Measuring ESG: why authentic reporting is key

It’s hard to avoid the term ESG at the moment. From the board room to the tea room, everyone wants to know what businesses are doing to meet their environmental, social and governance responsibilities. It’s a key decision-maker for investors – and increasingly a key differentiator for recruitment too.

But how do you demonstrate to both your external and internal shareholders that you are setting credible targets and measuring them effectively? ISO certification can certainly play a part in this.

Recognised worldwide, ISO standards help businesses to show they have adopted and implemented quality management processes and practices. The standards cover a whole raft of subjects: everything from environmental impact and information security to highly technical manufacturing, testing and design specifications.

They are seen as international benchmarks and are often a prerequisite for new business partners or suppliers.

In terms of supporting ESG, there are some obvious candidates such as ISO 14001 on Environmental Management and ISO 50001 on Energy Management, although in reality all ISOs answer to the social and governance aspects by ensuring your business has quality management at its heart.

While ISO standards have a valuable place in supporting ESG, it’s not always clear to businesses how to incorporate these and other ESG measurements into a clear reporting structure. This is where ISO QA’s lead auditor Gemma Stevenson can step in.

Having recently been awarded a Diploma with Distinction in ESG Data, Accounting and Reporting by the Corporate Governance Institute, Gemma has the expertise to assist businesses with assessing and adopting relevant standards and frameworks for climate accounting and broader ESG disclosures both within and outside the ISO framework. This includes aspects such as carbon accounting, materiality matrixes, and the crucial distinction between voluntary and mandatory ESG reporting.

As lead auditor, Gemma is also experienced at guiding businesses through a wide range of ISO standards which enables her to bring a valuable holistic approach to the table.

“In a world where businesses are increasingly facing demands for accountability and transparency, quality ESG reporting can make a huge difference,” she says. “I’m looking forward to helping local businesses get to grips with what is needed and equipping them with the relevant knowledge and metrics to meet their regulatory and reputational requirements.”