Cracking the ESG Code: Common Challenges and Tech Fixes

By Sarah Shannon

Back to News posts

Why ESG Matters Now More Than Ever

Have you considered Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices aren’t just a nice-to-have anymore—they’re essential? Businesses today are under growing pressure from clients, regulators, and investors to prioritise sustainability and transparency. It’s not just about being good to the planet; it’s also about meeting the demands of clients and stakeholders. Here’s why ESG compliance is more critical than ever:

  • Transparency: With regulations like SECR, CSRD, CSDDD, and B-Corp certification, companies need to be crystal clear about their practices.
  • Investor Expectations: Investors want to see sustainable practices in action, not just on paper.
  • Cost Reduction: Believe it or not, efficient ESG strategies can actually save you money.
  • Risk Management: Staying compliant helps minimise risks—both regulatory and reputational.

Typical Organisational Challenges

Now, while ESG sounds great in theory, putting it into practice comes with its own set of hurdles. For example:

  1. Disconnected Data Sources & Manual Processes: Many companies are juggling fragmented data systems and tedious manual reporting, which makes ESG compliance feel like a never-ending task.
  2. Keeping Up with Shifting Regulations: The thing is, ESG regulations are always evolving. Staying on top of standards like CSRD and CSDDD can feel like hitting a moving target.
  3. Difficulty Scaling Efforts Globally: If you’re operating in multiple countries, aligning ESG efforts across different regions can get pretty complicated.

The CEO ESG Challenge

Balancing ESG priorities with business performance is no small feat. CEOs face the tricky task of juggling performance, priorities, and transformation all at once. Here’s what that looks like:

  1. Performance Monitoring:
    • There are often gaps in ESG data acquisition.
    • Automating data feeds and ensuring traceability isn’t as easy as it sounds.
    • Plus, getting near real-time sustainability data can be a challenge.
  2. Prioritising Initiatives:
    • Navigating complex regulations like CSRD and CSDDD is no walk in the park.
    • Ensuring sustainable procurement and due diligence takes time and resources.
    • And let’s not forget budget, skills, and time constraints—they’re always part of the equation.
  3. Transforming the Business:
    • Getting the entire C-suite aligned on ESG goals can be a tough sell.
    • Educating the workforce on sustainability practices? That’s another challenge.
    • Adapting business models for long-term resilience requires both vision and commitment.

The Cost of Getting ESG Wrong

Although ESG compliance can seem daunting, the cost of getting it wrong is even higher. Here’s why:

  • Financial Penalties: Non-compliance with ESG regulations can lead to hefty fines.
  • Loss of Trust: Failing to meet ESG standards can erode both investor and consumer confidence.
  • Missed Opportunities: Neglecting ESG can mean missing out on innovation and growth.

 

“Less time buried in spreadsheets, more time making a real impact”​

 

How Technology is Changing the Game

The good news? Technology is stepping in to make ESG compliance a whole lot easier. Here’s how:

  1. Automating Data Collection and Verification:
    • Tech simplifies data gathering from different sources and ensures it’s accurate and traceable.
  2. Simplifying Compliance with Evolving Regulations:
    • It adapts to regulatory changes, so you don’t have to worry about falling behind.
    • Plus, it offers user-friendly tools for easy monitoring and reporting.
  3. Providing Real-Time Insights for Proactive Decision-Making:
    • Near real-time sustainability data helps you make informed, agile decisions.

Making ESG Effortless for Teams and Consultants

Let’s face it, managing ESG data can be overwhelming. But with the right tech:

  • Streamlining ESG Data Management: Say goodbye to the chaos of handling vast amounts of ESG data.
  • Fast, Easy Monitoring and Reporting: Compliance becomes a simpler with intuitive platforms.
  • Working Smarter on Sustainability: Automating routine tasks means teams can focus on what really matters.

From Drowning in Data to Data-Driven Decisions

The thing is, businesses often feel like they’re drowning in ESG data. But tech helps turn that flood into actionable insights:

  • Unified ESG Data: It pulls data from from every corner of an organisation and across the value chain into one central system.
  • Actionable Insights: Complex metrics get transformed into clear, impactful reports.
  • Agile Business Strategies: With data-backed decisions, companies can pivot confidently and quickly.

