A type of comprehensive reporting that provides material information about an entity’s strategic positioning, governance, financial and operational performance and prospects in such a way that truly reflects the business, social and environmental context or set-up within which it operates. Integrated reporting is meant to furnish users of an entity’s reports (and broadly its stakeholders) with a clear and concise picture regarding value proposition and value creation (over multiple time horizons: short, medium and long term), all in  single, comprehensive report.

From internal and external standpoints, integrated reporting can be an essential tool for an integrated, corporate mind-set as it accounts for more articulated business model and strategic planning and implementation. In addition to financial performance, integrated reporting can potentially create value for stakeholders through consideration and measurement of non-financial factors, and as such it establishes a concrete connection between an entity’s business and operations, on the one hand, and its non-financial performance, on the other.

Additionally, amongst the broader set of of benefits, integrated reporting allows an entity to precisely identity risk factors and opportunities lurking ahead, and can also enhance internal processes, setting the ground for a better understanding of the entity’s operations and improving decision making process, among others.

Integrated Reporting (IR) is perceived by many market players and influential stakeholders to be the future of corporate reporting.