Chapters 4-6

Question 1

define materiality

Answer 1

having a substantial impact on a reasonable investor’s view, especially concerning long-term shareholder value.

Question 2

define fudiciary trust

Answer 2

the legal and ethical obligation of boards of directors to act in the best interest of shareholders.

board members must prioritize the welfare of the shareholders over their personal interests and ensure that corporate actions maximize the value for the shareholders.

This duty has evolved to include considering the long-term effects of sustainability on shareholder value.

Question 3

define the materiality matrix

Answer 3

a simple graphic that visually presents on one axis the importance of an issue to stakeholders and on the other axis its impact on the company’s business.

Question 4

what is a materiality matrix used for

Answer 4

1. aligning sustainability strategy with corporate strategy
2. identifiying/ prioritizing business opportunities
3. improving dm by incorporating key sustainability criteria
4. reporting relevant informtion concisely

Question 5

business induces complexities (list 3)

Answer 5

1. mixed up chameleon
2. geography
3. hodgepodge

Question 6

mixed up chameleon complexity

Answer 6

In industries like consultancies and banks, companies adapt their sustainability priorities to match those of their value chain partners—organizations they work closely with in the supply or service chain. This behavior is analogous to a chameleon changing colors to imitate different animals.

Question 7

geography complexity

Answer 7

Global companies face challenges as definitions of crucial sustainability issues vary by region.

Question 8

hodgepodge complexity

Answer 8

Conglomerates with diverse businesses handle numerous potentially significant sustainability topics, making it challenging to focus efforts. With no central driving force, sustainability becomes decentralized, causing reporting and alignment difficulties that hinder transformation.

Question 9

list two models to generate a materiality mix

Answer 9

1. mendelow influences interest grid
2. salience model

Question 10

mendelow influences interest grid

Answer 10

classifying stakeholders according to their influence over your activities
four quadrants: influence, and interest)

Question 11

salience model

Answer 11

rating the importance and salience of stakeholders based on three attributes: power (1), urgency (2), and legitimacy (3).

Question 12

explain the quadrants of the mendelow influence grid

Answer 12

Low Influence, High Interest (Keep Informed)

High Influence, Low Interest (Keep Satisfied)

Question 13

Attributes of salience listed

Answer 13

1. latent
2. expectant
3. definitive

Question 14

define latent (in salience model)

Answer 14

Latent: Possessing only one of the attributes (power, urgency, or legitimacy).

Question 15

define expectant (in salience model)

Answer 15

Expectant: Moderately salient with two attributes.

Question 16

define definitive (in salience model)

Answer 16

Definitive: High salience with all three attributes.

Question 17

the salience process (5)

Answer 17

1. Define the Long List of Sustainability Topics (from GRI or SASB)
2. Rank the Topics and Create a Short List (15 issues)
3. Rate the Business Impact of the Short List (based on risks and opportunities + cost savings, revenue growth, enhanced reputation, and risk reduction.)
4. Construct a Concept Materiality Matrix
5. Fine-Tune the Materiality Matrix, Obtain Senior Management Sign-Off, and Document the Process

Question 18

How can high-importance sustainability topics be aligned with a company’s must-win battles and enterprise risks?

Answer 18

Map sustainability topics to must-win battles and enterprise risks, identify gaps, and develop action plans for overcoming them.

Question 19

What is a potential pitfall associated with materiality matrices that are solely designed for reporting purposes?

Answer 19

They may be too distant from the business, failing to engage colleagues and external stakeholders effectively.

Question 20

What are the most impactful business-induced complexities when developing a materiality matrix?

Answer 20

Geographic scope, diversity of activities, and the company’s business model are described as the most impactful business-induced complexities.

Question 21

The vectoring approach to SDGs

Answer 21

strategically focusing efforts and resources on specific Sustainable Development Goals or their combinations, recognizing the interconnections between goals and aiming for integrated progress.

Question 22

how exactly to take a vectoring approach to SDGs?

Answer 22

1. Concentrate on a select set of relevant materialities to drive targeted and impactful initiatives.
2. Ensure synchronization with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to guide and measure the success of corporate strategies.
3. Advocate for the comprehensive integration of these components to form a cohesive and effective vectoring approach.