“When you lead on ESG, everyone in your network levels up.”

Amplifying ESG Impact Across Your Network

ESG isn’t just about what happens inside your company—it’s about your entire network. Here’s how tech helps amplify your impact:

  • Connecting with Stakeholders: Easily and securely link suppliers, partners, and customers for a unified ESG approach.
  • Cascading Impact: Drive sustainability throughout your entire value chain.
  • Creating Long-Term Value: Smarter, sustainable business choices lead to lasting success.

Closing the Loop Across the Value Chain

Finally, the real magic happens when you close the loop. Here’s what that means:

  • Unified Efforts: Bringing together suppliers, partners, and customers enhances your ESG impact.
  • From Small Actions to Big Impacts: Even small sustainability steps can lead to significant outcomes.
  • Building Resilience: Transparent, sustainable practices strengthen your business ecosystem.

“It’s not just data—it’s the roadmap to a more sustainable future.”

At the end of the day, embracing technology not only simplifies ESG compliance but also sets your business up for long-term growth and resilience in an increasingly sustainability-focused world.

Ready to amplify your ESG Impact or simply just get started? Check out our sustainability solutions

Guide Your Clients to Sustainability Success

By Sarah Shannon

Back to News posts

Most companies know they need to start reporting on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) actions. But, many of them haven’t even begun to set goals. Why? They simply don’t know where to begin. This is where sustainability consultants, like you come in. You are not just advisers; you are the key to unlocking sustainability data hidden in their company and in their supply chains. The first step to a successful sustainability journey begins by hiring consultants with the expertise to make sense of the data and develop an ESG strategy aligned to each unique company.

Going beyond Excel to master sustainability insights

What’s holding them back? Right now, too many companies still use clunky Excel spreadsheets to manage their data, which can be unwieldy. Imagine having a tool that makes collecting and managing data easier and secure. This tool wouldn’t just collect data; it would help consultants and your clients understand data hidden in the company and suppliers.

With Pulse market you have a robust platform that enables you to ask the right due diligence questions, sort their answers, and turn all that info into easy-to-understand reports.

Ready for the solution?

Our platform is increasingly becoming the secret tool for consultants working with clients to deliver a CSR strategy and setting sustainability goals. Not only are they collecting the right data from the company and their supply chain they are able to save days interpreting the data.

Companies can effortlessly gather supplier data, keep everything in one place, and clearly visualise the data on our customisable dashboards. Above all they can trust the data is safe and secure, aligning with security standards like ISO 27001. This is a big step up from spreading sensitive data across excel spreadsheets and laptops.

So, for companies looking at ESG reporting and feeling stuck, there’s a clear way forward. With the right guidance from consultants and using the right tools like Pulse Market, delivering ESG goals and sustainability reporting becomes much more straightforward.

Why sustainability consultants are choosing Pulse Market?

  1. Streamlined Advice: Consultants can easily guide clients through the ESG reporting process, thanks to straightforward features and tools on Pulse.
  2. Effortless Data Gathering: collecting essential sustainability and ESG information from suppliers is simplified – saving consultants valuable time.
  3. Effective Supplier Engagement: consultants can design and send questionnaires with the relevant questions to gather richer data from suppliers on behalf of their clients.
  4. Easy Information Organisation: Efficiently organising and storing supplier responses and company info – such as certifications and policies – helps consultants easily manage and accurately analyse client data.
  5. Quick Report Generation: Automatic report creation allows consultants to deliver insights to clients faster, without manual work arounds.
  6. Clear Data Visualisation: Dashboards provide consultants with an easy way to visualise and understand data.
  7. Enhanced Data Security: Secure data storage means consultants can assure clients their information and suppliers is safe – building trust.
  8. Compliance Confidence: Using a tool aligned with ISO 27001 security standards, consultants can ensure they’re meeting regulatory requirements.
  9. Convenient Access: Centralised data storage allows consultants to easily retrieve all necessary information, improving efficiency.
  10. Time-saving Efficiency: Overall, Pulse Market makes the whole supplier and ESG data management process quicker and more efficient, letting consultants focus on helping clients achieve ESG and sustainability goals.

