Sustainability

Sustainability is about much more than going green. It goes beyond solar panels on your business premises or an electric vehicle fleet. Sustainability is about long-term resilience. How do you keep your organisation strong in a world that is constantly changing? How do you create value not only for yourself, but also for your employees, your wider environment and society?

At Baker Tilly, we take a broad view of sustainability. Sustainability may start with environmentally conscious operations, but it does not end there. True sustainability lies in the balance between three pillars: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). These three are inseparably linked and shape what your organisation looks like, now and in the future.

What is ESG?

Sustainable business sounds straightforward, but in practice it is often complex. Where do you start? Which choices really make a difference and also fit your organisation?

ESG helps structure those questions. It provides insight into which topics matter to stakeholders, which risks are relevant to your organisation, and where opportunities lie for value creation and long-term resilience. In this way, ESG gives organisations a framework for making conscious choices and embedding sustainability in policy, processes and day-to-day operations.

E: Environmental – where is your impact?

The “E” in ESG is about the environment and climate: emissions, energy, waste and raw materials. That may sound clear-cut, but in practice it is often more challenging. Where is your real footprint? And how do you reduce it over the long term?

Read more about Environmental (in Dutch)

S: Social — people make your organisation

People are at the heart of every organisation. Employees, suppliers and customers are all relationships you want to build for the long term. That requires attention, appreciation and care.

G: Governance – sound governance as the foundation

Without good governance, sustainable growth is impossible. Governance is about transparency, integrity and reliability. But it also includes data security, innovation and tax ethics.

Our three-step approach

A sustainable strategy starts with insight and ends with results that work for your organisation. These three steps help organisations address ESG in a structured way:

1. Assess & prioritise

Map your sustainability profile: risks, opportunities, legislation, stakeholder expectations and current performance. This forms the basis for determining which topics should take priority and where the greatest impact can be made.

2. Define strategy & implement

At this stage, you connect the relevant topics to your mission, vision and ambitions. You set up policies and processes in a logical way and integrate sustainability step by step into day-to-day operations.

3. Reporting & communication

Sustainability requires transparency. Organisations document and report on their performance and ensure that stakeholders gain insight into progress, ambitions and results.

Why sustainability is essential

Sustainability is more than an obligation or a trend. It is an opportunity to make your organisation stronger, more innovative and more future-proof. Organisations that take sustainability seriously build resilience and a strong reputation. It helps with:

attracting and retaining talent
increasing trust among customers and partners
complying with increasingly strict regulation
improving efficiency and reducing costs
capturing new market opportunities

8 reasons to start — or continue — your sustainability project

Sustainability is much more than an obligation; it is an opportunity to make your organisation stronger, more innovative and future-proof. Have you already launched sustainability projects? Or are you still unsure whether to begin? We share 8 reasons why now is the time to embrace sustainable business practices — helping both your organisation and society move forward.

Read the 8 reasons (in Dutch) to start or continue your sustainability project.

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