Verification of extra-financial data
Independent Statutory Auditors’ Report designated as an Independent Third Party on Consolidated Societal, Social
and Environmental Information Presented in the Management Report
7.2. Independent Statutory Auditors’ Report designated as an Independent
Third Party on Consolidated Societal, Social and Environmental
Information Presented in the Management Report
In our capacity as auditors of the Vivendi corporation and designated
as the independent third party agency accredited by COFRAC
(1)
under
number 3-1065, we present our report on the consolidated societal,
social and environmental information for the year ended December 31,
2015, presented in Chapter 2 of the management report (hereinafter
“CSR information”), pursuant to the provisions of Article L.225-102-1
of the French Commercial Code.
Responsibility of the Company
It is the responsibility of the Management Board to prepare a
management report including the CSR Information referred to in Article
R.225-105-1 of the French Commercial Code, in accordance with the
reference standard used by the company, consisting of the “Reporting
Protocol for societal, social and environmental data of the Vivendi group
companies – 2015”, in its version dated September 14, 2015 (hereafter
“the Criteria”), a summary of which is included in Chapter 2, Section 4.1
of the management report which is available on request.
Independence and Quality Control
Our independence is defined by regulatory requirements, the Code of
Ethics of our profession, and the provisions of Article L.822-11 of the
French Commercial Code. In addition, we have implemented a quality
control system that includes documented policies and procedures
intended to ensure compliance with ethical standards, professional
standards
(2)
and applicable laws and regulations.
Responsibility of the Independent Statutory Auditor
It is our role, based on our work:
◆
to attest whether the required CSR Information is present in the
management report or, if it is omitted, that an explanation has been
provided in accordance with the third paragraph of R.225-105 of the French
Commercial Code (Attestation of presence of CSR Information); and
◆
to express a conclusion of limited assurance that, overall, the CSR
Information is fairly presented in all material aspects, in accordance
with the Criteria (limited assurance on CSR information).
Our verification work was undertaken by a team of five persons between
October 2015 and February 2016, over an estimated cumulative duration of
12 weeks. To assist us in carrying out our task we involved CSR experts.
We conducted the work described below in accordance with the
professional standards applicable in France and the Order of May 13,
2013 which sets the conditions under which an independent third-party
verifier performs its task and, in relation to the opinion on fairness,
in accordance with international standard ISAE 3000
(3)
.
1.
ATTESTATION OF PRESENCE
OF CSR INFORMATION
Based on interviews with the management of relevant departments,
we were able to gain an understanding of the company’s strategy on
sustainable development based on the social and environmental
consequences linked to the activities of the company and its societal
commitments, and also, where appropriate, the resulting actions or
programs undertaken.
We have compared the CSR information presented in the management
report with the list provided in Article R.225-105-1 of the French
Commercial Code.
In cases where certain consolidated information was absent, we have verified
that the explanations were provided in accordance with the provisions in
Article R.225-105, paragraph 3, of the French Commercial Code.
We verified that the CSR information covered the consolidated scope,
namely the company and its subsidiaries, within the meaning of Article
L.233-1 of the French Commercial Code, and the entities which it
controls, within the meaning of Article L.233-3 of the French Commercial
Code, with the limits specified in the note on methodology in Chapter 2
Section 4.1 of the management report.
Based on this work, and in consideration of the limits mentioned
above, we confirm that the required CSR information is present in the
management report.
2.
REASONED OPINION ON THE FAIRNESS
OF CSR INFORMATION
Nature and Scope of the Work
We undertook six interviews at the consolidated entity level, in the CSR
and Human Resources departments, with the persons responsible for
preparation of the CSR information, those in charge of the data collection
process and, where applicable, with the persons responsible for internal
control processes and risk management, in order to:
◆
assess the suitability of the Criteria for reporting, in respect of its
relevance, completeness, reliability, neutrality, and comprehensiveness,
taking industry standards into consideration where relevant; and
◆
verify implementation of the process of collection, compilation,
processing and control to ensure completeness and consistency of
the CSR information and to obtain an understanding of the procedures
for internal control and risk management related to the preparation of
the CSR information.
(1)
Accreditation scope available on
www.cofrac.fr.
(2)
In particular the business practices standard applied to services related to social and environmental information that is part of the work directly related to the Auditor’s engagement: NEP 9090.
(3)
ISAE 3000 – Assurance Engagements Other Than Audits or Reviews of Historical Financial Information.
This is a free translation into English of the original report issued in the French language and it is provided solely for the convenience of English speaking
users. This report should be read in conjunction with, and construed in accordance with, French law and professional standards applicable in France.
To the shareholders,
EXTRA-FINANCIAL INDICATORS HANDBOOK
2015
68