Theses on the importance for companies

ATREUS SUPPORTS COMPANIES WITH ESG

ESG is a game changer. Companies will face real problems in the medium term if they do not yet have a comprehensive sustainability program on their CEO agenda today and do not start implementing it. In discussions with our customers, managers and business partners as well as proven industry experts, we have worked out 12 theses on the importance for companies in Germany and illustrate what is important.

We will show you how you can address the growing challenges in the area of sustainability and ESG – and how Atreus supports top management, especially CEOs and CFOs, in making sustainable action the core of their business model.

12 THESES AT A GLANCE:

1 | ESG becomes imperative

In addition to profitability, sustainable management is becoming the new imperative for every company and plays a decisive role in the decision-making process of all stakeholders (investors, banks, employees, customers, suppliers) and becomes a key factor in action.

2 | Business case with ESG

Economy, ecology and social responsibility are part of the same equation. The business case for companies must be significantly improved through environmental, social and governance (ESG) measures. Subsidies also play a decisive role here.

3 | ESG creates opportunities

Sustainable thinking and action creates opportunities, e.g. through new business models. ESG measures are therefore also drivers of innovation and growth.

4 | Objective of climate neutrality

The objective of climate neutrality is gaining in importance as an overarching goal. Companies from sectors such as retail and services face different ESG risks than energy, steel or chemical companies with a significantly higher transformation complexity and greater dependence on external factors.

5 | Circular “end-to-end” thinking and acting

Circular “end-to-end” thinking and acting is required. The inclusion of the upstream and downstream stages of the value chain (all Scopes 1/2/3) is essential for the effectiveness of measures and requires a high degree of transparency, governance mechanisms and creativity.

6 | A return to regionalisation

Sustainability efforts and disruptions to global supply chains are reinforcing the return to regionalization and localization and thus the changes in global trade. Thus, for example, intercontinental transports are questioned, cost management and prosperity must be re-evaluated in this context.

7 | ESG as a component of investment decisions

Against the backdrop of ESG, business decisions are becoming increasingly complex. ESG criteria and stricter legal requirements must therefore be part of every investment decision and every value creation process.

8 | Equity and loans from an ESG perspective

Corporate values depend more and more on the sustainable orientation of a company. Equity and loans are therefore increasingly being granted from an ESG point of view. This applies to all companies: corporations, family businesses and private equity.

9 | Obligation to report sustainability

The obligation to report sustainability applies to an ever-increasing group of companies. However, there is still no uniform international standard for ESG and sustainability ratings – selecting the right agency can be complex.

10 | The challenge of targeted implementation

The challenge in the ESG environment is not a problem of insight. Much more important is the targeted implementation and financing of the measures.

11 | Authentic management at ESG

Sustainability means future viability and competitiveness and must be on the agenda of the supervisory board and, in particular, on the CEO agenda. A common definition of sustainability measures is relevant for the entire corporate management and must therefore be authentically exemplified by every management member. This is the only way to ensure implementation at all levels and with the involvement of all employees.

12 | Link to incentive systems

Supervisory bodies and the board of directors must ensure that incentive systems for management and the organization are specifically linked to ESG goals.

Jörg Grotendorst, Senior Advisor

ESG premises

The transformation of a company against the background of ESG takes 10 – 20 years and can only succeed if …

there is a clear roadmap
all decisions are geared towards this
the respective progress in terms of ESG is made measurable and communicated
there are clear organisational responsibilities
Incentive systems of top management can be linked to ESG
the culture is fostered with ESG in mind

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