Bonus Benefit – Access Pulse Market clients looking for expert sustainability guidance!

Ready to make ESG and sustainability data collection easier and have more time advising your clients?

Contact Michael O’Shea on info@pulsemarket.com

How to Choose Suppliers That Share Your Sustainability Vision

By Sarah Shannon

Back to News posts

Making your supply chain more sustainable is a smart move. It’s better for the planet and can boost your business too. Here’s 7 points to consider when shifting to a more sustainable supply chain: 

Step 1: Check Your Supply Chain 

  • Look at What You Do: Start by checking how your supply chain works. See where you might be wasting resources or harming the environment. 
  • Talk to People: Ask your suppliers, customers, and team what they think can be better. They may already be working on initiatives that will help your organisation reduce your impact on the planet. Find out if there are ways to ask the relevant ESG questions during the procurement process.  

Step 2: Make Clear Goals 

  • Decide on Your Company Goals: After checking your supply chain, decide on some clear goals to make it more sustainable – communicate these back to your suppliers so they are on the same page as you. 
  • Plan Your Steps: Plan how to reach these goals. Identify if you have the right resources (skilled/knowledgeable team and time). Decide who does what and when – or do you need to outsource to get the right skills.  

Step 3: Choose Suppliers aligned with your goals 

  • Pick Sustainable Suppliers: Work with suppliers who care about the environment – not just greenwashing but genuinely are making strides to be better for the planet and people. Don’t just check their about us page – ask to see their policies and ISO credentials. For example check the company procedures for handling hazardous labour conditions or disposal of waste. 
  • Work Together: Help your suppliers get better at being sustainable too. Don’t just focus on the top tier of suppliers – the biggest risks can be further down the supply chain. Lower tier suppliers without sustainability knowledge and resources can increase companies’ exposure to financial, social and environmental risks.  Are you putting extra pressure on the supplier to meet deadlines, lower prices so they are forced to cut corners? Talk to them – look at new deadlines and quantities to avoid exceeding labour hours or using cheaper more wasteful products to meet tight deadlines.  

Step 4: Use Less and Waste Less 

  • Cut Down on Emissions: Try to lower pollution from transporting goods. Use fewer polluting ways to move products around. Can you buy locally? 
  • Reduce Waste: Find ways to use less plastic, like packaging. Try to reuse and recycle more or source alternative biodegradable packaging. 

Step 5: Keep Track and Share 

  • Watch Your Progress: Set KPIs to track how well you are doing with your sustainable goals.  
  • Be Open: Tell your customers and team about your efforts. Share your successes and challenges. 

Step 6: Build a Sustainability Team 

  • Involve Everyone: Make sure everyone in your company knows about your sustainability goals and how they can help. You can share this in team and public digital channels – open an employee forum to engage passionate sustainability champions from across the business who will spread the word.  
  • Keep Getting Better: Always look for new ways to be more sustainable. Encourage new ideas. More people and workers want businesses to be more sustainable, plus regulations are changing to drive this too. So new eco-friendly choices are coming out, and the ones we already have are getting cheaper. This makes it easier for businesses to use sustainable solutions without overspending and impacting the bottom line. 

Step 7: Use Smart Tech 

  • Try New Things: Use technology that can make your supply chain more efficient and less harmful to the environment. Pulse Market is making it easy to engage the supply chain, collect data and policies so you can validate claims while categorising and identifying your more responsible suppliers (and less responsible) 
  • Think Outside the Box: Let your sustainable goals inspire new products or services. 

Making your supply chain more sustainable is an iterative process that involves careful planning and commitment from both your organisation and your suppliers. By engaging your suppliers in a meaningful and measurable way it will benefit not just the environment, but also your business’s bottom line. The key is to gather the right data to get meaningful insights that lead to actionable steps. Every effort counts!  

Talk to the Pulse Market team and learn how you can engage your suppliers on our platform.  

Strategies for Overcoming Responsible Sourcing Challenges

By Sarah Shannon

Back to News posts

As a responsible sourcing specialist, your role is pivotal, but it’s no secret that it comes with its fair share of challenges. Not only are you tasked with championing sustainability while also ensuring your organisation still gets value for money while also maintaining quality and compliance and above all being good for the planet.  In this blog post, we’ll delve into the common challenges faced by responsible sourcing specialists and explore strategies to overcome them effectively. 

