Page 13 – Sustainability Academy

ESG is rising globally, and companies need a better understanding not only of their investors’ needs for ESG information, but also of how critical it is to improve the company’s ESG investor communications. According to 2021 Gartner CEO and Senior Business Executive Survey, the percentage of CEO’s selecting ESG as one of their top five priorities doubled from 2020 to 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated engagement on ESG among companies and investors, making ESG communication increasingly essential.

Here are some aspects of ESG communication that should not be overlooked:

Employee demand for ESG is rising

58 percent of employees consider a company’s social and environmental commitments when choosing where to work. Moreover, over 70 percent of Millennials are more likely to choose to work at a company with a strong environmental agenda. All this implies to a purposeful communication.

Effective ESG communication begins with clear connections to brand, purpose and organizational goals

To succeed in an authentic communication about ESG it means to truly integrated it with the corporate narrative and strategic objectives. ESG issues are sometimes complex, therefore they should be presented in such a way to be easy to comprehend without technical language.

Better ESG communication results in multiple benefits for companies

Companies with well-based ESG strategy are in a better position in the post-pandemic landscape as they are more resilient. Engagement is a key part of resilience and highly engaged employees help companies to significantly outperform their peers. A well-structured communication within the company is an important driver for more engaged employees.

Do not forget that a good communication plan is structured by well-trained employees. Well-educated employees can create more sustainable companies and it is also a tried recipe for long-term success.

In light of the constant personal development as a professional, be sure to learn more about our recently updated Online Certificate on ESG Impact and Sustainable Investing and benefit from our summer 20% discount!

For more information on the discount code, please contact [email protected]

The U.S. Plastics Pact, also known as “U.S. Pact”, is a consortium led by The Recycling Partnership and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global Plastics Pact Network, officially launched in August 2020. The aim is to redesign the way the United States uses plastics so that they don’t become waste in the first place. For this reason, the Global Commitment was created, setting ambitious circular economy goals until 2025.

The U.S. Pact is aligned on four specific 2025 targets:

Define a list of packaging to be designated as problematic or unnecessary by 2021 and take measures to eliminate them by 2025.
100% of plastic packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.
By 2025, undertake ambitious actions to effectively recycle or compost 50% of plastic packaging.
By 2025, the average recycled content or responsibly sourced bio-based content in plastic packaging will be 30%.

Four years afar from these goals, US Plastics Pact introduced a new “Roadmap to 2025” supported by nearly 100 organizations. The Roadmap focuses on the key outcomes for each target with corresponding actions and timelines. It was developed by the US Pact founding signatories (known as Activators), which include over 60 of the world’s largest CPG companies and retailers.

Kwik Lok, Amcor, Clorox, Danimer Scientific and many other companies have already made their commitments towards the Roadmap and set their own priorities. The Clorox Company announced the elimination of waste from packaging as its top priority, while Kwik Lok has committed to innovate materials used in their products, champion sustainable resource use with their suppliers and drive decrease in food waste.

Is your company ready to make a significant step forward in realizing a circular economy for plastics? Training has a critical role to play in enabling circular economy strategies.

Check out our brand new Online Certificate on Circular Economy and benefit from our welcoming discount of 20% discount!

Circular economy is essential to fight climate change while it penetrates almost all industries around the world. New roles and jobs are emerging to drive early circular economy transformations, which require a well-trained workforce. Looking at the new trends toward circularity, the opportunities are going to multiply, so be prepared for one or more new roles within your organization.

Right now, Netherlands is the country with the highest percentage (8.6%) of jobs related to circularity. Scotland follows the lead with 8.1%, along with Belgium (7.5%). The European commission has already projected a rise in circular jobs by 2030.

Let’s meet some of the new roles emerging for circular economy.

Circular investment specialist

The creation of circular economy has driven innovation and new business models. It can be an investing opportunity to profit by reusing, refurbishing and repairing products. Also, capability in developing and implementing circular policies can be critical.

