SEC Memorandum Circular No. 4, Series of 2019 (Sustainability Reporting Guidelines for Publicly-Listed Companies)

Published on February 17, 2021

The Guidelines intend to help publicly-listed companies (PLCs) assess and manage non-financial performance across Economic, Environmental and Social aspects of their organization and enable them to measure and monitor their contributions towards achieving universal targets of sustainability, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as well as national policies and programs, such as AmBisyon Natin 2040. The Sustainability Report is required to be attached to the PLCs' Annual Report. For companies who already have sustainability reports in accordance with internationally recognized frameworks and standards, their reports shall already be considered as their compliance with the reporting template. Non-attachment of the Sustainability Report to the Annual Report shall be subject to the penalty for Incomplete Annual Report provided under SEC Memorandum Circular No. 6, Series of 2005 (Consolidated Scale of Fines).

The policy instrument drives PLCs in the Philippines to measure their economic, environmental and social and impacts. This will guide and inform them on how to further and improve their sustainability measures, including the integration of sustainable production in their respective company management and operations. In general, sustainability reporting enables an organization to measure and monitor its contributions towards achieving universal targets of sustainability.