SINGALE 1-24.cdr - ONGC

External assurance
ASSURANCE STATEMENT
Det Norske Veritas AS (DNV) has been commissioned by the management of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited
(ONGC) to carry out an assurance engagement on the company’s 2009-10 Sustainability Report (the Report) in its printed
format against the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 2006 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines Version 3.0 (G3) and
AccountAbility’s AA1000 Assurance Standard 2008 (AA1000AS 2008).
The intended users of this assurance statement are the readers of the ONGC 2009-2010 Sustainability Report. The
Management of ONGC is responsible for all information provided in the Report as well as the processes for collecting,
analyzing and reporting that information. DNV’s responsibility regarding this verification is to ONGC only, in accordance
with scope of work carried out. DNV disclaims any liability or responsibility to a third party for decisions, whether
investment or otherwise, based on this Assurance Statement.
Scope of Assurance
The scope of work agreed upon with ONGC included the following:
• Evaluation of the disclosed information in the Report, the systems and the processes ONGC has in place for
adherence to the three Accountability Principles (Inclusivity, Materiality and Responsiveness) as required for a
Type 1, moderate level of assurance, in accordance with AA1000AS 2008.
• Evaluation of the additional principles of Completeness and Neutrality, as set out in DNV’s Protocol for Verification of
Sustainability Reporting.
• The boundary of the Report as stated in page 2 of the Report.
Limitations: The work was carried out at the ONGC office in New Delhi and did not involve any site visits. No external
stakeholders were interviewed as part of this assurance engagement. DNV has not verified the accuracy and reliability of
quantitative data and sustainability performance information stated in the Report.
Verification Methodology
Our assurance engagement was planned and carried out in July – August 2010 in accordance with the DNV Protocol for
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Verification of Sustainability Reporting (VeriSustain) . As part of the verification we have challenged the sustainabilityrelated
statements/claims made in the Report and assessed the underlying systems and processes for adherence against
the Account Ability Principles. For example, we have:
• Conducted desktop review of ONGC’s sustainability systems, processes and outputs, and other relevant information
and documentation made available to us by ONGC as requested by DNV such as minutes of meetings, study reports,
agreements etc.
• Conducted interviews with the core team involved in preparing the Report and key decision-makers of ONGC
including the Chariman and Managing Director, Director of Onshore operations, Director of Finance and the head of
the Carbon Management Group and Corporate Social Responsibility.
• Performed sample-based reviews of the mechanisms for implementing the company’s policies, as described in the
report, and for determining material issues to be included in the Report.
• Reviewed the outputs of stakeholder meetings specifically undertaken for the purpose of the sustainability reporting
exercise.
DNV states its independence and impartiality with regards to this assurance engagement. DNV was not involved in the
preparation of any statements or data included in the Report except for this Assurance Statement. DNV maintains
complete impartiality towards people interviewed during the assignment.
*www.dnv.com/services/assessment/corporate_responsibility/services_solutions/sustainabilityreporting/order/
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