This webinar, "Building your Australian Sustainability Roadmap" is a must-watch for Australian companies seeking to develop and implement a robust sustainability strategy. Presented by  Dr. Tim Siegenbeek van Heukelom, Chief Impact Officer at Socialsuite, the webinar provides a clear framework for navigating the evolving landscape of ESG reporting and compliance in Australia.

Key takeaways for building a best practice sustainability roadmap:

• Determine Relevance: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing sustainability initiatives, identify upcoming regulatory requirements like the Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards (ASRS), and perform a materiality assessment to prioritize the ESG topics most relevant to your business.
• Build Internal Support: Educate executives and employees on the strategic importance of sustainability, emphasizing its benefits for accessing capital, attracting talent, and improving brand reputation. Frame the business case for sustainability using a triple-bottom-line approach that highlights its positive impact on people, planet, and profit.
• Set a clear strategy: Define 1-3 focus areas for your sustainability program based on your materiality assessment and compliance obligations. Establish strong ESG governance, including board-level oversight and a cross-functional working group. Set measurable goals and targets aligned with your material topics and consider incorporating sustainability KPIs into executive compensation.
• Take Action: Develop and implement an annual ESG program with clear actions and initiatives tied to your strategic priorities and compliance requirements. Ensure sufficient time and resources are allocated for these actions to have a tangible impact.
• Report Progress: Establish a clear reporting plan that outlines your reporting scope, timelines, and resources. Consider mandatory reporting schemes like ASRS and voluntary frameworks like GRI, SASB, and TCFD. Embrace data-driven disclosures and ensure alignment between your sustainability reporting and financial reporting processes.

By following this roadmap, companies can proactively address sustainability, meet compliance obligations, and gain a competitive advantage.

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Your host

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Tim is Chief Impact Officer at Socialsuite and serves as its domain-expert on ESG and sustainability. In 2020 he designed the company’s ESG-starter solution to help small caps identify, focus, and report on the most significant and urgent sustainability issues relevant to their business and stakeholders. Sustainability and social impact have always been central to Tim’s career, he brings over a decade of sustainability experience driving ESG strategy, programs, and reporting.

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