ESG Risk Assessments & Insights’ Post

Our latest briefing note with the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment - University of Oxford on Reducing Uncertainty in Corporate Water Impact: The Role of Results-Based Contracting for Drinking Water Supply is now live. This note outlines how RBC's provide a simple and cost-effective way for corporates to fulfil their commitments to ESG, CSR, SDG6, water stewardship and other categories at scale with transparent outcomes and reduced risk. Read the full briefing note here: https://lnkd.in/egX4bwmx

The Uptime group has released another impressive working paper. Although it's primarily aimed at corporate donors, the concept of results-based WASH funding can be beneficial for a wide range of funders seeking verifiable impact. Here are some key points that I find particularly valuable from a corporate foundation standpoint: 1. Results-based funding emphasizes the importance of continuous water service delivery. Many WASH funders tend to concentrate solely on the initial provision of water and infrastructure. However, maintaining a water service over time necessitates a comprehensive system strengthening approach, infrastructure built to meet specific standards, efficient operation and maintenance, and financially viable business models supported by water user fees. By funding the outcome, we can more effectively incentivize the essential components required for long-term sustainability. 2. Results-based funding mitigates investment risks. Last-mile WASH programs carry inherent risks, and we've all witnessed water programs that have failed shortly after their completion. With results-based funding, funds are only disbursed once the water has been delivered. Moreover, the Uptime model conducts thorough evaluations of the water service providers before entering contracts and they routinely audit performance. 3. Results-based funding aligns more closely with annual financial cycles. As water service performance is assessed on a monthly and quarterly basis, it aligns the impact with annual grant funding and contractual limitations. This is not the case with funding new water projects, which rarely fit neatly into a 12-month timeframe due to implementation schedules and the critical local community development and engagement activities.

The first step is to change vocabulary. We need to be specific regarding which items to be labeled as waste and which as byproducts. Life-cycle analysis started almost 50 years ago, and yet the education industry has not generated a subject for end-of-life product assessment. The subject of recycling, reuse, and repurposing can not be an alternative subject. Behavioral modification is required on every level, and waste-production synergies need to be identified for enhanced outcomes.

In the previous presentation, I tried to give some insight into what is ESG and what are the pillars of ESG. The pillars of ESG are Environmental, Social and Governance. Let us try to understand the 1st pillar of ESG in some detail. So the E in ESG stands for Environment. It encompasses environmental impact by the organization on the natural world. Some of them are enumerated below: 1. Electricity and Water Usage 2. Greenhouse Emissions 3. Pollution 4. Waste Management 5. Land use  6. Treatment of Hazardous Material The companies need to measure their performance with respect to the above parameters and think about the steps to be taken for improving the performance if not found satisfactory.

82% of UK consumers believe that businesses have a responsibility to protect the environment. How does your current planning for waste management contribute to your ESG goals? If you'd like to be doing more, speak to our team today to book a waste review. https://lnkd.in/eM4mFrj7 #ESG #SustainableWaste

🚰💡 #WaterRisk : Understanding its significance for the corporate sustainability community 🌍📉 While #water is a relatively inexpensive resource in most countries, especially when compared to energy, unexpected situations like water #pollution, #scarcity, or #flooding issues can significantly impact business revenue. 💰💦 Corporate Sustainability Managers play a key role in ensuring and #reporting (both internally and externally) that their organization understands the #WaterRisks they are exposed to, and have a plan in place to mitigate them. To accomplish this, water data collection, water expertise, and close collaboration with facility managers is required. What types of #WaterRisk do Corporate Sustainability Managers typically assess across facilities? 💧Physical Risks: Including scarcity, quality, and flooding risks 📑 Regulatory Risks: Related to compliance with permits and regulations 👥 Reputational Risks: Associated with public perception and media scrutiny ⛩️ Infrastracture Risks: Tied to the availability and vulnerability of water infrastructure 💰 Economic Risk: When access to quality water is limited not because of lack of water but due to economic mismanagement, underinvestment, and/or corruption Depending on the industry and the specific regions in which a company operates, some #WaterRisks may be more relevant than others. 🔍 📖 Curious about how #technology is helping Corporate Sustainability Managers understand and report #WaterRisk? Explore more on our blog: https://lnkd.in/dyQu69QX #WaterRisk #Sustainability #BusinessResilience #Reporting

High-Quality Carbon Credit.   High quality carbon credit is the credit that comes without harming Social and Environmental aspects, in my view. It simply means improving climate with minimal losses and damage to the environment. Conservation of natural resources and improving nature by restoration should be the priority to get the high-quality carbon credit.   Prioritizing credit forms would completely depend on the government’s current Policies, Industry practices, Market demand and Economy of scale. In my independent view, REMOVAL of carbon credits would be the priority One, as there are some solutions available in the market for carbon direct and indirect capture. Through its not that cost effective but is useful to capture carbon and convert to usable chemicals and products. Second priority could be REDUCTION, as reducing GHG is practical and attainable. We only need to make good business cases with good engineering to limit the usage and capture the same. AVOIDANCE in my view could be the last resort, as it is easy to do thing and sometime misunderstood to stop the business / reduce the business capacity. All in all, we can opt for good combination of all 3 strategies, industry to industry, to fit to the economy of scale and be on the goals, what has been set by industries. More thoughts, #compliance #safety #EHS #management #sustainability #environment #carboncredit #carboncapture #sdg #ceo

In today’s manufacturing landscape, water supply limitations, an increase in water charges and stringent #environmental regulations are pressing concerns for industries worldwide. These challenges are driving the adoption of #sustainable practices, including exploration into new, more environmentally friendly wastewater treatment solutions. With water shortage fears growing across the #UK, companies are re-examining their production processes with a view to reduce the waste of this valuable global resource. 👉 Continue reading here https://bit.ly/46B4DHI 

Over 80% of the world’s wastewater flows back into the environment without treatment or being reused. Chemicals and industrial waste in untreated wastewater could contaminate water sources, impacting public health and ecosystems. Under PCM ESG Objective 3 (Measuring Positive Change and Impact), we reinforce companies that implement robust water management practices.   Click the link to access the full article:https://lnkd.in/guHHprTu #SDG6 #Water #SustainableInvesting

According to new research released by CDP across over 3,000 companies the collective risk is losing $77bn by mid-century due to water-related #risks. 10% ($7.7bn) is IMMEDIATE! However, over 50% of the companies are unable to confirm that they are engaging their suppliers on the issues and risks around water stewardship. CDP’s Global Head of Water Patricia Calderon said (according to edie): “The data is telling us our water supplies are becoming ever more fragile and the financial toll is mounting up”. Risk will result not only from lost sales but reputational damage. This is why I often speak at event or to clients about the risk of carbon tunnel vision. There are so many other supply chain risks, and companies must adapt or die. And we’ll be discussing this tension between Net Zero and other environmental impacts next month at Innovation Zero, London. Register for Free before 31st March (link is in the comments below) https://lnkd.in/ezCiCSJj