Sustainability and ESG practices have been in the spotlight in recent years, and as always, multinational corporations are at the center of attention. However, we want to show you that aligning with the new era of business can be simpler than you think (and highly necessary).

We’re bringing up this topic because, in our day-to-day consulting work, it’s very common for companies to seek insights to help them navigate the path of ESG integration, without realizing that the first steps have already been taken and the competitive advantage already exists, albeit hidden.

Is this the case for you? Let ‘s find out…

That ‘s also ESG!

Starting from the beginning, ESG is nothing more than a detailed monitoring of the impact your company has on the world, whether it’s social, environmental, or financial.

In this way, it becomes possible to implement actions that reduce or improve this impact, allowing the company to:

• Build a trustworthy reputation.
• Attract greater investments.
• Reduce financial costs.
• Be aligned with current regulations.

However, there are companies that are already at the forefront of sustainable and inclusive practices, but they don’t realize it. This is highly problematic because all the benefits and opportunities resulting from this culture are sidelined or, worse, lost.

Let’s give some examples to make it clearer – You can click on the links to learn more about the real impact of these “small” actions:

• Reusable cups in the workshop? That’s ESG too!
• Hybrid or remote work? That’s ESG too!
• Pay equity, regardless of gender and/or race? That’s ESG too!
• Initiatives to ensure employee well-being? That’s ESG too!
• Priority for sustainable suppliers? That’s ESG too!
• Culture of transparency? That’s ESG too!
• Intentional building of diverse and inclusive teams? That ‘s ESG too!

Documenting and communicating: the real challenge

If we momentarily set aside carbon accounting and the complex reports of large organizations, we can realize that kicking off ESG integration in the daily operations of companies can be simpler than one might think.

Especially because it’s not necessary (nor possible) to embrace all causes at once. Our motto here is: “1% every day is enough to get you in.”

However, the real challenge arises when these policies shift from being “random” and “intuitive” to being:

• Intentional.
• Measurable.
• Incremental.

Because of this, it’s necessary for a portion of the organization’s resources to be allocated to monitoring impact, as well as devising new ways to contribute to society in the long term.

At this point, it might be easier to feel lost or fearful that ESG implies significant costs for the company.

But you don’t need to feel this way, this is where Conexus.earth comes in to help you.

3 steps for your company become a lead in ESG

• Understand the metrics! 

For each pillar of ESG, there are initiatives with plausible indicators that can be closely monitored. For example, when it comes to social impact, one of the organization’s concerns will be to ensure the safety and well-being of employees, but how can you be sure that the impact is positive?

Some indicators that can help the company monitor this pillar include: staff retention, average length of stay, number of accidents or internal conflicts per year, among others.

This criterion applies to all pillars and initiatives of ESG. If you focus your efforts on identifying and improving these indicators, it will be much easier to:

• Generate public reports: accountability with stakeholders will be more transparent.
• Keep people motivated: everyone involved in the organization, directly or indirectly, will be more inclined to engage actively.
• Enhance reputation: the company’s image and therefore its market value will increase.

You can learn more about ESG indicators here!

• Get to know the GRI standards:

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is a non-profit organization that provides a set of standard guidelines for reporting an organization’s performance consistently and transparently to all stakeholders.

Many doubts regarding how to document and communicate initiatives will disappear if you familiarize yourself with the organization.

Here you can read more about the GRI standards!

• Adopt the right mindset:

Even though the business world is an extremely volatile environment, some things are certain and will remain so for a long time. One of them is that ESG is here to stay.

Conducting business solely for profit and without considering the socio-environmental impact of operations is a thing of the past. We can see this through new global regulations, changing consumer motivations, and the characteristics of businesses that currently attract more attention and investments.

The world has changed for the better, and the smartest thing to do at this moment is to embrace this change and make it a significant competitive advantage.

Don’t forget to let us know in the comments what you thought of this content! Suggestions for topics for future editions are also welcome ⬇️

Keep on track with Conexus.earth! 🌍