 2010
Welcome and introductions
ASB Members introduced themselves.
Governance
Technical Committee Nominations
The ASB members discussed the nomination process for the Technical Committees. It was agreed
that the current Terms of Reference should be revised to enhance clarity.
ACTION: Revise Terms of Reference for the Technical Committees to indicate that both
received and open nominations may be considered.
ACTION: The ASB members confirmed the nomination of Philip Schukat (as Carsten Schmitz
Hoffman’s replacement) and Rod Sterne (a self-nomination) to the AA1000SES Technical
Committee.
BEIJING
LONDON
SAO PAULO
www.accountability21.net
WASHINGTON D.C.
ASB Delegation
The ASB members discussed delegating attendence at Board meetings. It was agreed that ASB
members had been nominated to the board in their personal capacity rather than as
representatives of their respective organisations. The following actions were agreed:
ACTION: There will be no changes to the ASB Terms of Reference. ASB members will not be
permitted to delegate their attendence at Board meetings and AccountAbility should
endeavour to give sufficient notice to Board meetings regarding scheduled meetings. In
the event that a Board member is unable to attend a Board meeting, they will be given an
option to dial-in to the meeting via video-conference or conference call. The ASB will also
allow for written input to be submitted in advance of board meetings and proxy votes.
Relationship to AccountAbility
AccountAbility outlined the relationship between the ASB and AccountAbility. The ASB is an
independent board established to set the direction and stategy for AccountAbility standards. This
direction and strategy will be used to inform the development of the Standards Team work
programme and annual plan. However, the ASB does not have fiduicary responsibilities and the
Directors of AccountAbility have ultimate responsibility for the delivery of the work programme and
annual plan.
AccountAbility Standards Team update
AccountAbility provided an update to the ASB members on the progress against the AccountAbility
Standards Team work programme.
Key drivers in the marketplace
The ASB members considered the key drivers and trends in the marketplace that may affect the
AA1000 standards. The key drivers and trends identified included: Integrated Reporting;
Proprietary and Supply Chain Initiatives; Voluntary Disclosure; Regulation and Legislation; Sectoral
trends in the voluntary standards are emerging (e.g. ICMM); and there is a shift towards integration
with voluntary standards (e.g. AA1000 AS and ISAE 3000). The AA1000 standards strategy will need
to consider the implications of these trends for the standards.
Strategy development
Positioning in the marketplace
The ASB members discussed the desired position of the standards in the marketplace. It was
agreed that the AccountAbility Principles (i.e. AA1000 APS 2008) should act as a ‘core’ node with a
series of nodules representing different trends in the market place (i.e. push and pull factors).
This is represented in the diagram below.
BEIJING
LONDON
SAO PAULO
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WASHINGTON D.C.
Proprietary
One standard
Proliferation
Desired
Position
Regulation
The core node would represent the centre of gravity or ‘glue’ for the AA1000 standards series.
Each nodule would respond to the different trends in the market place (i.e. push and pull factors)
and would need to be visualised carefully in order to support rather than undermine the core node.
This position would elevate the importance of organisations managing their accountability.
Core elements of a success model
The ASB members worked collaboratively to outline a vision statement for the AA standards and
the desired impacts:
Vision statement: AA Standards vision is that all organisations create sustainable value
through integrating our globally accepted Principles and Standards that provide the
solution to building trusted, accountable and transformative relationships.
Impacts: The desired outcomes and impacts were identified in relation to push and pull
trends in the marketplace.
 Push: IFAC, GRI, UNGC, UNEP FI, IIRC and networks (local, regional and national)
 Pull: Retail (Sustainability Consortium), Governance Risk & Complaince (EITI, TI
Principles), Supply Chain (Sedex), and HR/Talent (students).
Planning considerations
Funding model


Need to differentiate between core funding (for standards development, research, outreach
etc) and distribution channel funding (for training, CSAP, software certification, licensing,
membership etc). Distribution channel funding consumes the money it raises and will not
support core activities.
Need to consider significant seed funding opportunties for core activities.
Measurement and Monitoring




Need
Need
Need
Need
to
to
to
to
establish longer term goals – 5 years out – with interim milestones.
evaluate outcomes and not just inputs and outputs.
establish key indicators as soon as possible.
consider new ISEAL code on Impact assessment.
Outreach
The ASB members discussed the need to formulate key messages for the AA standards as well as a
structured outreach programme that focused on the key nodules identified above.
BEIJING
LONDON
SAO PAULO
WASHINGTON D.C.
www.accountability21.net
Appendix 1 - AA1000 Standards Strategy Development Process
The process for developing the AA1000 Standards Strategy is outlined in the table below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Action
Agree issues to be addressed
Circulate draft issues
Agree strategic direction
Prepare draft AA1000 strategy
Make available for public comments
Revise, agree and publish strategy
BEIJING
LONDON
Timeline
February 2010
March 2010
May 2010 (ASB meeting)
June 2010
July-August 2010
September 2010
SAO PAULO
www.accountability21.net
WASHINGTON D.C.