At the 2022 National Safety Council (NSC) Congress & Expo this September, Blackline Safety brought together two global brands at the forefront of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance–L'Oreal and Repsol—to discuss the link between EHS and ESG and how it can influence the business strategy.
Laynnea Myles, Assistant VP, EH&S, L’Oréal and Jenny Ward, S&E Systems Lead Supervisor, Repsol joined Blackline Safety’s Chief Growth Officer Sean Stinson to share why ESG matters—inside and outside their organizations–and how they are effectively managing their ESG programs.
Why is ESG important?
Key takeaway:
- Consider a wide range of stakeholders—not just customers and investors. ESG is rooted in the understanding that everything a business does impacts its employees, the community, and the world around it. Things like source materials, product packaging, consumers/communities are impacted by products/operations, the safety of operations and people, and investment in the community, etc.
Link between EHS and ESG
Key takeaways:
- EHS is essentially a subset of ESG with “E” focused on carbon emissions, greenhouse gases, water & waste management, and air emissions. “S” focused on human rights, diversity, health and safety, community impacts, and “G” focused on compliance, reporting standards and policies.
- Look at the organization’s ESG/sustainability reports in business—uncover what matters the most to the leadership team to help guide the safety program.
How to communicate the impact of ESG efforts
Key takeaways:
- Disclose metrics that align with the values and purpose of the organization, what the stakeholders want to see, and what industry peers are reporting.
- The right data is foundational to the right reporting.
- When gathering data, automate where possible and ensure metrics being captured across different regions are consistent. This is especially important with global organizations.
- Invest in tools/partnerships to help extract the key ESG data business needs.
- Consider publishing an environmental, safety, or sustainability newsletter/report that shares key information and shows performance.
- Work with the finance team early when establishing ESG goals to get a budget for projects.
How to talk about ESG in a company
Key takeaways:
- ESG has emerged as a key factor in engaging the workforce. Without the essential elements of employee buy-in, a company’s ESG strategy can underperform or end up unsustainable.
- Use the right message/language to make it relatable to employees.
- Make it personal by providing opportunities for employees to get involved.
- Share best practices, key learnings, and ideas throughout the organization.
Future of EHS and ESG together
The intersection between EHS & ESG will continue to be even more intertwined with EHS professionals playing a greater role in supporting ESG strategic initiatives. Having the right data, tools, and technology will be key to supporting the ESG program effectively.
Want to learn more about how Blackline’s connected safety solutions can support ESG efforts?