1. Risk Mitigation 

Challenge: Managing supply, market, and compliance risks can feel like walking a tightrope. Supply chain disruptions, market fluctuations, and compliance issues are ever-looming threats. 

Strategy: Conduct thorough risk assessments regularly. Diversify your supplier base to spread risk. Develop contingency plans to tackle potential disruptions. Stay informed about market trends and regulatory changes to proactively address risks. 

2. Lack of Transparency 

Challenge: Maintaining visibility and control over the responsible sourcing process, especially in large organisations, can be daunting. Lack of transparency makes it difficult to track purchases, monitor supplier performance, collect data and audit ESG credentials and ensure compliance with organisations procurement policies. 

Strategy: Embrace dedicated Saas Solutions developed with sustainability and ESG at the forefront. Instead of adopting outdated tech that is attempting to retrofit the needs of responsible sourcing. New technologies provide real-time insights and improve transparency in line with new regulatory requirements too. One tip shared in a recent roundtable we hosted was to regularly review and refine your responsible sourcing processes to identify areas where transparency can be enhanced. 

3. Supplier Management  

Challenge: Identifying the right suppliers and ensuring they consistently deliver quality products and services that are sourcing widgets and treating employees responsibly can be a complex task. Supplier performance tracking is crucial but can be time-consuming without the right tools. 

Strategy: Invest in robust and secure supplier relationship management (SRM) strategies. Build strong relationships with key suppliers. Develop clear performance metrics and monitor them diligently. Consider supplier development programs to help your suppliers meet your expectations. This can be achieved when you have collected the right data to assess risk and understand impact of working with your suppliers.  

4. Internal Communication 

Challenge: Effective collaboration with various departments within your organisation, such as finance, operations, and legal, is essential. ENgage them early on and share the company’s sustainability goals and embed it in the corporate thinking. Miscommunication, lack of consistency or lack of alignment can lead to misunderstanding or a laxed approach to responsible sourcing.  

Strategy: Establish regular cross-functional meetings to align sustainability goals and objectives. Create clear communication channels to ensure information flows seamlessly between departments. Foster a culture of collaboration and open communication – share success stories. 

5. Technology Adoption 

Challenge: Some organisations may be resistant to adopting responsible solutions and its human nature to resist change and find it easier to rely on tried and tested processes like using clunky excel spreadsheets and email trails. Embracing technology can significantly improve efficiency and reduce manual errors. 

Strategy: Embracing new technology designed around responsible sourcing can significantly improve efficiency, reduce manual errors and accelerate sustainability data collection and help a company understand their suppliers’ sustainability activity.  

Adoption of responsible sourcing and procurement SaaS solutions speed up processes with automation, improve data analytics, and cost savings.   

6. Cost Management 

Challenge: Controlling costs while maintaining quality is an ongoing concern in procurement but even more so for the more specialist responsible sourcing experts. Price fluctuations, market dynamics, and unexpected expenses can impact on your budget. 

Strategy: Develop comprehensive cost-saving strategies. Negotiate favorable contracts and explore opportunities for bulk purchasing or supplier consolidation is a given. The tough part is assessing the risk and impact of suppliers on your company’s sustainability reporting.   

7. Compliance and Regulations 

Challenge: Staying compliant with various local and international regulations, especially the new sustainability regulations, can be complex. Navigating environmental standards, and industry-specific requirements requires verifiable data and analysis. 

Strategy: Upskill your team. Stay updated on relevant regulations through a corporate commitment to continuous education and training. Ensure your sourcing practices align with legal requirements. Work  with your legal and compliance teams to navigate regulatory challenges effectively. 

8. Supplier Diversity 

Challenge: Many organisations prioritise seeking supplier responsibilty to embed their corporate social responsibility initiatives. However, identifying and engaging with long list of suppliers can be challenging. 

Strategy: Create and champion supplier responsibility programs within your organisation and promote on public channels to ensure you attract suppliers with similar values. Actively seek out and partner with responsible suppliers to meet your organisation’s CSR goals. Promote the value of diversity and inclusion in your HR and procurement processes. 

