Next Generation Sustainability Assurance Standard launched following Sd3 Sponsorship.

The new edition of the AA1000Assurance Standard, launched on 24 October, was the first corporate accountability standard to be developed using a web-based wiki approach.

Sd3 sponsored the collaborative drafting process, which used the same software platform as used for the development of Wikipedia to empower interested stakeholders to jointly revise and improve the AA1000AS. This enhanced stakeholder involvement process, allowed the standard to respond to significant market needs and to do so in a way that set key markers for the future of sustainability assurance.

The new standard will play an important role in delivering new assurance services for Sd3 and csrnetwork, who are to merge from 1st January 2009. Over the last five years, the two companies have provided assurance on a total of 67 reports, of which 46 use the AA1000AS standard - more than twice that of the next nearest provider - according to new figures from CorporateRegister.com. This makes the new company the clear market leader in the provision of independent report assurance using the AA1000AS standard.

Jason Perks, Director of Sd3, welcomed a more responsive standard which the combined company will be using to deliver global client value over the coming months. Sd3 has provided independent assurance for companies including Samsung, Balfour Beatty, Royal & Sun Alliance and Royal Mail Group, while csrnetwork has assured reports for companies including The Co-operative Group, Holcim, EDF Energy, StoraEnso and Scottish Power.

Read more at www.accountability21.net