Scope and principles

By reporting our performance, we aim to ensure a clear link between our business strategy and our social and environmental performance indicators and activities.

Telenor increased the focus on social and environmental performance in the Annual Report 2012, in addition to reporting on sustainability efforts and challenges in the Telenor Group Sustainability Report and in our reporting on this website.

In 2012, Telenor focused on improvement of the data quality of our non-financial reporting through further development of our reporting guidelines, internal audits in several business units and external assurance of key data.

External Verification

Ernst & Young has been engaged by the management of Telenor ASA to perform an independent assurance of the Telenor Group 2012 Sustainability Report for all sections with heading “2012 Status”.

The assurance engagement is performed in accordance with the ISAE 3000, “Assurance engagements other than audits or reviews of historical financial information”. The standard requires that the auditors plan and execute procedures in order to obtain limited assurance that the “2012 Status” in the Report is, in all material respects, an accurate and adequate representation with respect to sustainability, business operations and events during 2012.

See Telenor Group Sustainability Report 2012 for copy of Ernst & Young’s verification letter

Defining materiality

To ensure the appropriate focus and relevance of our sustainability work and reporting we have conducted a materiality assessment to identify and prioritise the most material sustainability issues that are of shared value both to our business performance and to our stakeholders.

The materiality assessment has been conducted and updated with the involvement and final approval of our Group Executive Management and the Ethics and Sustainability Committee of the Board of Telenor ASA. This sets the direction for our sustainability work and reporting.

The results of the materiality assessment are presented in a materiality matrix below. The matrix displays the issues that have been evaluated in the materiality process. Their placement in the matrix indicates the issues relevance for Telenor and key stakeholder groups.

Aspects identified as highly material to both Telenor and our stakeholders are covered more in depth in our sustainability reporting than aspects identified as highly material only to Telenor or only to our stakeholders. Aspects identified as having low materiality importance are covered to a less extent than the topics defined as highly material.

The Materiality Assessment methodology and approach

Our materiality assessment is conducted based on a methodology developed by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). This methodology is also closely linked to the AA1000 Accountability Principles (2008) developed by Accountability. The process of identifying our most material sustainability issues has been structured into three main stages i) identification (internal studies and interviews with internal and external stakeholders), ii) prioritisation (evaluate the importance of sustainability issues) and iii) validation (ensure that we have a common understanding of material issues)

Telenor Group’s materiality matrix

* Policy Makers, Investors, Employees, Community & Media, Customers and NGOs
** Preferred by Customers, Cost efficient operator