Leadership commitment Communicating from the top? If there is a commitment to sustainability, the business case for operating in a responsible way should be clearly articulated at a strategic level and communicated through the management statements. Strategy & objectives Integral to the business model? Sustainability is undisputed as an essential component of every successful business strategy and it is important for companies to demonstrate that sustainability is an important business issue and companies need to demonstrate they are managing it in the same way as other business issues; with a strategic response to material issues connected to objectives and action plans. Page 20 Page 21 Governance Embedded in mainstream management processes? The central management processes in place should demonstrate that sustainability objectives sit alongside financial objectives at a strategic level and receive the same rigorous process, monitoring and performance evaluation. Future outlook Long-term sustainability? The provision of outlook information within the Annual Report ensures that the document includes disclosure of forward-looking information helping the reader to assess the current and future performance and prospects of the business. Page 24 Page 25 www.blacksunplc.com © Black Sun Plc 2011 17