Ultimately, as responsible sourcing specialists, you play a vital role in the success of your organisation. To conquer the challenges you face, invest in regulatory training and technology, foster transparent communication –both internally and externally, and develop robust responsible supplier management strategies. By addressing these challenges strategically, you not only ensure efficient procurement and reach responsible sourcing goals but also contribute significantly to your organisation’s growth and bottom line.  

Keep innovating, stay agile, and continue to strive for the best responsible sourcing practice in your critical role supporting people and then planet.

Ready to accelerate your responsible sourcing? Explore our platform by booking a short demo today.

How Sustainability Champions are Changing Business for the Better

By Sarah Shannon

Back to News posts

Today’s businesses are changing for the better because of the sustainability leaders working in their company. These people don’t wait around. They know business must act fast to solve environmental problems. That’s why they are always ready to try new technology developed with sustainability in mind – directly addressing the challenges the likes of responsible sourcing leaders and impact officers face monitoring value chains and managing reporting tasks.

Making Buying Responsible

As we know responsible sourcing teams push their companies to buy things in a way that’s good for the planet and fair to people. They carefully select suppliers who care about the planet and treat their workers well. This undoubtedly makes the company look good and attracts customers who care too.

Using New Tech

As mentioned earlier sustainability leaders embrace new ways of doing things and that includes new technology designed with sustainability at the forefront – instead of retrofitted in a clunky fashion. For example they might use clean energy, eco-friendly packaging, or smart data tools to use less and save more. Pulse technology is developed to enable leaders to efficiently verify supplier claims and evidence sustainability activity in their supply chain.

Benefits of Changing

When companies listen to appointed sustainability leaders, they win in many ways:

  • They Work Better: Making things more efficient means doing more with less, saving time and money.
  • They Save Money: Being kind to the earth often costs less in the long run, like using less energy or producing less waste.
  • They Help the Planet: These actions are good for the environment, which is good for everyone’s future.
  • They Stand Out: Companies that genuinely care about these issues attract customers, investors, and partners who value the earth.
  • They Avoid Problems: Buying responsibly and using new tech helps companies avoid trouble with supply chains, running out of resources, and breaking environmental laws.

Ultimately sustainability leaders and responsible sourcing specialists are key to making businesses more sustainable and one big step forward is being open to new technology. Their switch to new tech pays off by making operations smoother, saving money, and helping the planet. As we face big climate challenges, their role is more important than ever. They’re making sure businesses are ready for the future, in a way that’s good for everyone.

Talk to our client services team and discover how Pulse Tech can verify your responsible sourcing.

Data-Driven Sustainability: Transforming Food Supply Chains for Future Impact 

By Sarah Shannon

Back to News posts

We work closely with a sustainability and carbon management solutions provider to assist their clients with responsible sourcing practices. Our focus? Getting to the heart of value chain data. Recently, we customised a due diligence project on behalf of their client. It was a major Irish fresh food company with 130+ suppliers, where collecting sustainability data was essential to enable the food company to get to know who they work with and verify their sustainability claims.

Challenge: Real Data Accuracy for Real Impact  

In today’s food industry, being proactive about sustainability from the beginning to the end of the supply chain is essential. Companies are not just reacting to problems; they’re looking ahead to making sure their products are made in ways that are good for the planet and fair to everyone involved. This leading food supplier in Ireland was eager to step up their game in sustainability. They wanted to up their due diligence game too and gather better information from their suppliers. A robust due diligence questionnaire was key to ensure their practices were as responsible as possible. However, the old tools they were using, like Survey Monkey and Excel, weren’t up to the task. These tools weren’t delivering the speed, reliability or security needed, making it challenging for the company to get a clear picture of their supply chain’s sustainability. 

Solution: Customising Data Collection with Secure and Robust Tools 

The solution lay in a shift from the traditional data collection tools to a more reliable customised Due Diligence Questionnaire (DDQ) system on Pulse. This approach was not just about replacing outdated tools but was a comprehensive strategy to ensure accurate data collection, stored securely and easily organised with transparent audit trails. This supported the primary objective which was to enhance the sustainability reporting functionality, a critical aspect for a food giant committed to responsible sourcing and regulatory compliance.  

