Sustainability Strategy
Winning sustainability strategies are characterized by clear choices on where to focus (direction) and a persistent, rapid execution (speed). At Finch & Beak we support companies by designing and implementing sustainability strategies that are directly connected to the company’s must-win-battles. We immediately make them actionable through the development of roadmaps, communications and well-prioritized actions.
State of ESG 2023: Increasing Your Sustainability Program's Effectiveness
On 13 December, Finch & Beak organized an ESG Acceleration Webinar to discuss the key takeaways of the State of ESG 2023 Report. During the session, ESG experts Nikkie Vinke and Josephin Schulz explained the four main challenges of the State of ESG 2023 and how to deal with them: the ESG reporting trap, engaging the board, leveraging TCFD, and the increased scope of company boundaries. This article summarizes the webinar highlights and includes a download with four tips for ESG acceleration in 2023.
State of ESG 2023: Where to Play and How to Win
Based on recent developments and insights from its annual ESG Market Survey completed by 160+ European stock listed companies, Finch & Beak's State of ESG 2023 Report outlines four main ESG challenges surfacing in today's dynamic business environment. For companies looking to increase the effectiveness of their sustainability programs and for corporate decision makers looking to prioritize their budgetary limitations, the report suggests how to avoid the ESG reporting trap, leverage TCFD, engage your board better, and improve the insights into your supply chain, while also reflecting on the freshly released Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2022 results.
No Time to Waste, the Only Way is Forward
Although yielding many positive outcomes, unfortunately, this year’s COP27 proved that the clock speed with official negotiations is much slower than that by the actors of the real economy where the discussion is about speeding up the transformations and getting finances to flow. Different this year from previous conferences was that there is consensus that we can’t afford any other way than a way forward, towards 1.5°C. This article is a personal account by Peter Bakker, President and CEO of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) summarizing the key takeaways and elaborating on why collaboration and accountability are the way to get from commitment to action.
Double Materiality as the Foundation for Sustainability Strategy
For organizations to remain competitive, embedding ESG in their business strategies is imperative. As a first step in strategy-making usually entails analyzing and understanding the organization’s inside and outside contexts, a double materiality assessment is a great tool to help organizations consider the impacts of both of these. On top of the assessment being foundational for integrating ESG in organizational strategies, it will be required as part of the EU approved Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). In this article, we discuss the importance of considering materiality as a starting point for your strategy, elaborate on other strategy building blocks, and provide tips and practical guidance for a successful double materiality assessment.
Great Reasons for Planning Ahead for DJSI Season
To be well prepared for the upcoming Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) season, it is recommendable to take a forward-looking approach and start the preparation phase early. This article summarizes the benefits of preparing early for S&P Global's Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) participation, suggests where to start, and what can be learned from a company that successfully increased its score due to early preparation in 2022.
Understanding & Preparing for the CSRD
On 28 November 2022, the European Council approved the proposed Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which aims to revolutionize sustainable reporting and parallel it with financial reporting. The Directive replaces the existing Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) and will substantially increase reporting requirements for companies falling within its scope. This article addresses uncertainties about scope, timelines, and implications for business by providing clarification about the CSRD’s requirements as well as giving practical recommendations to prepare for compliance in 2023 and beyond.
Engaging Stakeholders to Accelerate ESG Performance
Engaging stakeholders is essential for companies to build a strong strategy, meet ESG (environmental, social, and governance) commitments and scale their impact. However, successfully collaborating with stakeholders to achieve these outcomes brings other challenges. In this article, we outline the case for, and provide three tips on stakeholder engagement to accelerate ESG performance. More specifically, we consider how materiality assessments can facilitate and enhance the process of stakeholder engagement. For more practical insights, the download provides three tips on how companies can engage their stakeholders while conducting their materiality assessment.
Materiality Activation in the European Fashion Industry
As the need for increased focus on human rights issues and responsible supply chain management grows across industries, the upcoming EU Directive on corporate sustainable due diligence, published in 2022, will require organizations to provide consumers with more transparency when purchasing goods. This article elaborates on the implications for European companies, considers the environmental and social concerns that the fashion industry is facing, highlights inspiring progress by sustainable pioneers in the sector and then makes the case for human rights and supply chain management as foundational materiality topics and crucial elements for ESG acceleration. The downloadable checklist for materiality activation gives three tips to help your organization determine material issues.
Tips & Tricks for a Strategic Approach to the CSA in 2023
On 27 October 2022, Finch & Beak hosted a webinar on effectively approaching S&P Global's Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA). During the session, we provided insights on structuring your organization’s ESG governance and turning your ESG ratings into a sustainability program accelerator. This article summarizes the event takeaways delivered by our speakers Nikkie Vinke, Team Lead ESG Benchmarking at Finch & Beak, and Catalina Hemmink, Sustainability Reporting Specialist at ABN AMRO. The download provides you with three tips to tackle the CSA in 2023.
Design and accelerate your company's sustainability transformation
