The sixth Best Annual Report and Transparency Award (BARTA) ceremony was held in Tbilisi, Georgia on February 28, 2025 under the Enhancing Accounting, Auditing, and Sustainability Reporting (EAASURE) program, implemented by the World Bank Centre for Financial and Sustainability Reporting Reform. The event was attended by 114 participants.
BARTA recognizes improvements in non-financial reporting (now more commonly known as sustainability reporting) in the annual reports of Georgian companies. Awards are presented to companies who show the best reporting practices across three main categories – large financial companies, large non-financial companies, and small and medium companies.
Those attending the award ceremony included executives, board members, and technical staff of eligible companies, including state-owned enterprises, and they were joined by representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the National Bank, the Service of Accounting, Reporting, and Audit Supervision; the Insurance State Supervision Service, professional accounting organizations, and BARTA partner organizations.
The ceremony aimed to help incentivize and motivate further improvements in sustainability reporting, publicize the award, showcase the award winners, and provide an opportunity to network and exchange relevant information, insights, and ideas. The event included a panel discussion that acknowledged the significant improvements in corporate reporting quality in Georgia and highlighted BARTA’s role in fostering better corporate reporting and alignment with global standards. It also explored emerging trends in corporate transparency and sustainability reporting, and discussed the challenges faced by Georgian entities in aligning with global and European standards. The potential for sustainability reporting to enhance Georgia’s competitiveness and economic growth was a key takeaway, underscoring the importance of continuous improvement in reporting practices.
After receiving an award, Alex Matua, Member of the Management Board / General Director of Procredit bank said “We participated in BARTA for the first time this year, which resulted in a victory in the category of sustainability reporting. BARTA is important because it introduces new standards in reporting and transparency, ensuring a high level of transparency and, consequently, achieving high-level results in the country.”
The BARTA ceremony was co-funded by the Insurance State Supervision Service of Georgia and National Bank of Georgia.
The next BARTA ceremony will be held in December 2025.