Secure, Efficient Data Collection and Storage 

The customised DDQ system on Pulse Market provided a secure platform for suppliers to submit their data, safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. This system streamlined the data collection process, making it easier and faster for suppliers to provide the necessary information. 

Enhanced Sustainability Reporting Functionality 

The new system wasn’t just about collecting data; it was about making sense of it. A user favourite functionality is the comparison feature tab enabling side by side comparisons of supplier details. This helps the user quickly identify what information is missing and therefore easily identifying how responsible each supplier is.  

Outcome: Streamlining Processes and Boosting Sustainability Success 

The implementation of the customised DDQ system marked a turning point for the food supplier. The streamlined processes led to more efficient data management, significantly reducing the time and resources previously wasted on manual data collection and analysis. 

1 Positive Supplier Relationships 

The ease and efficiency of the new system fostered positive relationships with suppliers. They were now more engaged in the sustainability process, understanding their role in the food supplier’s mission towards environmental stewardship. This collaboration was key to driving meaningful change within the supply chain. 

2 Boosted Sustainability Success and Reporting Accuracy 

The most significant outcome was the boost in sustainability success and reporting accuracy. With a more reliable data foundation, the food supplier could make informed decisions, leading to more effective sustainability initiatives. The improved reporting accuracy also enhanced transparency with consumers, stakeholders, and regulatory bodies, reinforcing the company’s commitment to sustainability. 

Conclusion: Leading with sustainability data management

The journey from farm to fork is complex, but this case study exemplifies how reliable and robust data management solutions can simplify the process, ensuring sustainability and impact assessments are accurate and actionable. By customising its approach to collecting relevant data in an easy to use but secure tool, the food giant not only streamlined its processes but also strengthened its relationships with suppliers and boosted its sustainability credentials.

This is not a one off project.

After successfully collecting project data and verifying suppliers, integrating sustainability into their ongoing strategy will enable them to gain more and more valuable insights over time. This helps the fresh food company to more effectively manage responsible sourcing along the food supply chain.

Ready to collect accurate data from your suppliers?

Email info@pulsemarket.com or book a quick demo

CSRD under the Spotlight: The Top 7 Challenges Affecting Businesses

By Sarah Shannon

Back to News posts

Let’s discuss and demystify the seven main challenges of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) businesses face today. 

First of all, if you’ve not heard about CSRD you soon will. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is an EU regulation designed to improve how large companies report on their sustainability efforts and in turn how their operations affect people and the planet. These reporting obligations will be phased in from January 2024 and present a series of challenges for businesses.

So, what are the main difficulties companies face because of the CSRD? 

1. Complex Compliance  

One of the biggest challenges is the need for detailed report to comply with the new CSRD rules. The directive requires detailed reporting on sustainability matters. Companies will spend a lot of time and money collecting, checking, and reporting this data. Developing good data collection systems and making sure the information is accurate is key. At first this can feel like a tough task, but it is possible when a robust process with the right tools are in place. 

2. Unequal Burden on Small Businesses 

The CSRD affects approximately 50,000 large companies in the European area – this has a knock-on effect impacting smaller companies along their supply chain. Smaller companies asked to respond to large organisations questionnaires, may struggle with the reporting demands because they lack resources and expertise. Luc Hendrickx, enterprise policy director at European association SMEunited, has emphasised that SME organisations would ‘need sufficient time to raise awareness amongst their members on the new obligations, organise information sessions, train entrepreneurs and personnel, and develop tools.’ Hendrickx added, ‘some big companies [were] already cancelling their contracts with SMEs as they are not able to report.’ 

3. Detailed Reporting 

CSRD drives in-depth sustainability reporting. Companies must disclose information about many sustainability topics, like their impact on the environment, social programmes, and governance practices. Collecting accurate and useful data is made easier with investment in new tools and tech. 

4.  Adverse Impacts in Global Supply Chains 

Companies also face challenges in dealing with negative impacts, especially in global supply chains. They must identify and reduce risks related to environmental and social factors across the supply chain. Setting up effective processes for this involves working closely with suppliers and partners, each with their own sustainability issues. Remember the positives of being a responsible business that identify the risks of working with unethical work practices outweigh the negatives. 

