Companies’ long-term financial success is closely linked to how they are integrated into society and the environment. Climate change, calls to observe human rights, digitalization and other megatrends demand a holistic management approach as well as transparency with respect to a company’s own performance.

Emerging changes in investor behavior, additional regulation to restructure financial flows, opportunities opened up by digitalization as well as the influence of new media on companies’ reputations are increasing the importance of ESG factors on an ongoing basis. Enterprises must embrace an open, transparent approach toward communication to satisfy clients', investors', suppliers' and supervisory authorities' expectations.

How to create trust?

Growing visibility of the link between social, environmental and economic successes as well as of how these are factored into investment decisions and the non-financial performance aspects of compensation systems goes hand in hand with an increase in the importance of the quality and reliability of underlying processes, control systems and performance indicators. For board members and senior management, this increasingly raises the question of how this kind of content should be incorporated into the existing assurance concept, what constitutes an appropriate audit depth and which characteristics an audit should have.

Our services

Our team of specialists draws on our expertise in the area of sustainability as well as our experience in investor relations and corporate reporting to provide you with all-round support:

• Sustainability reporting: We help you identify the relevant performance indicators for your stakeholder groups and prepare a trustworthy report in accordance with one of the applicable standards (GRI, SASB, IIRC, etc.). That also includes developing corresponding measurement processes and governance structures.
• Assurance/audit services: Independent audits are increasingly becoming a basic requirement. Our audit establishes confidence among the various recipients and shows you ways of optimizing your processes and control mechanisms in the long term.
• Green bonds: Green bonds are being used to finance specific projects and initiatives with growing frequency. We show you which aspects need to be taken into consideration in order to secure green or socially responsible financing.
• Human rights and corporate responsibility: Companies are under growing pressure to identify human rights violations that have occurred in connection with their business activities and to take appropriate measures. We help you identify risks, develop strategies and policies and prepare a report detailing these efforts and their results.
  

Further information

Human rights (PDF, in German)
Sustainability reporting (PDF, in German)
Clarity on Sustainable Finance
Towards net zero report (PDF)
The time has come – KPMG Survey of Sustainability Reporting 2020 (PDF)