Jonathan C K.’s Post

How do we sustain momentum in the context of ESG backlash? Thank you for the invitation to participate in this event Wendy Mitchell. It was a pleasure to be on the panel alongside Simon Jessop and Andrew Myhill and to participate in a roundtable discussion with representatives from a range of global businesses, business networks and innovators. We covered a lot of ground. My reflections: ▪ We are at a pivot point and need a paradigm shift on ESG, away from a dependence on short-term ‘win-win’ thinking and towards a focus on long term value and resilience - with appropriate structural shifts so it is no longer possible to profit from business practices that damage nature and society. But with any shift comes backlash – the current backlash is perhaps inevitable and a welcome sign that things are getting serious. ▪ 'ESG fatigue' is a thing – 2030 is looming and many businesses are not on track. But – more encouragingly - there are growing numbers of staff within organisations committed to driving change. There is a need to engage not only with the economics and the science but also with the human and cultural dynamics. ▪ Targets are important, but we need more progress rather than more targets - and credible delivery plans to deliver the targets that we already have. ▪ There is a need to focus less on what is popular, and more on what is material. This includes an urgent need to push for progress on addressing nature-related issues. ▪ Hard to abate sectors are a particular challenge and need joined up work and shared decision frameworks across private and public sectors. ▪ Within big organisations, different functions are often disconnected and speaking different languages in relation to sustainability, and there is too much communication within the ‘green bubble’ and insufficient engagement with those who are not yet at the table. CSOs have an important role here and need to speak the language of commerciality not just sustainability. These are challenges we are reflecting on at Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and will be the focus of an article I’ll be publishing soon. Thanks to BCW Global and Hill & Knowlton for organising this event which acknowledged the realities that many businesses are navigating and provided space for discussion on what is working, and what is needed now. 

So excited to be back for another The Association for Enterprise Opportunity event! AEO is so well positioned to council small and local businesses on sustainability, as a network of front-line supporters that work with them every day and understands their needs. Obligatory PSA - small and local businesses MUST be part of sustainability and climate action. This is especially true where local issues and policies are key to progress (so, like, most issues). It's the only way to achieve both a successful and just transition to a clean economy. More background (and data!) from my earlier blog for C3: https://lnkd.in/e-UhaTKx #greenbusiness #sustainability #smallbusiness #local

What's the ESG backlash? Why does it matter? What can we do about it? 🔥 Firstly - for something to have a backlash, it has to be pretty big to start with. ESG, if you don't know, is about environmental, social and governance considerations within a company and ultimately by the investors in a company. This has become increasingly sophisticated since my time working on ethical investment in the late 90s. 🗳 Why backlash? Political shifts, short-termism caused by elections (2 billion people will be voting for their leaders this year) and concerns about dents in profitability. On the other hand, the concept of ESG voluntarism - with accountability, but ultimately decided within companies - may be under pressure from those who see regulation as the only way to shift behaviour. 📋 Boardrooms and investors out of touch? One ray of light for making sure social and environmental considerations are truly part of a company's vision is by listening to their workforce. Over 90% of graduates want to work in a company with a strong approach to sustainability. Listening to customers may also help. 📶 Risk vs opportunity. The opportunity to be a leader within an industry, build brand, open new markets, be innovative; vs the risk of getting it wrong, not being ready for new standards or regulation, or worst making terrible decisions that destroy a brand or even a company. Does the ESG team get to make final comments to a paper to the Board, or do legal or finance teams rule the decision process? And is the ESG team seen as a marketing function, a compliance function, a finance and business insights function, or personal push from the CEO? 🎯 Do targets help? My position is not - at best they hold back even bigger achievements through undershooting; at worst they encourage gaming. Indicators, transparency and reports on progress are a better way to go. 🤑 The bottom line... is money (stupid!) What time horizons are investors considering when they consider risk and return? Is the market shifting such that better ESG practices are the norm to survive? Do investors truly test companies on their approach? Only when money is talking ESG will ESG be truly embedded. There are some great companies and supporters out there to help a company's ESG journey - Julie Blane Olivia Sibony Kate Barnard - 'Data Diva' Emily Pilsworth Anna Sandgren amongst others. Thank you to Charlotte Gilbride and the Burson team for the invite!

