As we gratefully welcome 2021 this month, the ADEC ESG Solutions team is taking a look back on 2020. How did we grow and change as a company and as a team? Who inspired us this year? How have attitudes on ESG, sustainability, and resiliency evolved in the wake of 2020?
A Spotlight on Resilience
In keeping with the overarching theme of the year, reporting and disclosing ESG information posed new challenges in 2020. Many organizations saw reduced staff, limited access to data, and other factors impact their ability to detail success.
We know that transparency, risk mitigation, compliance, and disclosure are vital from a climate resiliency standpoint, as well as an overall business continuity perspective. In response, our team hosted How To Respond to CDP During Times of Global Crisis, a webinar to help guide companies disclosing to CDP in the midst of new challenges.
We highlighted useful resources, offered tips on dealing with data and resource gaps, and encouraged the audience to be proactive in communicating risk management strategies and supply chain resilience in a time of high risk and supply chain instability. Our clients prioritized disclosure and they excelled, with 90% earning a Management B or better from CDP, and 76% earning a Leadership score.
Following the premise that, in times of crisis, companies with a strong emphasis on ESG outperform those without, ESG Roadmap to Resilience: How To Innovate and Thrive During a Global Crisis reviewed the value of a strategic outlook on ESG in building operational resilience and inspiring confidence among investors and other stakeholders. We explored key factors to consider:
- Does your organization know where it is on its Sustainability Journey?
- Do you have a robust roadmap toward your overall goals?
- What are some steps to take to create your own roadmap to resilience?
We also worked with some incredible clients this year, each one showing us that there is no single way to forge new pathways to a more sustainable business. Here’s a preview into some of the projects we both led and supported this year:
- Our team assisted a global pharmaceutical company in aligning their existing strategy with carbon neutral goals through transitional opportunities, system enhancements, tracking, and monitoring.
- We provided target-setting and scenario-planning support to a leading real estate investment company, focusing on science-based targets and the TCFD guidelines to evaluate risks and opportunities.
- Our team worked closely with an international supply chain and logistics company to develop an ocean enhancements framework and forests strategy to guide their biodiversity investments and commitment to the UN SDGs.
- A U.S.-based beverage company reached out, and we answered the call—our work with them included the development of their ESG program through CDP disclosure consulting, GHG inventory services, and a CSR report.
Bridging the Gap Between Public and Private
“There is a need to bridge the communication gap between governments, multilateral organizations, the private sector, and society to ultimately achieve sustainable development.”
–Jim Donovan, ADEC Innovations, CEO
For climate action to have the biggest impact, it is vital for public and private organizations to collaborate, working together to build sustainable systems and support communities. ADEC Innovations CEO Jim Donovan spoke at the 10th Session of the World Urban Forum in February, emphasizing the important role that people-first public-private partnerships play in sustainable development and building safe, sustainable cities.
Pioneers in public climate action, Prairie Village Mayor Eric Mikkelson, and representatives from Climate Action Kansas City joined our team for a two-part webinar series focusing on ESG in the public and private sphere. These groups are making waves in the climate action space, and their work inspires us to help more companies, municipalities, and other organizations do the same. The webinars, Resilient Cities and Private Sector Resiliency: ESG Insights and Opportunities, drew from the unique experience of these partners and answered some very important questions:
- Why should municipalities care about ESG?
- How are local (and global) companies incorporating ESG into their strategies and policies, and what benefits are they seeing?
- How are municipalities and the private sector seeing the benefits of working together on sustainability?
Putting Employees First: Inclusivity, Health, and Safety
Like many organizations across the globe, ADEC ESG Solutions had to undergo significant changes in the wake of COVID-19. At this time, all employees are working from home in order to ensure staff health and safety and to comply with recommended health guidelines.
Throughout, we’ve worked to improve internal communication and support, seeking to promote a work-life balance for all employees and remind ourselves that we’re all a team, we’re all working hard, and we’re all human. While we may not be able to give high-fives and handshakes to celebrate our achievements, or indulge in team cake and coffee on birthdays, we’re embracing online solutions to continue to share accomplishments, laughs, DIY projects, and our new feline and canine “coworkers.”
In addition to addressing the physical and mental health and well-being of our staff throughout the pandemic, we created the FCS Culture and Diversity Committee to help build a strong collaborative culture across internal platforms, policies, resources, and events.
We’ve heard the voices of the staggering number of working parents who have had to change their employment situation, reduce their hours, or leave the workforce altogether due to the pandemic. In response, we proactively initiated a roundtable discussion with working parents to help support and encourage their careers and position them for growth.
Partners in Sustainability
ADEC ESG takes pride in serving as a resource for all organizations who focus on or are moving towards a focus on sustainability and resiliency. With a library of material to support your efforts and a dedicated team here to help you on your Sustainability Journey, we’re excited and honored to work with partners in every industry who are changing the world every day.
A look back on 2020 reveals a mixed bag of emotions for many: heartache and hardship, growth and learning, and challenges and new perspectives. While reflecting on the past year, the ADEC ESG Solutions team also looks forward—to continuing to help our clients, partners, and employees build resilience and sustainability for the future.
ADEC ESG Solutions is a leading provider of ESG solutions, including fully-integrated industry expertise, software solutions, and data management.
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