Brick by brick: Building a sustainable organisation

Key takeaways: Brick by brick: Building a sustainable organisation

• Sustainability is a work in progress but it’s important to have a strong foundation to build it well.
• In feb 2024, the EU has said it doesn’t need to expand its demand for energy.

• In the EU, policy feeds into Acts, Directives and Regulations. These then transpose into Bills and National Legislation.

What is sustainability?

• It’s an umbrella term. It’s three-dimensional:
  • 1: Planet we survive in – Planet
  • 2. Within it we have a society – People
  • 3. Within that we have the economy – Profit
• Sustainability is ever-evolving.
• Impactful sustainable policies: Taxonmy and ESG.

What is ESG?

• A set of standards for evaluating a company’s behaviour.
• Used for the first time in 2005 in the report ‘Who Cares Wins’.
• A lot of people do ESG because they will get investors.
• In 2021, the EU implemented the Green Deal which is now the Climate Law to support investors who will support sustainable developments.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

• The standard for companies to map how they’re doing.
• For companies involved in creating a green plan, focus on 1 – 3 goals per year, address them and then move on.

Double materiality

• Materiality is defined as being relevant or significant.
  • Materiality 1: Inward materiality impact i.e.The impact that the planet and society have on the company.
  • Materiality 2: Outward materiality impact i.e. The impact that a company has on the planet and society.

Timeline of EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)

• January 2024: large organisations with 500+ employees that are already subject to NFRD disclosure.
• January 2025 – Large companies that meet 2 of 3 criteria: 250+ employees; €40+M revenue; €20+M balance sheet. 
• January 2026 – SMEs listed on EU regulated markets with exception of micro companies.

Does your company have building blocks for sustainability?

Some questions to carry out a five-minute audit of how you’re doing:

• Is sustainability part of your core values, mission and vision for the company>?
• Who on the board has responsibility for sustainability?
• Have you established your GHG baseline?
• Are you measuring your GHG emissions?
• Are you in line with EU Climate Law 2030 target’s of a 55% reduction? 
• Are you investible as a sustainable corporation? 
• Do you need to comply with CSRD? 
• Does your customers need to comply with CSRD?

The outlook for ESG

• If you’re serious about sustainability, it’s important to look at professional bodies.
• More and more companies are taking ESG seriously.
• More EU Sustainability Directives are coming down the tracks.
• The big focus in ESG will be double materiality.
• ESG is part of continual improvement.
• NGOs will help move ESG forward and play a strong role in the area of sustainability.

In a world where sustainability shapes the future of corporate landscapes, how does your organisation create the building blocks for effective environmental, social and governance (ESG)?

In this webinar, we’ll bring you through these building blocks one by one:

– The definitions of ESG and sustainability.
– The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).
– The six fundamental ESG concepts crucial for your organisation.
– The essential regulatory frameworks you need to know.

Your takeaways:

At the end of this webinar, you’ll:
– Know if your organisation needs to comply with the EU’s CSRD.
– Be able to identify who, in our organisation, has the ability to ensure you’re meeting EU regulations on time and on budget.
– Know if and how your company need to upskill to meet CSRD requirements.

Dr Shirley Gallagher, FIEMA is a big picture sustainability thinker and speaker. She is known for helping people, companies and government agencies to decarbonise their systems. She is a polymath, with knowledge across regulatory issues, chemistry, circular economy, and ISO standards in manufacturing.

Shirley is a company director in 2 companies focused on sustainability issues. SysPro: Systems for Progress Limited, a boutique sustainability consultancy that focuses on executive coaching in the sustainability sphere. Which is listed on Enterprise Ireland’s Green Directory, a facility to support their customers with upgrading their sustainability practices. The other company is Second Life Battery Services (SLBS), a circular economy business focused on recovery and second use of rechargeable batteries.

Shirley is a Fellow of IEMA, a Toastmaster and a Climate Reality Leader. She is a founding member of the global Sustainable Speakers Club, a Toastmaster International club that supports everyone interested in pursuing clarity in sustainable communication, in particular those working in the drive towards sustainability.