ESG Standards and Guidance – Greenwashing or a Positive Principled Approach?

ESG Standards and Guidance – Greenwashing or a Positive Principled Approach?
Introducing the new ISO guidance document on implementing principles for environmental, social, governance (ESG)

This webinar introduces the ISO International Workshop Agreement document IWA 48 ESG implementation principles and how environmental and social issues and activities, along with organizational governance, can benefit organizations and society alike.

Much emphasis has been placed on ESG over the last few years from investors, clients, customers, politicians, governments and non-governmental organizations. However, as environmental, social and governance develops over the next few years, the seed has been sown that corporate responsibility has to include the impacts on and from an organization – internally, external to the organization and more broadly as part of a planetary ecosystem.

With this understanding, the process of understanding, considering and acting on interested party’s needs and requirements relevant to the organization, including their influence on the organization are fundamental to good governance.

By integrating ESG, through the ISO IWA 48 implementation principles, into the DNA of an organization, ESG reporting (or statements) and disclosure become a vehicle for communicating the journey the organization is taking, rather than a tick-box exercise that is a chore.  The benefits of embedding ESG into the organization, if carried out diligently, can also improve the understanding the organization has of its impacts, risks and opportunities, the threats it may face from external influences and can enable implementation strategies and action plans that navigate the organization’s ESG maturity.

Who Should Attend?

• Anyone that has an interest in how organizations can manage impacts on the environment and social structures
• Those considering impacts that need to be considered from external influences and impacts
• Those looking to understand how confidence and trust in environmental and social impacts can be demonstrated by organizations and their supply chain
• Those with limited resources, experience and understanding of ESG

Key Takeaways

• Embedding ESG into the organizational DNA, however, mature the organization’s ESG journey is
• Understanding the benefits of not just implementing ESG as a reporting and declaration requirement
• How to integrate the ESG implementation principles into an organizational setting.
• Understanding the ISO standards that may support ESG claims
• The webinar will include information for both voluntary and mandated reporting and disclosure

Presenter: Gideon Richards

Gideon Richards has been involved with standards development for over 23 years, as both committee member, convener and chair of various BSI, ISO and CEN committees.
 
In the UK, Gideon chairs the BSI Conformity Assessment Policy Committee (SPSC/CAPC) and was the chair of the Solid Biofuels and Solid recovered material mirror committees for many years. Gideon also convenes Task Group 1 Stakeholder Engagement in ISO’s ESG Coordination Committee.
 
As lead technical editor of the ISO International Workshop Agreement – IWA 48 ESG Implementation Principles, Gideon has used his experience as a sustainability consultant in Consulting With Purpose Ltd. and director of SMEs and not-for-profits to ensure as broad a range of organizations can benefit from and integrate ESG into the organizational culture.
 
Gideon has also 20 year’s experience of working with government departments and industry sectors, especially the renewable energy sector.  Gideon spent ten 10 years managing the Microgeneration Certificate Scheme in the UK – a government / industry certification scheme linked to feed-in tariffs and the UK Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).