BASDA launch IT standard for environmental accounting

An environmental reporting standard has been developed to make it easier for businesses to compile sustainability information through their finance IT systems.

The standard, launched by BASDA for software developers, is intended to help finance functions compile carbon and other environmental information through their accounting systems, into a more manageable format to allow easier environmental reporting - which is likely to become mandatory in the next few years.

The Green XML standard is a guide for technology developers to create products which make accounting and reporting on environmental issues more accessible and will be launched by the Business Application Software Developers Association.

BASDA are due to launch the "Green XML" standard which outlines ways software developers can build into their products ways to automatically collect environmental information such as carbon footprints and water usage data.

Jairo Rojas, BASDA's director general, said: “This is a great example of where BASDA has taken the lead and undertaken an important development on behalf of all its members - saving the duplicated effort from each member and ensuring an industry-wide standard approach to collecting carbon tracking and related environmental data."

Green XML will be launched at the Global Business of Biodiversity Symposium in London on 13 July.

Financial software suppliers UNIT 4 are expected to showcase its environmental performance managment products at the event.

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