FINAL WORD
Cathy Mauzaize , President EMEA , ServiceNow
ESG dashboards
Measuring success in ESG is difficult , to say the least . That is due in part to the problems faced by ESG managers in simply defining what success looks like to their organisation . ESG classically starts by listing commitments .
Perhaps an enterprise aims to be carbon neutral or net-zero by a given date , or to reduce its emissions by a certain amount per year . To deliver on these pledges is to examine all processes and determine which can be adjusted to contribute to the end goals . A control tower approach allows these investigations to bear fruit more readily .
to acquire more . It is a cycle . A mature , digitalskills talent pool , nurtured appropriately , is a sound foundation for implementing sustainable , socially responsible policies that give the organisation an advantage in hiring more people with digital skills .
With the right technology , the entire value chain from internal processes to those of suppliers and partners can be analysed to identify what emissions occur , Scope 1 , 2 or 3 . Only with complete visibility from the control tower can an organisation make meaningful progress .
With the right information , ESG managers and other stakeholders can collaborate on which areas can be targeted for effective improvement . And they can simultaneously lay the groundwork for enhanced governance and compliance .
Key takeaways
• With the right technology , the entire value chain from internal processes to those of suppliers and partners can be analysed .
• With complete visibility from the control tower an organisation can make meaningful progress .
• A mature , digital-skills talent pool , is a foundation for implementing sustainable , responsible policies .
• In a fragile global economy , how do we choose wisely from the many potential areas for investment ? And how do we solve problems of measurement to demonstrate progress ?
• ESG will mean something different for each enterprise , based on the nature , maturity , scope of operations .
• Digital natives that make up majority of modern workforces are more invested in sustainability issues than any generation that has preceded them .
• Measuring success in ESG is difficult , and that is due in part to the problems faced by ESG managers in simply defining what success looks like .
• The current talent pool is brimming with passionate young professionals who expect their employer to align with their values .
• Because ESG is now a part of the jurisdiction of regulators , there will continue to be rapid movement in the rulebooks .
• As goalposts continue to shift , the skill sets required to put the ball between them will also change .
• ESG stakeholders must be agile , with a plan in place to reskill and reconfigure operations .
• Innovation will help , and that is where nurtured talent comes in .
• A staff that knows inner workings of operations and the technology that serves it will be better placed to keep pace with legislation .
This will be important in the face of escalating regulations around ESG , such as the requirement of the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority that companies submit regular sustainability reports . Gone are the days of CSR , which was largely an optional branding tool . ESG is branding necessity and compliance requirement rolled into one .
Agile ESG managers
Because ESG is now so much a part of the jurisdiction of regulators , there will continue to be rapid movement in the rulebooks . As goalposts continue to shift , the skill sets required to put the ball between them will also change .
ESG stakeholders must be agile , with a plan in place to reskill and reconfigure operations at a moment ’ s notice . Innovation will help , and that is where nurtured talent comes in . A staff that knows the inner workings of operations and the technology that serves it will be better placed to tweak the mix and come up with a way to keep pace with the latest introductions to legislation .
The environment and our society are waiting for us to innovate our way to remedies that can be deployed cost-effectively at scale . It is up to us to act on ESG and leave the world a little better than we found it . p
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