5. Climate Change Impact 

Climate change is a central focus of CSRD, making it necessary for companies to disclose information about their emissions, energy use, and plans for reducing carbon footprints. Adapting to these requirements might force companies to make substantial changes, which can be expensive and complex. However, all organisations in the long run will have to make the changes – better to be sooner than later. Companies not capable of responding to CSRD demands risk losing work too.  

6. International Companies  

For international firms with significant EU operations, complying with the CSRD adds more headaches. They need to follow the directive while also sticking to other international reporting standards and regulations. Board members may argue it results in more work and higher costs. We’d argue you will lose work from the growing number of  businesses focused on responsible sourcing. 

7. Reputation and Communication 

Maintaining a good reputation and understanding what stakeholders think is crucial. With the CSRD’s focus on transparency and sustainability, businesses must report accurately and communicate their efforts to stakeholders effectively. Not doing this could harm their hard-won reputation and trustworthiness. 

Large Enterprise Concerns 

Feedback shared at CSRD workshops is data management is a major worry. The concerns relate to collecting, managing, and reporting sustainability data. Companies are suffering from issues such as data availability, data comparison, and the use of technology emphasising the need for effective data management solutions. The adoption of data management tools like Pulse Market can offer substantial cost benefits.  

Time was another significant concern voiced. The CSRD timeline is tight. Implementing CSRD strategies can be complex and time-consuming. Expert input early is key. Talk to us about our managed service with CSRD consultants with analytic and reporting expertise combine the power of our data management tools. 

The cost of implementing CSRD strategies was also highlighted. Companies are searching for cost-effective ways to implement their CSRD strategies. 

Other concerns raised is about limited awareness, lack of personnel, complexity, and CSRD not being taken seriously. There is clear need for greater education and awareness as well as adequate resources (time, expert people, and tools) to implement effective CSRD strategies.

Conclusion 

Ultimately CSRD is a positive step towards sustainability and transparency for large EU companies. However, it comes with challenges. To overcome these, companies must invest in the right resources, technology, and strategies to meet the rules while benefiting from improved sustainability and transparency. Businesses must continue to innovate and adapt in response to the evolving landscape of sustainability reporting. Companies that succeed in creating a thriving culture of implementing effective sustainability practice will enjoy long-term growth. In turn we can all then look forward to a more sustainable future. 

At Pulse HQ we are witnessing a ground swell of workshops and training sessions to raise CSRD awareness. This reminds us of the great GDPR panic of 2018. For those feeling confused but ready to take on the CSRD challenge our data management tools are the answer. 

Learn more about Pulse Tools. Book a demo today

 

How third party risk management can help solve your cyber security risks 

By Sarah Shannon

Back to News posts

As a business owner, you have a lot on your plate. You’re responsible for ensuring that your products or services are of the highest quality, that your employees are happy and productive, and that your customers are satisfied. Add on top of that you are dealing with the energy crisis, supply chain disruption and a looming recession. Then underlying all of those challenges, you have the ongoing worry about managing IT infrastructure, who hosts it, and of course what third parties have access to it and mitigating the risk of exposing your business to cyber threats. That’s why supplier management of third parties is of paramount importance.

Cyber security risk management is centered around identifying gaps, monitoring and managing the potential risk third parties pose to your business.  

One of the most common IT problems faced by businesses today is the severity of data breaches. This can happen when a vendor does not have adequate security measures in place or when an employee of a vendor mishandles information and opens the back door to hackers. Data breaches can be devastating to a business, causing financial loss, damage to reputation, and loss of customer trust.  

Here a just a few of the big names attacked by cyber criminals exposing sensitive data and causing serious business disruption and damage to corporate reputation.

  • High Street Giant JD Sports
  • Largest UK Car Dealership Arnold Clark
  • Nissan North America was exposed in a data breach at a third-party service provider.
  • Mailchimp digital marketing platform
  • Royal Mail UK Postal service.
Text says more than 80% of UK organisations experienced some form of Cyber attack in 2021/2022

Businesses are increasingly storing sensitive data in the cloud, including client information, employee records, and intellectual property. With the terrifying rise in numbers of data breaches and cyber-attacks, businesses must be even more vigilant and diligent in protecting their information and evaluating their third party vendors and ensuring they are closing loopholes that could result in data leaks – accidental or malicious.  

