Financial Reporting Lab

The FRC is committed to improving the effectiveness of corporate reporting. Companies and investors tell us of significant untapped opportunity to improve reporting so that it offers a clearer understanding of the underlying performance of a company.

The Financial Reporting Lab was launched in 2011 to provide an environment where investors and companies can come together to develop pragmatic solutions to today’s reporting needs:

• As a learning space, companies can use the Lab to test new reporting formats with investors, and investors can indicate areas where management can add greater value through the information they provide.

• As a hub to support innovation in reporting, the Lab’s focus on gathering and sharing evidence from the market provides the broader corporate community with feedback from shareholders on the value that new reporting formats bring.

The Lab has worked with over 100 different companies, 84 investment organisations and over 300 retail investors to bring insight and understanding to a number of key areas of disclosure.

Current projects

Cyber, Digital and Data risk 

As part of the Lab’s recent project on reporting on risks, uncertainties, opportunities and scenarios, we found that companies face increasingly complex risks around digital processes, systems and data. The increase in risk is driven by changing business models, increased use of data, and the COVID-19-accelerated digital transformation of operations.

Following the publication on the report, the Lab is inviting companies, investors and interested parties to participate in a new project that seeks to understand the specific process and disclosure areas emerging around Cyber, Digital & Data risk. This project will consider how company processes are changing and how that is, or might, translate into useful external disclosures. 

If you are interested in taking part in this project, please contact Andrew Hyland via FRCLab@frc.org.uk.   

ESG data production 

As explained in the FRC’s ESG statement of intent, one of the challenges around ESG disclosures is that the systems to produce, distribute and consume ESG data are significantly less mature than those for financial information.
 
In this context, the Lab is inviting companies, service and systems providers, investors and other interested parties to participate in a new project looking at how companies produce ESG data. Contact the Lab at FRCLab@frc.org.uk if you are interested in taking part.

Net Zero disclosures 

As part of global efforts to combat climate change, companies are increasingly making net zero commitments. Interest in disclosures on these plans is growing. As explained in the FRC’s ESG statement of intent, reporting is often aspirational and high level, and does not provide users with information about progress and whether the entity’s strategy will deliver the commitment.

In this context, the Lab is starting a project about how information on net zero commitments is reported on by companies and used by investors. Contact the Lab at FRCLab@frc.org.uk if you are interested in taking part. 
 

Participate in a Lab project

 If you would like to participate please get in touch at financialreportinglab@frc.org.uk If you would like to know what it is like to participate in a Lab project, you can watch the following video to find out more: