Understanding and Preparing for the Newly Adopted EU 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.

Winning Sustainability Strategies Online Program: 7 Nov - 11 Dec 2022

The IMD Winning Sustainability Strategies Online Program is a “how-to” guide that offers a very pragmatic take on how to integrate sustainability in your corporate strategy – while ensuring it has a strong business case. The program is aimed at business executives, strategy practitioners and sustainability professionals, who are looking to harness sustainability innovation and its strategic implications. Facilitated by the authors Jan van der Kaaij, Managing Partner of Finch & Beak, and IMD professor Benoit Leleux, this edition starts on 7 November 2022 and registration closes 31 October 2022.

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.

Winning Sustainability Strategies Online Program: 12 Sept - 6 Oct 2022

The IMD Winning Sustainability Strategies Online Program is a “how-to” guide that offers a very pragmatic take on how to integrate sustainability in your corporate strategy – while ensuring it has a strong business case. The program is aimed at business executives, strategy practitioners and sustainability professionals, who are looking to harness sustainability innovation and its strategic implications. Facilitated by the authors Jan van der Kaaij, Managing Partner of Finch & Beak, and IMD professor Benoit Leleux, this edition starts on 12 September 2022 and registration closes 1 September 2022.

Double Materiality Built around the New Solvency II Directive

As European companies are facing and understanding the strong connection between sustainability risks and financial and operational risks, sustainability risks are increasingly becoming more important within the Enterprise Risk Management of these companies. The insurance sector, with the concept of risk ingrained into its nature, is going through a period of transition towards integrating sustainability risks into investment strategies and underwriting activities. This article elaborates on the recently updated Solvency II Directive and discusses practical implications for European insurance companies.

ESG Acceleration Webinar: Materiality In Motion

With the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and European Sustainability Reporting Standards set to take effect in 2023, the sustainability reporting landscape is undergoing major development. On the 21st of June 2022, Finch & Beak organized an ESG Acceleration Webinar on the topic of materiality and the recent developments in the reporting landscape. Guest speaker Virginie Delcroix, Vice-President Sustainable Development at Arkema shed light on the materiality process followed by the company. On behalf of Finch & Beak, Director Consulting Bas Nuijten shared the highlighted changes in ESG reporting in combination with practical implications for companies. This article summarizes the highlights of the session and includes a downloadable checklist with 3 materiality activation tips.

A Greener Manufacturing Approach using LCA

Understanding the environmental impact of products and services is a daunting and complex task but using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a great starting point and a helpful tool to assist your organization in asking accurate questions. In this article, Simon Gandy, Technical Director at SLR with more than 20 years of experience advising clients on matters of LCA explains how a high-level, streamlined LCA can be used to determine the impacts of your organization's product, processes, and services and provides a practical downloadable application in the form of a four-step plan for greener manufacturing.