The analysts recommended that companies start reporting annually on their key social and environmental policies, practices and performance. Additionally, since the manner in which companies currently provide such information varies widely, the coalition recommends companies should base their reporting on the Global Reporting Initiative's Sustainability Reporting Guidelines.

GRI indicators include measures of economic performance, such as total payroll and community donations; environmental performance, such as greenhouse gas emissions and water use; labor practices, such as worker health and safety and diversity; human rights, such as policies around child labor and indigenous rights; society, such as community impacts, bribery, and political contributions; and product responsibility, such as customer health and safety, advertising, consumer privacy.

"Companies have been asking us for guidance on how to meet the skyrocketing demands for information. At the same time, a growing set of investors is relying on data on companies' social and environmental performance to make investment decisions. With this statement, we recommend ways that companies can increase the credibility, comparability, and utility of their reporting," said Steve Lippman, Trillium Asset Management senior social research analyst.

The coalition suggests that the standardized disclosure process recommended might actually reduce the burden on companies, which could use a comprehensive report to respond to a wide variety of information requests from investors and other stakeholders.

U.S. companies that currently base their reporting on the GRI guidelines include Citigroup, Ford, General Motors, Hewlett-Packard, and Starbucks. Intel is one company that has been moving toward full compliance with GRI and has provided expanded reporting to socially responsible analysts since 1994.

"Our stakeholders look to us to disclose key environmental and social data so they can compare and judge our performance. It makes clear business sense for Intel to meet that need." said Dave Stangis, Intel director of corporate responsibility.

The joint analyst statement is a project of two working groups of the Social Investment Forum: the International Working Group and the Social Investment Research Analysts Network. Signatories to the statement include Boston Common Asset Management, LLC, Calvert Group, Christian Brothers Investment Services, Citizens Advisers Inc., Domini Social Investments LLC, Dreyfus Premier Third Century Fund, Inc./Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth Fund, Inc., Ethical Funds, Green Century Funds, ISIS Asset Management, plc, Mennonite Mutual Aid, Neuberger Berman Socially Responsive Investing, Real Assets, Trillium Asset Management Corporation, Pax World Funds, The Pension Boards - UCC/United Church Foundation, Progressive Asset Management, Inc., and Walden Asset Management, a division of Boston Trust & Investment Management.