Reflecting on an insightful webinar this week hosted by Lisa Tracy Manager Moir Group ESG and featuring Aletta Boshoff from BDO in Australia on ‘Navigating Mandatory Reporting: Roadmaps and Supplier Engagement Strategies.’
Here are some key takeaways:
- Sustainability remains central to business strategy: sustainability encompasses fundamental environmental, social, and governance factors, with future standards addressing various topics such as climate change, biodiversity, and workforce.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging with stakeholders/suppliers is crucial to identify material topics. This includes direct engagement, surveys, and analysing stakeholders’ published commitments.
- An attendee Lisa spoke with the following day, reinforced the importance of Materiality and Double Materiality: Assessing both financial materiality (impact on the company) and impact materiality (company’s impact on society/environment) is crucial. Supplier engagement requires evaluating how their practices affect the company’s ESG goals and vice versa.
- Emerging Reporting Standards: IFRS S1 focuses on decision-useful information on sustainability-related risks and prospects, while IFRS S2 focuses on climate change. More standards are expected to follow, expanding the scope of mandatory ESG reporting.
- Strategic Importance of ESG: ESG reporting is essential for access to capital, markets, and talent. Investors, banks, and customers increasingly demand comprehensive sustainability information.
- Compliance and Voluntary Reporting: The shift from voluntary to mandatory ESG reporting is accelerating. Organisations must integrate ESG disclosures into their annual reports, which will eventually require assurance and audit.
- Challenges with Data and Reporting: Gathering accurate data, especially for Scope 3 emissions from suppliers, is challenging. Technology can aid in data collection, but it must be part of a broader strategy that includes clear methodologies and boundary settings.
(In Australia, the ASRS (Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards) align with the global IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) to provide comprehensive guidelines for sustainability and climate-related disclosures.)
If you’re seeking assistance with finance, accounting, or ESG recruitment, reach out to us here or Lisa Tracy Manager Moir Group ESG on 02 9262 4836 / lisatracy@moirgroup.com.au. We’re here to help you navigate the evolving landscape of sustainable business practices.