Designer for circular products and packaging

Circular packaging should incorporate the principles of the circular economy. Products designed and packaged with sustainable, recyclable and reusable materials represent the commitment to the new legislations and a sustainable future.

Customer service professionals in circular economy products

Customer service professionals need a new common language to address all the environmental attributes and benefits around circularity. Their new role goes beyond purchasing. There is need to create value for consumers on circular economy products and services.

Reverse logistics manager

Reverse logistics can help close the loop of product life cycles. The role of a reverse logistics manager starts at the point of consumption and captures the value of products and materials or properly disposes them.

Circular business models are already taking off internationally and companies need to invest in circular job training and education. Training has a critical role to play in enabling circular economy strategies and support their activities, so it’s time to equip you with all the necessary tools and skills needed for the emerging jobs in the circular economy.

Looking for a job with a future or a career-change into Sustainability? Check out our brand new Online Certificate on Circular Economy and benefit from our welcoming discount of 20% discount.

Ask for more information and your promo code: [email protected]

More and more institutional fund managers adopt ESG reporting and the tendency is for ESG to be integrated across the whole asset base under management. On policy level, this has also been supported by the Action Plan on Sustainable Finance and regulatory pressure continues to intensify.

The Covid-19 pandemic has not only caused a health crisis, but also market volatility and the need for more resilient investment solutions. It was a wake-up call for the restructure of the global economic order towards sustainability. It is not surprising the fact that companies, which take sustainability seriously, seem to significantly outperform their peers and this has brought ESG factors to the forefront.

Companies have to consider how ESG factors can be employed for a more resilient future.

ESG strategy and risk management

Building an ESG strategy is the starting point with stakeholders taking the basic stage. Investors are more and more interested in the way a company manages the social and environmental risks in an ever-changing economic environment, and this is why the company needs to provide the related information widely. Transparency and high-quality communication on ESG performance are also important.

ESG and productivity

Companies with ESG commitments tend to attract quality employees or enhance their motivation, resulting in increased productivity. It’s also proven that higher job satisfaction is positively correlated with shareholder returns.

ESG execution and cost control

Executing ESG effectively can reduce costs substantially. ESG can provide a roadmap and it’s a very good way to control them. Investing in initiatives that provide cost savings can make businesses more resilient against not only the pandemic, but climate change, too.

ESG on supply chain

Ensuring supply of materials is critical for the survivability of companies. The pandemic exposed the fragility of global supply chains, making them vulnerable to risk. Moreover, investors cannot neglect issues related to forced labour, dangerous working conditions or quality issues anymore.

Strong ESG commitment and governments

Companies with strong ESG strategy are more prepared on adverse government action, reducing risks. Such companies can, also, gain government support.

CSE is a leading ESG Consulting firm with sector-based integrated consulting services on Sustainability (ESG) from ESG Reporting and Ratings, Certification & External Assurance, to Impact Assessment and Strategic Planning. For more than 14 years, CSE helps FORTUNE 500 and other organizations around the globe improve their ESG Ratings and maximize their social, economic and environmental impact.

To guide you securely into building or optimizing your Sustainability (ESG) strategy, CSE can provide coaching and practical tools.

To maintain a long term value of the products, materials and resources in the economy, a company needs to acknowledge the importance of keeping its environmental impact as low as possible. This is the starting point to join a circular economy plan. What needs, however, to be done in order to fully implement it?

Here are five key steps that could help your organization adopt a circular economy model:

1.Efficiency Improvement

Get more value from your investments by improving your operational efficiency. Moreover, an efficient use of resources could also contribute to a material security while also improve environmental and economic outcomes.

2. Make good use of resources

Incorporating recycled and reused materials into end-of-life products is a big challenge, but that could have a positive impact to a company as it can better recognize the existing resources. Challenge your engineers to identify new ways to process the materials or design new models.

