EY Sustainability Matters

In this episode of the EY Sustainability Matters Podcast, host Bruno Sarda discusses with Mary de Wysocki, Chief Sustainability Officer at Cisco, how companies can leverage technology for a more sustainable future. The intersection between business, technology and sustainability is accelerating, with companies increasingly digitizing their operations. This can significantly reduce waste, energy and materials required to deliver products and services. However, de Wysocki warns that if digital transformation is not done in a sustainable manner, it could have a damaging effect on our planet due to the large energy needs of cloud service providers and data farms. Companies need to integrate sustainability into their digital transformation strategies and harness the value of data to drive these initiatives. De Wysocki also emphasizes the importance of deploying emerging technologies like Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation responsibly, considering the social dimensions such as ethics, privacy information, security, digital equity and human rights. Cisco is already embedding sustainability into its operations and moving towards a regenerative, green future. They have set three priorities in its environmental strategy - accelerating the transition to clean energy, evolving the business from linear to circular, and investing in resilient ecosystems. Cisco is also working on developing a data strategy to create consistent sustainability data across the enterprise, with rigorous reviews to ensure reliability and trust. De Wysocki concludes by highlighting the importance of partnerships and collaboration for achieving sustainability goals and emphasizes the need for inclusivity and a healthy planet for future generations. Key takeaways include: Digital technologies, like AI and automation, have the potential to transform the environmental impact of companies, reducing waste and lowering energy use. There are environmental impact risks posed by intensive energy users like the Information and Communications Technology sector and cloud service providers if not powered by clean energy. Sustainability needs to be integral to business strategy, with an emphasis on a “regenerative future”. Challenges include managing greenhouse gas emissions, addressing digital equity issues and appreciating the role of nature-based solutions in mitigating climate change. Companies should increase their commitment to transparency and accountability, and look to create partnerships in their value chain. © 2024 Ernst & Young LLP

Amy Brachio, EY Global Vice Chair for Sustainability, and Matt Bell, EY Global Climate Change and Sustainability Services Leader, discuss the upcoming COP28 and the importance of the Global Stocktake. They emphasize the need for cross-sector collaboration, the representation of all stakeholders, and the urgency for climate action. The podcast also highlights the impact of climate change on people's lives, the role of businesses in driving the transition to a low-carbon economy, and the importance of regulation, transparency, and accountability. By the end, the guests express hope for positive outcomes and cross-sector collaborations at COP28.

Alberto Carrillo Pineda, cofounder and CTO of the SBTi, along with Rob Bradley and Miranda Nayyar from EY, discuss the importance of setting science-based emission reduction targets. They highlight the challenges companies face in data collection and achieving set targets, as well as the progress and ambition of companies in setting and implementing these targets. They also touch on improving data collection practices, transparency, and the challenges of establishing standards and norms in the sustainability space.

The necessary transition away from fossil fuels toward clean energy can be extremely disruptive for people and communities reliant on fossil fuel plants and mines for jobs. How can the power generators support these communities and achieve a just transition to a cleaner energy future? In the latest episode of the Sustainability Matters podcast, host Bruno Sarda, Principal at Ernst & Young LLP and Shannon Roberts, CCaSS Power and Utilities Leader at Ernst & Young LLP, interview Sandy Nessing, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at American Electric Power (AEP) about how the company is developing a new model for a just energy transition.  Nessing points out that the current economy is heavily fossil fuel-dependent, so the green energy transition has to be implemented thoughtfully to avoid severe social and economic risks. People reliant on the plants and communities built around them should be considered when driving the energy transition. Nessing shares an example of AEP’s Pirkey Plant in the US, in the process of being decommissioned. She gives listeners insights into how AEP created a transition task force and engaged with community leaders to help mitigate the impact on the local people. Both Roberts and Nessing agree that power plants form their own unique social and economic ecosystems, and a proper, just transition requires thoughtful intention and may take a long time. Hence the importance of early planning, including engagement and collaboration with communities, and retaining and leveraging partnerships with stakeholders in the company’s value chain. Key takeaways include: The transition to cleaner power generation should involve supporting communities dependent on the fossil fuel industry. Green energy transition impacts people not just in the industry itself, but also those in the supply chain and regional economy. Engaging with leaders from every area of the community is vital: from local politicians to school superintendents. The top priority of a just transition should be to keep people, taxes and jobs within the same region. Planning ahead is vital to allow time for a proper just transition in full collaboration with local communities. © 2023 Ernst & Young LLP

