How to Assess Your Own ESG Approach

In the first quarter of 2021 total assets in sustainable investment funds increased 19% to a high of almost $2 trillion. With the global ESG data market being expected to reach almost $1 billion in 2021, companies are well-advised to advance their ESG performance. This article provides four elementary questions to help you do just that. Using the accompanying ESG Acceleration Scan, you can perform the assessment for your own company.

ESG Survey Results: Index, Impact or Both?

Just before the results of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI), were announced, Finch & Beak conducted an ESG survey among DJSI-eligible companies. In the attached report, you can find the main survey results. The overall conclusion is that for most of the responding companies, the undesirable trade-off between index and impact occurs frequently due to mounting workloads to generate ESG data and the absence of standards. The report suggests solutions to avoid the 'reporting trap' by scoping sustainability performance as a supply chain challenge, avoiding over-instrumentalism by engaging closely with stakeholders, and selecting and prioritizing the right ESG benchmarks.

Human Engagement Missing Link in Activating ESG Performance

Earlier this month, Finch & Beak conducted a business survey to explore the approach that companies are taking towards ESG ratings, and to find out how such ratings contribute to the successful activation of sustainability programs. As a winning sustainability strategy is increasingly important to create and maintain business value, participants shared insights into their tools and challenges for ESG activation.

ESG Machete: Comparing Suitable ESG Data for Your Board

Spurred by regulation and investor interest, more companies than ever are reporting on core ESG topics by publishing integrated or separate corporate sustainability reports. Simultaneously, more than $1tn in total assets under management in funds are now abiding by ESG principles, and legislation is catching up. While investors and policy makers are becoming stronger advocates for ESG disclosure, companies struggle to strike the right balance between efforts and results. But how to make sure the right ESG ratings and performance analysis are used to inform senior management?

How to Connect ESG Metrics to Your Executives' Remuneration

Be it under the pressure of stakeholders, or to showcase commitment to sustainable business practices, an increasing number of companies have linked Economic, Social and Governance (ESG) metrics to their executive remuneration. While this is a valuable strategy to accelerate sustainability performance, doing so may present several challenges in the process from decision making to implementation. This article outlines the considerations to account for in the process and provides three tips for a successful integration of ESG targets in executive remuneration.

Towards a Lean DJSI 2022 Process: Webinar Learnings

With S&P Global’s 2021 Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) closing date approaching and the process towards it still fresh in our minds, Finch & Beak organized a webinar to assemble lessons and improvement tips for streamlining the 2022 CSA process. Guest speakers from three companies at different stages in their DJSI journey joined us to share their approach, successes and challenges, and their learnings on how to become more effective in ESG ratings.

ESG Acceleration Webinar: Towards a Lean DJSI 2022 Process

As the deadline for S&P Global’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment draws closer and the reporting season comes to an end, a 5-month long wait for the results is due. How can you put this time to good use?

Accelerating the Circular Economy in the Port of Rotterdam

At Finch & Beak, we are always curious about the sustainable developments taking place in the cities that we work in, and Rotterdam is one of them. In 2016, a shocking 20% of the national CO2 emissions of the Netherlands was accounted for by the port of Rotterdam. Time to take action: between the period 2016-2020, the port of Rotterdam managed to reduce its CO2 emissions by 27% to 22.4 million tons. A noteworthy reduction that can be explained by the switch to more renewable energy sources and the exploitation of waste-to-value opportunities. The port of Rotterdam is making an impact through discovering the benefits of the circular economy.

Tackling the Rapidly Growing Issue of E-Waste

As consumers are increasingly aware of environmental issues, topics such as climate change, ocean plastics and alternative proteins are grabbing the collective attention. An equally important issue, however, still seems to be hiding in plain sight: e-waste. Its scale and impact have grown because of the pandemic, as companies are purchasing new hardware to accommodate homeworking while the office equipment sits idle. As such, it is estimated that approximately 25 percent of IT equipment in Europe will not be used in the future. Electronics companies have a great opportunity in measuring the impact of their core activities and products, and collaborating with value chain partners on knowledge-sharing initiatives in order to ultimately reduce the generation of e-waste.

Update: S&P Global's Extended its Invitation List for the CSA

S&P Global's Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), the basis for selecting companies into the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, is now accessible for a larger group of companies. Last month, S&P Global announced to even further extend the group of companies to over 10,000,  inviting companies that are of interest to the broader investment community. Finch & Beak is launching a special offer for companies to help them make the most of their (first) active participation in the assessment.