ESG voices

Sarah Nelson, Global Lead, Nature & Biodiversity at KPMG International, and Camilla Fontenelle, Supervising Consultant, KPMG in Brazil, and Chair of Leaders 2050, discuss the role that women, and local and indigenous communities, have to play in safeguarding nature and biodiversity around the world.

KPMG professionals from the Financial Services Forensic Team at KPMG in the UK explore Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index, a global ranking which scores 180 countries and territories according to their perceived levels of corruption in the public sector.

In this episode Wafa Jafri, Partner, Energy Deal Advisory, KPMG in the UK, and Charlotte Dorrington, Manager, Transformation and Sustainability Advisory, KPMG in Denmark, and Chair of Leaders 2050, discuss a ’just energy transition’ and explore some of the impacts of energy on women.

Dr. Anna van Poucke, Global Head of Healthcare, KPMG International, and Healthcare Senior Partner, KPMG in the Netherlands, and Avery Johnstone, Associate, Global Decarbonization Hub and Global Chair of Leaders 2050, KPMG International, discuss the impact of climate on women’s health in jurisdictions globally, and unpack the challenges and opportunities of gender just climate action as we chart the course for a more inclusive transition.

Beth Crossen, Director, Global Mobility Services, KPMG in the UK, and Anne Burgard, Senior Manager, Global Mobility Services, KPMG in Germany, look at the E, S and G as it relates to global mobility and provide their perspectives on the mobility opportunities and challenges that come with contributing to a company’s ESG agenda.

In this episode, we will examine how organizations may respond to these increasing requirements in the area of downstream due diligence. To discuss this, I am joined by Fernanda Farina, a senior manager with KPMG in the UK’s Sectors Consulting Team, and Michael Pollitt a manager with KPMG in the UK’s Financial Services Forensic Team.

There’s a need for sustainable investment in supply chains around the globe. This episode explores the acceleration of technology investment and the subsequent wide-scale digital transformation and how it can continue to support supply chain leaders into the future.

As companies consider their decarbonization strategies and their net zero ambitions they should aim to reduce their energy consumption and source higher amounts of low carbon or green energy. For companies looking for a secure long-term supply of renewable energy, Power Purchase Agreements or PPA’s offer the most cost-effective method of sourcing large amounts of renewable energy, at competitive prices.

In almost every part of our lives we interact with the natural environment. Human pressures on nature have increased substantially over time, with land use change, climate change and pollution all contributing to unprecedented nature loss. Halting and reversing this loss is a significant challenge, bringing with it risks to corporate and financial stability, but also opportunities. It is clear that the time to recognize the value of nature is now, and that businesses have a critical role to play in leading the way towards a future where nature can thrive

The ocean is a vital ally in this existential venture. Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs) — which include mangroves, tidal and salt marshes, seagrasses as well as open ocean food webs and nutrient cycles — have enormous capacity to store carbon within the plants, animal biomass and in the sediments below for long periods of time. BCEs are an essential part of the global drive to counter climate change, protect biodiversity and enhance livelihoods by capturing carbon and keeping ocean and freshwater systems healthy and productive to help ensure sustainable future.

There is increasing pressure to embed ESG and sustainable practices throughout organizations and within their business models — and when tackling ESG issues, there is a broad range of approaches. But what is clear is that innovation and new ways of doing things are needed to create change that has real, lasting impact. To unlock hidden potential and encourage growth, businesses should consider authentic strategies that include their stakeholders along the way.

Institutional investors hold more than US$1 trillion worth of infrastructure assets. Many take an active role in their investments. Some have evolved into massive infrastructure operators. And that gives them significant room to influence how the infrastructure sector achieves the world's net zero goals. What is clear is that appetite for green and impact investments is strong amongst institutional investors and their clients. But what does impact actually look like? How are institutional investors assessing impact on their existing and new investments? And how are institutional investors and operators helping shape the net zero pathways of their assets and investments?

In the final half of this two-part episode, Mike Linter, Global Head of Private Enterprise Tax, KPMG International, Loek Helderman, Global Tax Lead, KPMG ESG, KPMG International, and Partner, KPMG in the Netherlands, and Shay Menuchin, Policy Lead for KPMG’s Private Enterprise Tax Network, KPMG in Canada, discuss ESG strategies, opportunities and challenges for private enterprises related to the regulatory environment and more.

In part one of this two-part episode, Mike Linter, Global Head of Private Enterprise Tax, KPMG International, Loek Helderman, Global Tax Lead, KPMG ESG, KPMG International, and Partner, KPMG in the Netherlands, and Shay Menuchin, Policy Lead for KPMG’s Private Enterprise Tax Network, KPMG in Canada, discuss how ESG is impacting private enterprises in relation to tax.

The EU’s new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive also known as the CSRD is transforming ESG reporting. Almost 50,000 companies are subject to mandatory sustainability reporting. Even companies with longstanding experience in sustainability reporting will likely require advancements in their ESG data collection, processing, and reporting systems. The clock is ticking for CSRD reporting and companies should ask whether they are ready.

COP15 will look to establish a framework aiming to set out an ambitious plan to implement broad-based action to bring about a transformation in society’s relationship with biodiversity and nature and to ensure that, by 2050, the shared vision of living in harmony with nature is fulfilled. To dig into all this on the sidelines of COP15 in Montreal, Canada, I am delighted to be joined by David Greenall, Global Managing Director, Climate Risk, Decarbonization & Resilience, KPMG International; Carolin Leeshaa, Natural Capital & Biodiversity Global Lead, KPMG International and Orlaith Delargy, Biodiversity lead EMA, KPMG in Ireland.

The world is in the midst of a global energy transition that may fundamentally transform the way energy is generated, distributed, stored, and accessed – with renewable energy at the center. This episode discusses financing the transition to a low carbon and resilient economy with insights from KPMG leaders from around the globe.

This episode discusses the main climate impacts and challenges for Africa, investment opportunities and dives into how Africa and Europe can work together to achieve energy independence and equally benefit from this independence.

While climate action can and has been top-down from many developed and developing nations, cities are increasingly where we are all choosing to live. According to the United Nations, two-thirds of the world’s population will call cities home by 2050, which is also the deadline for many global nations to achieve net-zero status. On the one hand, urban centers can stimulate tremendous innovation and prosperity. However, they are also responsible for about three-quarters of global carbon emissions. To talk about how technology and innovation can enable cities to accelerate a just transition toward a low-carbon economy, we are joined by a great panel of experts from KPMG and the United Smart Cities Program.

For this episode, we are joined by an impressive panel of young climate and sustainability leaders for a discussion around youth and future generation day on the ground at COP27, how countries can engage young people and elevate their voices on climate and what current ESG leaders could stand to learn from younger generations.