3.Utilization of new tools and techniques

There is a constant improvement on tools and techniques that a company can identify and implement. These tools can measure your success and move your operations towards a circular model.

4.Communicate the business value

Consumers are in favor of products that use sustainable materials. Trust needs to be built with both the consumers and the stakeholders. Show them your efforts.

5. Integrated business vision

Incorporate an integrated business vision not only to the product’s lifecycle, but also to the supply chain. Take into account the product’s end-of-life and collect data from the entire supply chain so as to reduce energy and materials.

Circular economy is not a choice any more. Companies should mainstream the new policies and bring them to scale.

To meet this need, Sustainability Academy is beyond environmentally focused as it offers affordable specialized certified online education and coaching in the field of Sustainability (ESG) and Corporate Responsibility.

CSE, as the sponsor and developer of the Sustainability Academy is organizational Stakeholder of GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), certified Business by Green America, certified Consultant by Accountability (For coaching Services on Sustainability), CMI Recognized Training Program Provider and certified Member of CPD.

Don’t miss the opportunity to check out our newest course of Online Certificate on Circular Economy and get our welcome discount of 20%. Contact us at [email protected] to get your promo code.

It is apparent that during 2021, profitable companies will be defined by the level of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing and how this will shape their strategies and their overall operations. ESG investing relies on independent ratings that help you assess a company’s behavior and policies when it comes to environmental, social and governance issues.

However, what needs to be stressed is the depth of commitment and engagement that should be developed on behalf of the organizations so that they allow ESG issues to influence their strategic and management decisions.

The Sustainable / ESG reporting ecosystem is rapidly evolving and is made up of an ever-increasing number of frameworks, standards and providers.

Sustainable policies and ESG ratings can be an important resource as investors seek to interpret and compare information. Ensuring that your investment choices are aligned with your priorities is one reason to pursue ESG investing. But aside from helping to fight climate change and social injustice, Sustainable and an ESG investing strategy can offer higher returns as well.

The Center for Sustainability & Excellence (CSE) and its online training platform of Sustainability Academy are committed to provide the latest and most updated knowledge in the field. Additionally, CSE is currently the only training organization in North America offering training material provided by SASB.

On that note, all our specialized courses here>>

The US election fallout seems to signalize a new, considerably promising era for climate change and sustainability as Joe Biden, US President-elect vowed not only to rejoin Paris agreement, after Donald Trump’s withdrawal back in 2017 but also to put in place one of the most remarkable yet bold enough climate plans in presidential history.

The feat of limiting global warming to 1.5˚C is not a bed of roses as the ambitious policy has to ensure that greenhouse gas emissions will reach net-zero by 2050. About $1.7 trillion are announced to be invested in clean energy with the aim to create more green jobs while ending fossil fuel subsidies, make zero-carbon technologies and embark on new oil and gas permits on public lands shaping the future of renewable energy towards a responsible and revolutionary direction in favor of the planet and human kind.

How is ESG investing affected?

Moreover, it is expected ESG investing to also witness a progressive upshot. Investors who share high interest will have the opportunity to further invest and develop ESG strategies, although the ignorance of the past years on behalf of the government, had already forced them to pour significant amounts in order to generate positive impact on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters.

According to Morningstar’s flows report on global sustainable funds so far it has been reported a 60 million rise this year compared to the assets in US sustainable funds in 2019. This trend was accelerated in combination with the Covid-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, there are a lot of high hopes from investors during the upcoming years under Biden administration, with mainly policy changes on selected potential areas that will evolve ESG and impact investing. It is highlighted by Bendell CEO at Toniic, that if ESG Investing is anywhere set to boost, funds must include transparency and create reliable disclosure which will make “the markets more efficient and better”.

Impact investors support transparency around corporate and environmental social practices. Currently, one of the most mainstream approaches towards the financial disclosure on ESG practices is supported by the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB). According to Bendell, SASB’s recommendation shouldn’t be a “terribly radical position,” for either Republicans or Democrats.