How do we go beyond CSRD compliance and truly merge sustainability and business? At Mission anew and ARC Arise Consulting, we have developed an approach for this: Business Materiality. In a recent breakfast seminar, Rebecka Carlsson (Sustainable Business Advisor at ARC), Gustaf Höök (Partner at Cupole), and Joel Lindefors (Senior Sustainability Strategist at Mission Anew) explored this framework, illustrating how it enables companies to: ⛓️ Identify the “sweet spot” where profitable growth has a positive sustainability impact. ⛓️ Merge high risks and best opportunities from the double materiality assessment to maximize sustainability and enterprise value. ⛓️ Translate sustainability activities into business actions and financial results, making them relevant and actionable for key stakeholders. Would you like to know more about Business Materiality and how to truly integrate your business objectives and strategies with sustainability? Don't hesitate to contact Joel Lindefors 💥 #BusinessMateriality #CSRD #doubleMateriality #sustainability

Actionable steps you can take to achieve your sustainability goals and attract and retain top talent! 🌍 Take our "How sustainable is your organization?" self-assessment test Find out if your organization is a: ✅Future Follower ✅Awareness Winner ✅Shaper of The Future Take our test based on the thoughts of 5000 European employees about sustainability, to self-assess your organization. At the end of the test, you will get exclusive advice based on your score: ✅Practical tips on how to improve your sustainability initiatives ✅Case studies to inspire you https://lnkd.in/dinSf8z7?

The Sustainability Board's new report "Sustainability Board Preparedness in Large Public Family Businesses" reveals: 1.   The world's largest public family businesses have made significant strides in aligning their boards for sustainability oversight 2.   While directors were engaged early in sustainability efforts, their engagement levels have plateaued, suggesting a need for renewed focus and innovation 3.   Notably, individual board leadership in sustainability is significantly more gender-equal in family businesses compared to non-family businesses Download the full report including recommendations on our new 'Institute for Sustainable Family Business' website - link in the comments.

On our 'New Realities' website, we feature issues that we regularly hear about from our engagement with non-executive directors, chairs, senior executives, and other advisors. Concerns vary by industry and by the specific role of the decision maker. Do any of them sound familiar? We provide more context and reading recommendations for each item. Do let us know about YOUR new realities in the comments and click 'Visit my Website' on top of the post to learn more. The Sustainability Board Global Advisors

The role of finance is not only to create value with profits, but also, and most importantly to encompass human, social and environmental value in our decisions. Can’t agree more.

📄 Dive into this week's #LundquistQuarterly by James Osborne, our Head of Sustainability, on the urgent need for companies to elevate their sustainability communications. ❓His article "What if the CSRD doesn’t give answers to all the right questions?" challenges corporate leaders to articulate a future where sustainability is central to the business strategy and corporate narrative. ☝️ With the CSRD on the horizon, it’s critical for businesses to not just comply, but to clearly demonstrate how sustainability underpins their future vision and showcase the real value of their sustainability efforts. 👉 Discover how our latest .sustainability research helps guide companies in developing an approach to sustainability communications that is both impactful and genuine. 🔗 Access this week’s article here: https://lnkd.in/dm9iE3tA   #CorporateCommunications #Sustainability #ArtificialIntelligence #PurposeDrivenCommunication

The November issue of Power Up is live! This issue takes a deeper look into why we were recognized as the world’s most sustainable company, according to TIME and Statista. This tremendous achievement is the result of decades of transformative action, beginning in 2005 with a clear roadmap and governance framework. Here's how we got there. ⬇️ http://spr.ly/6049tuLyU