ESG Equity Stories - Free Checklist Download

Be Good & Tell It: The Status Quo of ESG Equity Stories

As investors increasingly integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria in their decision making processes, companies need to cater to this information need. Developing and transmitting a clear ESG Equity Story is key in this: communicating about the firm’s ESG approach and performance in a coherent and transparent manner toward investor audiences. Finch & Beak has assembled a pilot benchmark as a probe for the current status quo, assessing 21 companies’ sustainability programs (‘Be Good’) and their ESG Equity Stories (‘Tell It’). A striking finding is that companies appear to engage in ESG ‘greywashing’ (antonym of greenwashing), by underleveraging their ESG performance in the communication towards investor audiences.

Dow Jones Sustainability Index Readiness Assessment

ESG ratings are absorbing many resources. When in full reporting mode in Q1, you may run out of time and come across issues in your Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) process that you are not able to deal with at that very moment. For those eager to plan ahead and looking to maximally leverage their ESG performance, Finch & Beak developed a comprehensive Readiness Assessment for (future) participants of the DJSI and other ratings.

ESG Acceleration Webinar: Using DJSI to Accelerate ESG Performance

With the Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2020 results as a fresh starting point, in this session we'll dive into the details of how to use the Corporate Sustainability Assessment as a driver to accelerate ESG performance in your organization. Very practical guidance is coming from guest speaker Marc Boissonnet, Executive Vice President Corporate & External Affairs at Bureau Veritas. He will tell more about how his company achieved the status of DJSI Industry Leader for the global Professional Services industry in 2020 following a dedicated improvement journey throughout the organization.

ESG Acceleration Webinar: Effective ESG Equity Stories

During this webinar, we'll share the key findings from Finch & Beak’s ESG Equity Stories benchmark, which explores the state of how companies proactively communicate their ESG approach to investor audiences. The outcomes are complemented with an investor's perspective on effective ESG engagement between companies and capital markets coming from guest speaker Adrie Heinsbroek, Principal Responsible Investment at NN Investment Partners.

Second Instalment of the ESG Acceleration Webinar Series

Join us for the second instalment of Finch & Beak's ESG Acceleration Webinar series, aimed at speeding up sustainability performance and building resilience in the decade to deliver - especially during these challenging times. In December, we'll share more practical insights on effective ESG Equity Stories, using DJSI to accelerate performance and #BuildBackBetter to take your sustainability program to the next level.

ESG Transparency: Balancing Proactive and Reactive Reporting

Even though the surge for consolidation of ESG ratings further accelerated in 2020, companies are still stating to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of ESG information requests they receive from capital markets. And as more than $1tn in total assets under management in funds are now abiding by ESG principles, investors’ needs for credible ESG information are not likely to slow down. Companies stand to benefit from taking a balanced approach between proactively driving their ESG Equity Stories forward while reactively responding to the ESG ratings that are most relevant to them in terms of richness and reach.

ESG Acceleration Webinar: Building Effective ESG Equity Stories

Momentum on ESG in the capital markets continues to soar. Companies have a powerful opportunity to pro-actively tell their ESG equity story to their shareholders, and chances are you are underleveraging your own IR-platforms in doing so. During this 1-hour webinar, we'll dive deeper in the key elements of an ESG equity story and share key take-aways and best practices from our recent benchmark study. Moreover, guest speaker Isabel Green, Head of Investor Relations at Rolls-Royce, will give her practical insights on effectively communicating on ESG with the investor community.

Start of the IMD Winning Sustainability Strategies Online Program

Following the publication of the book Winning Sustainability Strategies, IMD Lausanne is launching an online program aimed at business executives, strategy practitioners and sustainability professionals who are interested in the business case for sustainability and its strategic implications. Facilitated by the authors Jan van der Kaaij, Managing Partner of Finch & Beak, and IMD professor Benoit Leleux, the program starts on 21 September 2020 and is designed to help integrate sustainability in your strategy so you can maintain your competitive edge.

Lessons from DSM’s Winning Sustainability Strategy

The roots of global specialty chemicals company Royal DSM are as a Dutch state-owned coal mining company that started in 1902. The company’s future, however, is far removed from its past. DSM’s Strategy 2021 describes how the company plans to drive above-market growth through developing innovative solutions addressing Nutrition & Health, Climate & Energy and Resources & Circularity, together with increased customer-centricity and large innovation projects. In this article, DSM’s approach is decomposed by looking at the elements of its sustainability strategy, and we provide tips how to replicate this.