Foreword

A sustainability report offers the ideal opportunity to gain some distance from every-day questions and challenges that business people face. Moreover, the need for a deeper and broader outlook on the role of companies in society represents the purpose of the concept that from the second half of the twentieth century has been called CSR.

For public interest entities, 2017 was the first year they had the obligation to present to the market and the regulatory authorities their non-financial indicators in a structured manner. With increasing frequency, it happens that along with this obligation, verifiable positions and undertakings in environmental protection, diversity and human rights play a decisive role in the closing of contracts or the provision of investments. My own experience proves that CSR activities often form the basis for many a meeting and ideally serve to find common a denominator of mutual interest. What’s more, a KPMG analysis of the non-financial reports of large international companies has shown that in their introductions, 39 % of them mention the commitment they have made to fulfil the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs). I enjoy keeping track on the fulfilment of these commitments, as it provides a source of positive information, inspiration and awareness of today’s global linkages.

They say: ‘Think globally, act locally.’ All over the world, KPMG employs more than 197 000 people, and last year, it initiated the KPMG Story. Its goal is to remind every one of those 197 000 individuals of the values that we call our own and according to which make decisions not only in our work life but also in our private matters. The report you hold in your hands aims to sum up how well we are faring in our firm-wide commitment. I trust that our efforts will serve as an inspiration for you and that you will find that we share many common goals.