ESG Momentum is Building for Small and Mid-Cap Companies - UK Company ESG Review

Oct 2021

Through our work with companies and our ongoing dialogue with many different parties who touch on the ESG debate, we felt there was an information void. There are multiple case studies and insight into how ESG has been implemented by the large, global companies - many of whom identified the importance of ESG a number of years ago and have had the necessary resources to build it into their business models. However, there is very little evidence on how other UK companies, who make up the backbone of our economy and stock market, are dealing with this step change in the relevance of ESG.

The information and stories from larger companies provide an extremely useful roadmap into their ESG journey, but for the vast majority of mid and small-cap companies it is not a fair benchmark with which to gauge their own progress.

In this, our first annual UK Company ESG Review, we conducted research with 35 publicly-listed companies with representatives from the FTSE 100, FTSE 250, FTSE 350 and AIM, operating across multiple sectors. The research was based around in-depth conversations with CEOs, COOs, CFOs, Company Secretaries and senior management with direct responsibility for ESG. The aim was to understand how companies are developing their approach to ESG and their ambitions for the years ahead.

Our intention is to repeat this research each year to enable companies to build a greater understanding of how the influence of ESG is changing over time; the best practices being adopted; and the direction of travel.

This report is for those companies who want to understand how their ESG strategy and programme can be improved. It provides insight into how companies are developing their approach to ESG and their plans and ambitions for the years ahead. We also provide, where appropriate, suggestions as a guide to best practice.

To receive your copy of the report, or to discuss the findings in more detail, please do not hesitate to Contact Us or email info@sifastrategy.com