Transparency and Reporting

Last checked on:
8 September 2019
Published on:
12 August 2019

It is important for the Dutch government that businesses are transparent about the way they pursue Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), also known as Responsible Business Conduct (RBC). So, we encourage businesses to issue a report on their economic and social performance and the environmental efforts that they undertake. According to entrepreneurs, CSR reporting enables them to show their employees, clients and partners that they are serious and responsible employers and business partners.

OECD Reporting Guidelines

If you use our subsidies and funding programmes, you must follow the OECD Guidelines. These regulations require that your business reports on the following:

  • the financial and operating results of the company;
  • the objectives of the company;
  • the main shareholders and the allocation of voting rights;
  • the remuneration policy, including compensation and benefits, for members of the management board and the executive officers, and extra information on these members. This information includes qualifications, the selection process, other board positions in trade and industry, and the presumed independence of each board member;
  • transactions with other organisations;
  • the main risk factors that you expect to face;
  • matters relating to employees or other stakeholders;
  • the corporate governance structure and policy, in particular the contents of a corporate governance code or policy and the way in which it is implemented.

Extra information such as:

  • statements on the values or codes of conduct and the company's policy, including how they are applied in practice;
  • information on external audits, risk management and systems for compliance with legal provisions;
  • information on the relationship with employees and other stakeholders.

For the complete overview of the OECD Guidelines, see the National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines.

Sustainability Reporting Guidelines

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is an independent institute that has general guidelines on sustainability reporting. Your business can use these guidelines to communicate its success based on sustainability reporting. GRI offers to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) apply the GRI guidelines.

Transparency Benchmark

The Transparency Benchmark is a yearly survey of the content and quality of CSR reported by Dutch companies. The Transparency Benchmark does not issue an opinion on social performance. So, a high score for the Transparency Benchmark does not mean that a company no longer faces any social problems. Instead, the score shows how transparent a business is in CSR communication.

The criteria of the Transparency Benchmark correspond to those of the Global Reporting Initiative, the Integrated Reporting Council, the OECD Guidelines and EU Directive 2014/95/EU on the disclosure of non-financial and diversity information.

Zero score for the Transparency Benchmark

If a company has received a zero score (no CSR reporting) for the Transparency Benchmark and wants to take part in an economic mission with a minister, the government will discuss this matter with the company.

Commissioned by:
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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