Sustainability indicators provide information about economic, environmental and social impacts. Such indicators should inform both us and our stakeholders of our performance. We recognise that performance cannot be defined only in terms of internal management targets and intentions, but must also reflect the broader external context within which we operate

We have established a number of characteristics, or criteria, for the indicators we use. They are:
Relevant to the nature of our business;

• Measurable over time;

• Fully under the control of our business;

• Appropriate in number and therefore able to be managed;

• Flexible enough to move in the face of emerging issues;

• Helpful to our business and to our Stakeholders.

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 2002 Guidelines specify 97 separate indicators of sustainability performance across the economic, environmental and social dimensions, of which 50 are identified as 'core', meaning that they are of significance to most companies and of interest to most stakeholders, and therefore, considered generally applicable. The remaining 47 indicators are termed 'additional', and are intended to be applicable in company-specific circumstances.

We have not attempted to use all the GRI indicators - either core or additional. We have, however, reviewed them all, and considered their usefulness and value both to us and to our stakeholders, using the criteria above. We have also reviewed and considered indicators suggested by BITC through their Business Impact Review Group (BIRG), of which we are a member. The BIRG was formed following publication BITC's Winning with Integrity report in November 1999.

In December 1999 the UK Government Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published in ‘Quality of life counts’ a core set of about 150 indicators of sustainable development which will be used in future to monitor national progress.