Each year, the world produces 300 million tons of plastics, however, just 20% of it ends up back for recycling, with even less actually getting recycled. As plastics are an important part of improving the quality of life for a growing population and aren’t going anywhere, how can we solve the plastics crisis with circular solutions? And how can major plastics companies play a leading role in the solution? In the latest episode of the Sustainability Matters podcast, we look specifically at the case of Eastman Chemical Company’s commitment and investment in circular solutions to help address the plastics crisis. Host, Bruno Sarda, and Velislava Ivanova, EY Americas Chief Sustainability Officer, and Climate Change and Sustainability Services Leader, are joined by Brad Lich, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Eastman, to discuss Eastman’s innovative approach to closing the plastics value chain loop. Lich begins the discussion by explaining why circularity is a core part of Eastman’s business strategy and what it means to their business. He explains the importance of recycling in closing the loop in the value chain, focusing on molecular recycling and how it complements traditional mechanical recycling. Lich stresses that the innovation to solve the plastics and recycling problem isn’t decades away, it is happening today through these circular and innovative solutions. Lich and Ivanova discuss how no single company or industry can find solutions to the plastic pollution crisis on their own. The key for any industry wishing to move toward a circular model is to develop collaborations and partnerships. Key takeaways include: Adopting circular production is key to managing waste and tackling climate change. Innovation to make plastics truly circular isn’t decades away, it is happening today. Demand for circular solutions in the plastics industry is rising, as customers push for greener products. Molecular recycling complements traditional mechanical recycling by addressing its shortcomings and avoiding end-of-life. New innovative recycling technologies lower greenhouse gas impact in comparison to traditional processes. Collaboration and co-innovation among companies, NGOs and regulators is essential to drive investments and find solutions. No company can do it alone. © 2023 Ernst & Young LLP

There are various decarbonization frameworks designed for heavy industries, but what about the less obvious emitters like the service sector?  How can they standardize emissions measurement and set out on the road to decarbonization? In this episode of Sustainability Matters, we look specifically at the advertising and media sector and the challenges companies have faced in decarbonizing their supply chains. Host Bruno Sarda and EY CCaSS Senior Manager Charlotte Pugh are joined by Ollie Joyce and Alexandra McGee from marketing services leader WPP, which is at the forefront of efforts to establish an industry-wide carbon measurement framework.  Ollie and Alexandra explain how developing a standardized approach to measuring carbon emissions is a complex but necessary step for the media industry to achieve ambitious net-zero targets.  They discuss how WPP’s proposed global framework for measuring the ad-based carbon emissions and their media decarbonization coalition seek to create alignment with industry players. Ollie and Alexandra discuss how media placement generates a significant carbon footprint and clients are questioning the emissions of the platforms they appear on. While emissions will never be the sole factor in media placement decision-making, the guests think that media investment will shift to publishers and platforms that decarbonize fastest. This has business advantages, as greater transparency may improve the media environment and deliver lower emissions. Finally, Ollie and Alexandra talk about the lessons other industries that lack a standardized approach to decarbonization can learn from the media industry’s experience, and how real change can be achieved from incremental gains. Key takeaways include: There is a new resolve within the advertising industry to reduce its carbon footprint. Existing GHG protocols can be difficult to interpret for the service sector and this complexity in measurement creates a roadblock for action. Industry-wide collaboration is key to establishing standardized emissions measurement in complex service sector value chains, such as the media sector. Emissions data is becoming an increasingly important factor in media placement decisions. Making carbon a factor in media decisions may reduce waste in the media supply chain and improve the media environment. Decarbonization efforts can correlate to business and workforce benefits. © 2023 Ernst & Young LLP