Corporations from the private and public sector are willing to cooperate with Biden administration to enact reform. With collective efforts to manage standardization around ESG issues it is expected to advance the field.

One of the best actions a company can take is educating and training on sustainability and ESG issues, how to identify and assess stakeholders, then prioritize material issues. The training is the first step in an iterative process. The Center for Sustainability & Excellence (CSE) and its online training platform of Sustainability Academy are committed to provide the latest and most updated knowledge on the field. Additionally, CSE is currently the only training organization in North America offering training material provided by SASB. On that note, check the newest addition to our online courses, the Online Certificate on SASB & TCFD Report as well as the Online Certificate on ESG Performance for Professionals and Investors and benefit from special discounts.

The power sector is the engine of global economy, supplying electricity to all other sectors. Good and services depend on it. In times of crisis, such as a pandemic, reliable electricity supply has become critical for sustained medical services and working remotely under lockdown conditions. Relaunching the economy and rebooting business does not mean going back to the status quo before the crisis, but bouncing forward. Sustainable energy lies at the heart of economic stimulus and recovery measures.

Power is essential for driving economic growth. Achieving Sustainable Development (SDG) 7 –ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all – is a necessary precondition for progress on many other SDG’s, including those concerning health, education, industry, sustainable cities and more. Companies are listening and reacting in ways which are important to Sustainability and aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the power sector, particularly by leading to a reduction of demand, financial stress and disruptions to the power supply chain. It has also highlighted the deep inequalities around the world in terms of access to modern, affordable and sustainable energy.

Access to reliable energy is essential not only for preventing and addressing the pandemic, but also for accelerating the recovery and building resilient, equitable and sustainable economies in a post COVID-19 world. Electricity has been a vital for the response to the public health emergency in many countries, although hundreds of millions of people worldwide still lack basic access to it.

Even before the crisis, the world was not on track to meet key sustainable energy goals. Today, in order to build more prosperous and resilient economies and business, decision makers and C-level managers must redouble their efforts to bring affordable, reliable and clean energy to all.

I started taking Ativan from after the nervous breakdown. My doc prescribed it to me and I really got a relief. But now I become dependent on it. That’s why I’m taking only 0.25mg once a week. This medication helped me to start living and even make new friends.

The Center for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) has developed meaningful relationships with both SMEs and large international corporations. We’ve provided education on Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility to leading companies such as ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Oiltanking, Talos energy, Concho Power Equipment and other companies.

Get certified as a Sustainability (CSR)- P Practitioner and earn how to identify the environment, social and governance (ESG) criteria necessary to address the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) which 41% of businesses are expected to embed into their strategy and practices. Claim your spot for the upcoming Digital Certified Sustainability (ESG) Practitioner Program, Advanced Edition 2020, November 3, 4 & 5.

How feasible is it for corporate leaders to understand the correlations between a comprehensive corporate responsibility strategy and the financial benefits? Investors on the other hand understand more clearly csr is not just a box to tick on a disclosure form.

Leading organizations globally seem to better understand the financial impacts of their corporate responsibility strategies. They act upon a corporate responsibility strategy as a key element for best management practices that can improve business performance and financial outcomes.

Back in 2018, CSE’s research Sustainability (CSR) Reporting Trends in North America 2017 was presented in New York City, Toronto and Tokyo during CSE’s Global Certified CSR (ESG) Practitioner Physical Program there. Based on the research findings, CSE’s Research Department had identified correlations for the first time between Sustainability and CSR Reporting and Strategy, and Corporate Financial results that brought the attention of North American media with several publications.

Nikos Avlonas, president and founder of CSE was interviewed by Forbes, which focused on this unique research. You can read the full interview here: Sustainable Reporting: Lessons From the Fortune 500.

