ESG advisory
Corporations, private equity and investors are recognising that it is no longer only about how a company’s operations impact the environment, its people, and the communities in which it operates, but it's also increasingly about how environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues can materially impact a company’s performance and ultimately, its value.
With the 2020 global health crisis, global population growth, climate change, energy transition, evolving and globally-organised social and community actions on issues such as diversity and race, and ultimately adaption to the next normal, the demand for greater transparency and action around ESG has never been greater.
ESG has rapidly evolved from a perceived nice-to-have proposition to a necessary focus area for most enterprises. The 2020 global health crisis has brought attention to corporate ESG performance and values, with larger global corporations leading on ethical and positive social issues. As companies and funds adapt to the next normal, those with a stronger ESG position are outperforming those without a clear strategy.
SLR has been highly active in the ESG space for over 15 years and offers a package of ESG advisory services developed and evolved through real, 'boots on the ground' experience, focused on what’s next for ESG. We drive value, meaningful impact and critically, quantifiable returns, while maintaining corporate governance, risk management and compliance. SLR’s approach focuses on value-driven risk management actions with quantifiable outcomes at mission-critical assets to fully leverage your ESG position.
No matter where you are on the ESG maturity curve, SLR’s pragmatic business-focused approach is aimed at quickly identifying value and impact, and developing programmes that both exceed stakeholder expectations and drive quantifiable returns.
Our comprehensive ESG toolkit can be deployed to assist you at the corporate, fund and/or portfolio company/business unit level and at all stages of the investment cycle, each approach uniquely tailored to individual commercial needs and value actions.
How can we help?
SLR’s approach is focused on what’s next for ESG. The market is evolving from measurement and disclosure to driving quantifiable value and meaningful impact. Our approach is to identify where the ESG opportunities and potential exist and design a strategy around the ESG value proposition first, rather than the traditional approach of a lengthy benchmarking and measurement exercise at the start. This includes recognising and capturing the ESG value already unlocked within your organisation.
The result is a strategy aligned with your corporate values and investment goals, that will drive the results important to your business.
SLR’s ESG advisory tools cover:
- Strategy and governance
- Policy and framework
- Management tools
- Benchmarking and measurement
- Actions and implementation
- Reporting and disclosure
With a strategy aligned to your business, we can unlock ESG value related to:
- Access to/cost of capital
- Brand and reputation enhancement
- Growth opportunities, including new products, services, or markets
- Margin enhancement, for example by cost reduction through improved operational efficiency
- Improved safety performance and claims reduction
- Reduction in ESG liabilities and mitigation of risks
- Enterprise vulnerability and resilience
- Improved supply chain resilience to risks such as climate change and acute economic stresses
- A future-focused approach to reducing impact on ecosystem
- Other benefits, such as diversity, employee retention, social licence to operate (e.g. community relations, NGOs or union/workforce/supplier actions)
- Driving a higher valuation multiple at exit
Our team includes
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Cory Skuldt
U.S. Head of ESG Strategic Advisory
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Simon Mendum
Financial Sector Leader - US
Simon works in partnership with Financial Sector organisations to deliver ESG Advisory and EHS Transactions Advisory. Simon’s focus is driving EHS and ESG strategies that focus on value-driven actions and opportunities. In ESG and climate change advisory, Simon has successfully developed strategies to enhance and quantify value at mission-critical assets, with positive balance sheet returns. In EHS transactional diligence, Simon has a pragmatic business-issues based approach, to answer the critical questions related to the transaction under consideration, driving at the value consistent with the investment thesis.
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Deniz Whittier
Senior Consultant
Deniz Whittier is a Senior Consultant with expertise in assisting clients with addressing their sustainability reporting needs. Previously using CRM software for commercial and industrial energy efficiency reporting as well as third-party ESG reporting using utility data management software, Deniz brings data management expertise to “E” of ESG. Deniz recently achieved her Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) credential and will be utilising the IFRS-driven standardisation of ESG measurement for guiding businesses looking to understand the sustainability of their practises from a financial materiality standpoint. Deniz brings a range of ESG-related services including GRESB, ISS, MSCI, ENERGY STAR award reporting, applying the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) protocol for GHG emissions calculations, data visualisation, as well as assisting clients in complying with third-party ESG reporting requirements.
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John Turley
Advisory Services Leader - US
John Turley is responsible for SLR’s Advisory and Transaction Service team in the United States. He has led a wide range of due diligence projects in a number of industries. John has a tremendous understanding of the issues encountered by buyers, sellers, and financial institutions involved in due diligence transactions. This understanding allows John to design and manage due diligence projects in a way that provides all participants a mutual understanding of the EH&S issues involved.
