On November 7, 2016 the draft Companies, Partnerships and Groups (Accounts and Non-Financial Reporting) Regulations 2016 were published, together with an explanatory memorandum. The Regulations amend Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006) in order to implement articles 1(1) and (3) of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (Directive 2014/95/EU) and to complete transposition of article 23(1) of the Accounting Directive (Directive 2013/34/EU). The Government’s response to its February 2016 consultation on implementation of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive was published on November 9, 2016.
Non-Financial Reporting Directive
The Regulations insert two new sections, 414CA and 414CB, into the CA 2006 in order to implement articles 1(1) and (3) of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive. Articles 1(1) and (3) amend the Accounting Directive, and insert a new requirement for some companies to disclose certain non-financial information in a statement as part of the entity’s management report.
Section 414CA sets out the requirement for certain companies and groups which are not small or medium-sized and which have more than 500 employees to include a non-financial information statement in their strategic report. The companies to which section 414CA relates are traded companies, banking companies, authorised insurance companies and companies carrying out insurance market activities (public interest entities under the Non-Financial Reporting Directive).
Section 414CB provides that the non-financial information statement must contain information to the extent necessary for an understanding of the company’s development, performance and position and the impact of its activity, relating to, as a minimum: environmental, social and employee-related matters, respect for human rights and anti-corruption and bribery matters (together "non-financial matters"). The information must include a brief description of the company's business model, a description of the policies pursued by the company in relation to such non-financial matters, the outcome of these policies, a description of the principal risks relating to such non-financial matters and how the company manages such risks. If the company does not pursue policies in relation to one or more of the non-financial matters, it must give a clear and reasoned explanation for not doing so. If a non-financial information statement complies with subsections (1) to (5) of section 414CB, it will be deemed to fulfil some of the requirements for non-financial information which are already contained in section 414C CA 2006 so as to prevent duplication. Section 414CB does not require disclosure of information about impending developments or matters in the course of negotiation if the disclosure would, in the opinion of the directors, be seriously prejudicial to the commercial interests of the company, provided that such non-disclosure does not prevent a fair and balanced understanding of the company's development, performance or position or the impact of the company's activity.
Accounting Directive
The Regulations remedy a gap in the transposition of article 23(1) of the Accounting Directive. The amendments ensure that the parent company of a small group cannot benefit from an exemption from the requirement to produce group accounts under section 399 CA 2006 if a member of the group is established in an EEA State and is a public interest entity.
The Regulations will come into force on the seventh day after they are made and apply to financial years of companies and qualifying partnerships commencing on or after January 1, 2017.
(The Companies, Partnerships and Groups (Accounts and Non-Financial Reporting) Regulations 2016, 07.11.16)