Read more: Forbes

The last few months, disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated the efforts to promote sustainability and CSR across a broad range of industries. Stakeholders from the private and public sector alike have voiced their support for a sustainable recovery. Research shows that C-suite leaders seem to share a consensus on what constitutes material sustainability and csr strategies in their sector. But to fully and accurately assess the financial impact of sustainability efforts, investors and managers need to follow through to examine not just the strategy, but also the methodology (how a strategy was implemented) and the benefits that produced. These are exactly the positive outcomes that companies must begin to monetize and report the intangible and tangible benefits of ESG investments.

At the same time more than 2.000 studies found positive correlations between good ESG performances, stock price, cost capital and operational achievements. The link between ESG practices and financial results has clear implications for corporate decision-making process. Several frameworks have been developed recently to better integrate ESG data, financial analysis and csr reporting.

The Center for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) is a leading boutique firm operating globally that specializes in maximizing your social, economic and environmental impact. For more than a decade, we have been helping professionals advance their careers through our certified on-site, online and group training services globally and supporting FORTUNE 500 companies and other organizations to grow and excel through our specialized consulting services, and our unique methodology, which has been successfully applied to more than 100 organizations globally, which allows successful integration of CSR and significant improvement of ESG performance.

As CSE’s research department continues to provide valuable insights into various aspects of CSR and ESG performance, it furthers its commitment to high caliber, up-to-date, training in sustainability for C-Suite executives & Sustainability and CSR Managers worldwide, the training department is ready to deliver the next digital Certified Sustainability (ESG) Practitioner Program in November 3, 4 & 5, 2020. The Program focuses on all the challenges that professionals have to face in the field of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Strategy, Supply Chain and Corporate Communications.

Don’t miss out on the early bird 10% discount.

For more information reach us at [email protected]

By Nikos Avlonas

President CSE

Bravo to companies’ incorporating sustainability. The effort is noble and daunting. Often executives address first the environment, social and governance (ESG) issues most important to them. Other times, they delegate sustainability to a manager. An executive might be highly motivated to engage the community. A former HSE manager, now in charge of sustainability, might emphasize safety. Both are noble pursuits, but are they relevant to investors?

According to the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Institutional Investors, 66 % of U.S. investors altered their behavior to incorporate ESG risks just in 2017. Investors rely on ratings agencies which look at those ESG aspects of a company with financial relevance, i.e., most material. If a company is putting resources into issues material to the company but not to investors, this can become an enormous waste of time – and resources.

ESG factors relevant to market performance vary from industry to industry. An airline is going to consider fuel efficiency both for financial reasons and to limit its carbon footprint, more so than an accounting agency. If the airline reduces fuel consumption, its financial performance, ESG rating and hence share price benefits. The accounting firm can reduce energy consumption by the same percentage and little will change in the market.

Whether you get your performance advice from Morning Star, Edelman, Bloomberg, Harvard (with research showing, “material issues are the most promising signal” informing investment decisions based on ESG criteria), or hundreds of other resources, you can no longer questions the value of ESG material issues to your bottom line. This begs the question, what is material? The answer sits with your most influential stakeholders, not just your shareholders or your C-suite, though these are important voices.

Only a materiality assessment, based on guidelines such as the GRI and industry benchmarking surveying stakeholders which have been carefully identified as having the most influence on company decision making, can provide a weighted list of those issues most material to your company and hence your bottom line.

The stronger the balance sheet, the stronger the rating. The lower the material risks, the stronger the rating. The more transparent the company in its reporting, the stronger the rating.

POSSIBLE ENDING – DO NOT USE BOTH

One of the best actions a company can take is training on sustainability issues, how to identify and assess stakeholders then prioritize material issues. The training is the first step in an iterative process. Check out CSE’s free first module of the Online Certificate on ESG Performance for Professionals and Investors, or in response to COVID-19, the Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Program, Advanced Edition 2020, October 2-5 and 6, DIGITAL VERSION.

Group registration form