The current global nonfinancial disclosures landscape is highly fragmented with a variety of different bodies evolving reporting frameworks. Will the new ISSB standards accelerate their convergence into mandatory globally accepted ESG reporting standards? In the final episode of the miniseries on disclosures, host Bruno Sarda is joined by Terence Jeyararetnam, EY Asia-Pacific Leader and Partner, Climate Change and Sustainability Services at Ernst & Young (the Partnership), and a member of the ISSB’s Technical Reference Group. The discussion begins with the analysis of the different frameworks already in existence from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and others. Many businesses have already adopted these, but there is pressure from regulators, investors and other stakeholders for frameworks to be standardized and mandated. Voluntary reporting is not taking businesses far enough to reduce their impact on climate and nature. The ISSB has an important role in accelerating this, and the hosts discuss whether the aggressive timeline for introducing the ISSB standards is realistic, what resistance is likely and what the prospects are for global acceptance. They also talk about how the new standards from the US SEC and the EU CSRD frameworks will fall into the picture. Companies should prepare for a potential new reality, where ESG reporting could be as rigorous and mandated as financial reporting. Bruno and Terence discuss the need for culture change and the key role of the CFO in gathering and managing the ESG data. © 2023 Ernst & Young LLP

Marine de Bazelaire, Group Advisor on Natural Capital, HSBC, and Alexis Gazzo, Leader, Climate Change and Sustainability Services in France at EY & Associés, discuss the urgent need to tackle biodiversity loss and the role of Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). They highlight the importance of transparent natural capital disclosures to achieve global biodiversity targets. They also talk about the TNFD framework, engagement of financial institutions, and HSBC's preparation for future nature-based disclosures.

In the first of a series of three Sustainability Matters podcasts dealing with ESG disclosures worldwide, we put the spotlight on Europe and the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD for short). Bruno Sarda is joined by Dr. Christian Orth, EY Global Solution Leader for Sustainability Reporting and Assurance, and Elodie Timmermans, EY Americas Nonfinancial Reporting Assurance and Advisory Leader, who looks at the implications for businesses in North America. What is the CSRD and what is it trying to achieve? Christian guides us through the many acronyms involved and gives his insight into the evolution of ESG disclosures in Europe. The new directive is a vital component of the European Green Deal which seeks to make the EU the world’s first carbon-neutral trading block. The guests discuss the huge increase in the number of businesses that will be affected and the compliance timelines. The CSRD won’t only affect European enterprise. Elodie outlines implications for non-EU businesses that have subsidiaries or operations in the EU. The guests also discuss how the CSRD aligns with other global initiatives such as the ISSB and SEC. Businesses will need to prepare for a new age of sustainability disclosures. ESG reporting will not simply be the domain of the Chief Sustainability Officer, but the entire enterprise will need to become aligned to sustainability goals and disclosures. Implementation will have a major impact on operations and the time to set up steering committees and working groups is now. Key takeaways The CSRD is an important part of delivering the European Green Deal - the journey to a carbon-neutral Europe. It encompasses not just climate change but broader Environmental, Social and Governance metrics. It will dramatically increase the number of businesses who are subject to mandatory ESG disclosures from 15,000 to over 50,000. CSRD will impact non-EU companies, called Third-country companies, that have substantial activity in the EU. Businesses should prepare now, aligning finance and sustainability teams and involve the C-suite. Successful reporting needs a holistic approach that involves the entire organization. © 2023 Ernst & Young LLP

The COP27 climate conference in Egypt was billed as 'The African COP' with the promise that it would give a voice to the developing world as it wrestles with climate change. Did the conference succeed and has it found a way ahead that addresses the differing agendas of the world's developing nations?   Fresh from the conference, Clémence McNulty, Ernst & Young Advisory Services (Pty) Ltd, Africa Sustainability Lead, and Ricardo Assumpção, Ernst & Young Assessoria Empresarial Ltda, Latin America South ESG Leader, join Bruno Sarda to discuss the successes and shortcomings of the conference for their regions.   From an African perspective, Clemence discussed the importance of the private sector’s participation but that the solutions need to be localized, with local municipalities and governments playing a key role.  For Latin America, Ricardo noted how COP27 was important in highlighting the unique assets Latin America has to create more value and the great potential of the carbon markets.  All agreed that the world is increasingly looking to the Global South to take a fuller part in the debate and play a more prominent role. Even with potentially imperfect outcomes, COP27 has further driven conversation and understanding of what needs to be achieved by all parties involved.  Key takeaways The Loss and Damage Fund is an important step forward in addressing the disparity between northern and southern hemisphere resources.  The private sector is likely to provide more and more financial and technological solutions. This was reflected in their presence at COP27.  Blended finance from both the public and private sector is key for addressing the Just Transition and closing the funding gap.  COP27 restated the connection between climate change and biodiversity, emphasizing the importance of the rainforest.    © 2022 Ernst & Young LLP