Five sustainability trends to watch for

Effective management of sustainability issues is increasingly seen as a competitive advantage.

For companies today, it is no longer enough to focus only on delivering profits and creating value for shareholders, they also need to show that they are making a difference to the environment and society.  As demand for business to demonstrate its sustainability credentials grows, companies are being held accountable by consumers, investors, regulators and other stakeholders and face reputational damage or legal liabilities if they fail to appropriately manage environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.  

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), the corporate insurance carrier of Allianz SE, has identified five key trends that will impact businesses’ ESG footprint in 2020 and beyond.  Effective management of sustainability issues is increasingly seen as a competitive advantage.

Address climate change in business strategy

Combatting climate change is the key challenge of the coming decade.  It is already affecting businesses in many ways, such as an increase in physical losses from more severe weather events or potential market and regulatory impacts such as carbon-emissions offsetting.  There are also litigation risks as climate change cases targeting ‘carbon majors’ have already been brought in 30 countries around the world, with most cases filed in the US.

Many companies are now taking action by committing to become carbon-neutral and joining international de-carbonization initiatives. Allianz estimates that responding to the challenges posed by climate change could cost companies worldwide as much US$2.5 trillion over the next 10 years.  However, it can also provide new business opportunities, such as renewable energy production methods, CO2 capture, storage and removal or battery production. 

Prevent human right violations in supply chains

Human exploitation can take on many forms in the business environment – forced labor, child labor or insufficient labor standards – and it can be difficult to detect in today’s global supply chains.  It is estimated that around 40 million people are trapped in modern slavery globally. Industries such as textiles, food and agriculture, electronics, sports, construction, or hospitality have been connected to modern slavery, although all sectors are vulnerable.

More enforcement in the area of human rights and holding directors responsible for transparency in supply chains is gaining traction. Corporations that fail to take appropriate steps to eliminate human exploitation from their supply chains could face shareholder derivative suits, more directors and officers (D&O) claims and reputational risks.

Businesses need to consider that they are responsible for assessing and policing their supply chains.  Companies should hold vendors and suppliers contractually accountable to fair wages and working hours and humane treatment before doing business.  By implementing the right checks and balances to address violations, companies can be compliant and forthright to customers, vendors, suppliers and investors. 

Governance issues continue to demand business diligence

Businesses and their directors are under increasing pressure to maintain sound corporate governance, as more investors, in evaluating a company, hold it up to ESG standards.  Acts of corporate misconduct such as bribery or corruption, inadequate handling of data privacy, financial misconduct and money-laundering have all made headlines in recent years.

The prospects of a company are greatly enhanced if it treats its employees right, operates ethically, is fully compliant, avoids reputational risks and earns most of its revenues from sustainable activities.  Having inclusive institutional structures in place for multi-stakeholder dialogue and cooperation is essential to ensuring good governance and compliance practices.  Good governance relates to systems that enable and ensure accountability, transparency, legitimacy, public participation, justice and efficiency.

Ensure access to fresh water for communities

Agribusiness and farmers, thermal power plants, textiles and garment manufacturers, meat processers, beverage manufacturers, mining and automotive manufacturers are some of the most water-intensive sectors demanding abundant, safe water but how companies treat such resources is coming under increasing scrutiny.  Today, more than ever, companies are expected to protect water resources, prevent pollution and reduce their consumption through modern water management practices. 

Protect biodiversity and finite resources

Oceans full of plastic waste, species extinction and severe land degradation due to storm, drought or increasing industrialization, as demonstrated in the felling of the Amazon rainforest, are just some of the most obvious examples of the deterioration of the planet.  Sustainable consumption practices can slow future biodiversity loss.  In response a growing number of companies are adopting so-called “circular economy” strategies with the aim of no longer allowing products to become waste after their use. 

Instead, they are reintroduced into the production cycle as secondary raw materials.  Products made of secondary materials range from leftover food to building materials from scrap tires.  Many consumer goods companies launch take-back and recycle programs or reprocess used materials for usage beyond their own products.

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