Double Materiality
Double materiality expects companies not only to look at the impact on their organization, in other words the contribution to the bottom line, but also expects organizations to look at their impact on issues that are deemed material. Once combined, these outside-in and inside-out views guarantee that companies describe and act on material issues that matter most from both a financial, as well as a societal point of view.
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.
ESG Benchmarks Under Regulatory Scrutiny in Europe
ESG benchmarks and ratings are valuable tools to assist organizations in understanding their own ESG performance and its position relative to peers, and enabling to share insights with interested (financial) stakeholders. One of the key findings of Finch & Beak's most recent ESG Market Survey highlights a need for streamlining, with the average company responding to four benchmarks. Regulators are now also starting to take note of the firm growth of the ESG benchmarking market. As the number of ESG ratings keeps growing, it can be challenging to determine which benchmarks and ratings your organization should respond to. This article sheds some light on these developments, and suggests three tips for maximizing your organization’s efficiency towards ESG ratings. The downloadable 2022 ESG Rankings Cheat Sheet provides practical advice on what to look for and how to determine relevance.
Considering Where to Play and How to Win
ESG Acceleration Webinar: State of ESG 2023
In this ESG Acceleration Webinar, we discussed the key takeaways from Finch & Beak’s State of ESG 2023 report. ESG experts Nikkie Vinke and Josephin Schulz considered the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) results for 2022, and provided helpful advice for organizations on where to play and how to win in ESG in 2023.
Activating Climate Change Management in the ICT Industry
With the expected growth of the Communication Services industry, concerns related to energy use, product sustainability, and CO2 emissions are expected to increase, too. For this reason, these issues naturally form part of the top priorities of materiality matrixes of organizations in the industry. Developing a climate strategy provides a great opportunity to activate materiality on these topics and ultimately, reduce companies’ impact on the environment. This article explains how organizations can improve their longevity and resilience by identifying and assessing climate risks and opportunities associated with their business and provides practical steps for developing a corporate climate strategy.
2022 CSA Learnings to Accelerate Your Sustainability Program
Participating in ESG ratings such as the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) and CDP can be a great tool to sharpen your sustainability approach. This article elaborates on some of the main ESG challenges that we at Finch & Beak observed in the 2022 CSA cycle, explains why a strong governance structure, double materiality, and implemented TCFD recommendations are great assets in your sustainability toolbox, and suggests steps to take your organization’s sustainability program to the next level.
New ESRS Framework: The Impact on Sustainability Reporting in Europe
Earlier this year, the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) published the exposure drafts for the new European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). The development of this framework was requested by the European Commission in response to the need to have a single European-wide framework aligned with the requirements of the new CSRD directive. The draft version of the framework, which was under public consultation by various stakeholders until the 8th of August 2022, highlights which new non-financial reporting features the European Commission wants to advocate for. Most notably, that of double materiality to determine which sustainability priorities are set to become mandatory, and the reporting sustainability indicators that will have to include the entire value chain and be considered from a short-, medium-, and long-term perspective.
Double Materiality: 3 Tips for a Practical Approach
Regulators and investors are increasingly expecting organizations to conduct their materiality assessments following the principle of double materiality. However, understanding exactly what double materiality entails, and conducting this assessment in a successful manner comes with its challenges. This article outlines the concept of double materiality in brief and provides three tips for a successful double materiality assessment with practical guidance as part of a downloadable checklist.
