Public and private companies continue to experience growing expectations for addressing a broad range of sustainability and ESG issues, more transparently disclosing how they affect the business and describing the enterprise’s response to them. Climate change, social equity and corporate governance are at the top of the list for most companies. In addition, organizations need to evaluate their business strategy, activities, and performance, to determine the key issues that should form the basis for a comprehensive sustainability strategy and management of ESG outcomes. The dynamic nature of expectations and the myriad of standards and frameworks for reporting can present challenges. Working with a trusted partner, who has corporate experience and knowledge of these issues can be a valuable complement to the internal team.

Current and proposed European Union sustainability reporting directives and prospective requirements being developed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will further raise the threshold for addressing ESG issues. Companies that are already managing them will need to continue to refine their strategies and operational priorities to credibly address and disclose the actual and potential impacts related to the business. Those organizations that have not embarked on robustly addressing these issues should consider acting soon to maintain and enhance their credibility with stakeholders.

CCS has the experience to work collaboratively with the Chief Sustainability Officer, the senior leadership team, and the board, along with other stakeholders to:

• Identify material sustainability issues and understand key expectations.

• Develop a strategic framework for addressing them, that integrates with the business strategy.

• Establish best practice governance mechanisms for assuring effective ESG management.

• Establish management systems for achieving strategic performance outcomes.

• Report on sustainability and ESG in a strategic context that is relevant to stakeholders and enhances credibility and recognition.

CCS Strategies can provide insight and expertise to evolve your strategy to address specific issues or work with you to develop a durable platform for beginning the journey.

CAPABILITIES

• Material Sustainability Issues - Identification and analysis of material sustainability issues, based on the organization’s direct and indirect relationship with stakeholders, the environment, and the economy; evaluation of current issues and emerging trends; and development of actionable strategies for addressing them. Perform benchmarking analysis to identify issues, how peers are responding, and best practices.

• Stakeholder Engagement – Identification of key stakeholders, analysis of their interests, and planning and facilitation of stakeholder engagements, including investors, NGOs, customers, communities, employees, and others.

• Investor Relations – Development of ESG strategies and communications for proactively engaging investors and ratings firms, including ISS, MSCI, Moody’s, and Sustainalytics.

• Board Support – Advise Boards on current and emerging sustainability trends, their relevance to the organization and provide strategic context for addressing current and emerging issues.

• Governance and Management – Development of governance models, management systems and structures for efficiently and effectively governing a dynamic sustainability strategy and managing ESG performance.

• Climate Strategies – Development of strategies for responding to climate change, including mitigation, resiliency, and transition aspects. Facilitating GHG emissions reduction goal setting and maintaining verifiable GHG inventories. Ensuring reporting alignment with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommended guidance.

• Sustainability Reporting – Development of sustainability report content in conformance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), TCFD and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), impactfully addressing the key sustainability issues to effectively position the organization’s strategy, management, performance and commitments and address areas of risk.

• Sustainability Surveys and Ratings – Development of targeted responses to sustainability surveys including the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, CDP Investors, CDP Water and CDP Supply Chain surveys and the EEI/AGA Sustainability Template, to maximize scoring and recognition.