The Ministry of Economic Affairs yearly determines which Dutch company is most transparent on economic, environmental and social performances of its business, using the Transparency Benchmark. This is a research on the content and quality of corporate social reporting among the 500 largest Dutch companies. The company highest in the benchmark receives the Crystal Prices for most transparent annual report. Besides the Crystal Price there are 2 honorable statements awarded yearly, for best SME report and for fastest climber on the Transparency Benchmark. These prices are a joint initiative of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Dutch Institute of Charted Accountants (NBA).
Objective
With the Transparency Benchmark the Ministry measures the transparency in social reports and tries to stimulate performances in the area of Corporate Social Reporting (CSR). It appears that companies listed in the Transparency Benchmark improve their actual CSR performances. In 2012 there was an average score of 104 points with regard to 92 points in 2011. That is an increase of approximately 13%. The participants show, as measured by the criteria, a substantial increase in transparency.