Third party risk strategy should be embedded into every business as it is a solid foundation to build a resilient business.  

The first step to build a robust third party strategy is to identify all third parties your organisation engages with. Missing out that one supplier could be disastrous if they are the weak link that opens the door and welcomes in hackers.

Next evaluate the level of access each vendor has to your data.

Ask every vendor to complete a risk assessment questionnaire. The objective is to assess the level of risk based on how much access they have to sensitive data. You may require supplementary questions for third parties with higher level of access to data. Think about the organisations accessing your data from the IT company hosting your IT systems, your outsourced payroll holding employee data through to the small print company round the corner printing event invitations to your mailing list.  

An audit of third parties can be simply done with the right tools and will make it easy to conduct a thorough review of each vendor’s cyber security policies and procedures, as well as their track record when it comes to compliance with regulations and data security protocols.  

One last point, you should also consider the financial stability of each vendor and their insurance coverage in the worst case scenario that something does go wrong. 

When the due diligence is complete you can feel confident that your chosen suppliers are the right third parties for your business.  

Supplier management is a vital part of any business’s cyber security strategy. By conducting due diligence on vendors, identifying gaps and demanding they meet certain standards you are not only safeguarding your business but their business too.  

Take the steps now to resolve some of the most common IT problems, such as data breaches, compliance issues, and third-party risks before disaster strikes resulting in business disruption, reputational damage and hefty fines.  

Don’t bury you head in the sand, take control of your third-party relationships today. By managing suppliers, you stop exposing your business to a high level of unmanaged risk.

Book a demo today

 

What if your client asks for your list of suppliers today? 

By Sarah Shannon

Back to News posts

If your client asks for your list of suppliers today, what would you do?

Some might think it odd to be asked for your company’s list of suppliers. However, this is becoming a frequently asked question during the procurement process. Companies are expected to share who they are doing business with and confirm they too are managing their suppliers and working with responsible companies. It is a fact that the corporate responsibility buck stops with your company and not the supplier further down the supply chain.  

The number of requests for supply chain due diligence is rising rapidly, this is due to the ongoing disruption to businesses on a global scale. Companies are desperately seeking stability in a quagmire of uncertainty. That is why businesses want to work with resilient companies who actively manage their third-party relationships. 

Every day, we hear more about the horrors of the climate crisis, rising inflation, cyber threats and the energy crisis. There is no escape. We are all experiencing the financial and environmental impact on a personal and business level, albeit at varying degrees. 

Let us not forget the disruption to the flow of goods and services along the fragile local and supply chains. The knock-on effect is that companies who are keen to ride the storm ahead need to buckle up and ensure they are doing business with the right suppliers. That is why more and more businesses are reaching out to their suppliers and carrying out robust due diligence. They need to know who you do business with and ask suppliers to fact check areas such as financial resilience or their ESG accreditation for example.  

One of our clients recently told us their team members are responding to approximately 30-60 requests a day to provide evidence of supplier due diligence. This is fast becoming the norm but why now? It is because consumers and businesses are collectively driving the demand for every company to act responsibly. 

How do you know who you are doing business with? 

To achieve this, you need to gain visibility of every supplier your company is doing business with. Also ensure the companies are the right ones to do business with – for you and your clients.  

3 steps to gain supply chain visibility? 

1 Digitise your supplier list in one location 

Assign a project manager to gather and collate a list of suppliers from every department. Upload them onto a digital supplier management platform and there is no need for out-of-date spreadsheets. 

2 Audit your supplier list 

The sooner all your suppliers are in one place the easier and faster it is to respond to due diligence enquiries surrounding your supply chains 

3 Create a community of responsible suppliers 

Audit and score each supplier and assess the risk of doing business with them on a single supplier management platform 

Be ready to provide a fully audited list of your suppliers with Pulse Market’s supplier management. Your clients will love you for this.  

Request a demo today and discover a suite of tools and features for supplier management.