Scope and boundaries
Altron’s 2009 sustainability report was, for the first time, published in two media, in summary form in the printed annual report, and in more detail on the Altron website. This year, the same two media channels are employed, but the company has taken further steps to integrate sustainability reporting, in accordance with the King Report on Governance for South Africa, 2009 (King III).
This year’s integrated annual report covers the South African operations of Altron and its material subsidiaries for the financial reporting period from 1 March 2009 to 28 February 2010. It concentrates on the major operations that contribute most significantly to the Altron group. These include Altech, Altech Card Solutions, Altech UEC, Arrow Altech Distribution, Altech Isis, Altech Autopage Cellular, Altech Netstar, Altech Alcom Matomo, Bytes, Bytes Systems Integration, Bytes Outsource Services, Bytes Communication Systems, Bytes Document Solutions, Bytes Healthcare Solutions, Bytes Managed Solutions, Powertech, Powertech Transformers, Powertech Batteries, Powertech Calidus, Aberdare Cables, Battery Technologies, Crabtree Electrical Accessories SA, Renergy Technologies, Powertech Systems Integrators and Strike Technologies.
Refer to the directors’ report for acquisitions and disposals concluded by the Altron group during the period under review.
Reporting on corporate responsibility issues at these companies is included in this integrated annual report insofar as policy and governance is concerned. Targets and measurement against indicators will to a large extent only be available for the next reporting period.
While issues of governance and corporate responsibility relevant to Altron’s overseas companies are strategic, detailed reporting is not yet available. Efforts have been made to identify material issues at foreign operations, and these are dealt with in the front section of this report as well as in the corporate responsibility report. This integrated annual report does not include the social or environmental performance of the group’s supply chain partners, other than those issues pertaining to the dti Codes of Good Practice (dti CoGP) regarding preferential procurement, as well as the responsibility of waste and recycling with contracted partners.
This integrated annual report, together with the detailed corporate responsibility and governance reports on the Altron website at www.altron.com have for the first time been independently assured under the AA 1000AS (2008) assurance standard by sustainabilityservices.co.za.