BUSINESS SITUATION
The client wanted to develop an impact assessment framework in line with the UNSDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) covering
positive and negative impacts, and mitigation activities for issuers from multiple sectors. The impact assessment is an integral component of their sustainability solutions platform. The objective of the research was to identify the company’s alignment with SDGs and other important ESG aspects enabling key decision makers to identify aspects of the business that can be transformed and modernized. This will help to deliver maximum impact and better align with global sustainability goals.
SGA APPROACH
- SGA’s team conducted a detailed assessment on multiple sectors such as BFSI and healthcare, to understand the applicability of SDGs.
- Created exhaustive framework and provided recommendations on select SDGs to measure positive and negative impacts along with mitigation activities.
- Implemented a sector-wise approach to research a company by identifying and validating the activities undertaken by the company as per the developed ESG framework.
- Conducted secondary research through information available on company websites, Annual Reports, Sustainability Reports, Code of Conduct, ESG Reports, Ethics policy, Data Privacy/Protection Policy, TCFD Report, GRI Report, and SASB Report, including an as-is analysis of previous Financial Year’s Reports, to track progress of SDG targets in business operations and activities.
- Researched auditor’s reports published by the company to check the reliability of data.
- Identified best reporting practices observed by companies when disclosing their alignment with SDGs
- Gathered evidence for relevant indicators to derive the impact on environment and society.
- Examined, researched, and aggregated ESG data on a wide range of sustainability-related topics.
ENGAGEMENT
In-depth research and analysis of a company’s ESG/sustainability disclosures to identify the alignment of applicable SDGs to be used by the client to evaluate its ESG ratings and conduct impact analysis.
BENEFITS AND OUTCOMES
- Assisted the client in developing an exhaustive sustainability impact framework to assess companies
- Provided valuable research insights on sectoral nuances in SDG reporting and overall sector alignment with SDGs
- Reduced the risk of data gaps by preferring data from the most recent reports and aligning different calculation methodologies, which could have been used in successive reports
- Highlighted the priority mitigation activities being followed by the companies
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Provided our SDG expertise and consultative assistance for finalizing the framework
- Analyzed the SDGs of various sectors
- Reviewed the performance of peers on each indicator to maintain the accuracy and completeness of data
- Identified goals that relate to the sustainability of a business