Question 23

while embedding SDG, stake. (…)-(…)-(…) approach

Answer 23

target-measure-act approach

Question 24

trap to avoid about embedding SDGs 2

Answer 24

Avoid isolated approaches; prioritize collaboration and partnerships to maximize the impact of SDG initiatives.

Reject a paternalistic view of SDGs as distant challenges. Instead, tailor SDG programs locally for businesses operating on a smaller scale.

Question 25

what’s Active Ownership

Answer 25

Shareholders are using their rights to influence company ESG policies through voting and engagement.

Question 26

To assess companies, CADMOS follows a four-step process:

Answer 26

Step 1: They gather sustainability data from companies, focusing on nine important topics. They choose three topics for each company based on its characteristics.

Step 2: Porter’s Five Forces to understand how a company’s competitive advantage relates to its social responsibility.

Step 3: They assess companies on how well-prepared they are for social responsibility, the quality of their reports, and the maturity of their social impact strategies.

Step 4: They summarize their assessment, pointing out a company’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas where it needs to improve in terms of sustainability.

Question 27

what’s active engagement?

Answer 27

Active engagement refers to companies actively collaborating with institutional investors, particularly in the context of incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations into investment decisions.

Question 28

some obstacles in the transition to active engagement

Answer 28

Identifying Important ESG Issues:
It’s tough for companies and investors to figure out which ESG issues really matter for valuation. Companies’ reports and ESG ratings often don’t easily fit into valuation models.

Quality of ESG Information:
    Investment firms want better ESG info. Without high-quality data, integrating ESG factors into valuation models becomes tricky.

Data Security Materiality:
    The Cambridge Analytica scandal shows that data security matters. Now, there's more attention on making sure data security is a crucial factor for investors.

Question 29

steps of the cadmos x2. (5)

Answer 29

1. Assessment criteria expansion
2. Data collection, and picking topics for each company based on their characteristics and industry.
3. Company-specific analysis using 4 Forces Model- connecting how well a company was doing in terms of competition with how socially responsible they are.
4. Bench-marking- how well companies were for ESG challenges using criteria like commitment and strategy.
5. Summary compilation- they put together a summary of their assessment, pointing out where a company was strong.

Question 30

Active Engagement to Results:

Answer 30

Active Engagement and Results:
Simply engaging actively doesn’t ensure actual results in integrating ESG factors into investment decisions.

Transition Process:
    Moving from considering ESG to directly including ESG parameters in valuations takes time and effort.

Real-world Impact of ESG:
    The Cambridge Analytica scandal highlighted the consequences of neglecting ESG issues.

Importance for Long-Term Success:
    To secure long-term success and investor satisfaction, companies must seriously address ESG factors.

Question 31

how to deal with the increasing burden of non-financial reporting?

Answer 31

1. Integrate sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs) into regular management structures.
2. Focus on a specific set of sustainability issues for reporting reduces the overall effort.

Question 32

Reporting Trap

Answer 32

The increasing demand for non-financial reporting can lead to → reporting trap.

reporting trap divert resources from actual business improvement efforts and the company’s societal impact.

Question 33

How are stakeholders classified in the Mendelow influence-interest grid?

Answer 33

The Mendelow grid classifies stakeholders based on their influence over activities and their interest in them, prioritizing them into four action quadrants.

Question 34

What is the primary purpose of governance in the materiality analysis process?

Answer 34

to ensure accountability and transparency throughout the process.

Question 35

compare mendelow and salience model based on their mode of classification

Answer 35

The Mendelow model classifies stakeholders based on influence and interest, while the Salience model rates stakeholders on power, urgency, and legitimacy, providing a comprehensive classification method.

Question 36

How can companies embed the SDGs into their activities?

Answer 36

companies can integrate the SDGs by conducting a thorough analysis of their current sustainability program, comparing it with the full list of 17 SDGs, and identifying relevant targets. This process involves peer analysis, measurement systems, and the formulation of action plans aligned with the goals.

Question 37

compare hodge podge and mixed up chameleon

Answer 37

Hodgepodge is about the internal diversity of a conglomerate’s businesses, while Mixed-Up Chameleon is about adapting to the external diversity of value chain partners.