Sustainability & ESG

3R will work with you to conduct a materiality assessment focused on identifying topics that are financially, environmentally and socially important to your organization. The team we tailor for your unique project will equip you with the education and understanding of the process from industry analysis, stakeholder engagement through prioritization of impacts. With an emphasize on partnership, the 3R team provides an expert level of support that can equip your team with an understanding of the process from industry analysis and stakeholder engagement through prioritization of impacts.

Materiality is a principle commonly understood in financial reporting as all items that are reasonably likely to impact investors’ decision making. Similar in concept, materiality in sustainability reporting includes topics deemed relevant to stakeholders and the business. The GRI Standards (Global Reporting Initiative) has dubbed this financial and impact materiality as double materiality and sustainability reports should use double materiality to disclose impacts.

Once identified, an organization’s material topics aid in setting a foundation for its sustainability strategy and assists in the prioritization of initiatives. The process to identify and determine material topics requires multi-stakeholder considerations and engagements. Informed by GRI’s guidance, material topics as identified in the process outlined below, should be reassessed with each reporting cycle based on changes in an organization’s structure, services, business relationships etc.

1. Discovery Analysis- this step involves an analysis and understanding of the organization’s industry and context.​
2. Identify Topics- this step involves identifying actual and potential impacts on identified stakeholders.​
3. Assess Topics- this step involves the organization assessing the significance of its identified impacts.
4. Prioritize Topics for Reporting- this step involves determining the material topics for reporting by prioritizing organizational impacts based on their significance. Each impact is assessed, compared to one another, and then provided a significance level, where the organization should rank its impacts from most to least significant and define a threshold to choose which of the impacts it will focus on reporting.

Related Impact Areas

With the mindset that sustainable business is simply good business, the 3R team works with you to identify pathways to integrate sustainability initiatives into existing business plans. Based on the results from your materiality assessment we begin by aligning material topics with your organization’s mission and vision. With the understanding of any actions and goals already established by your company, we’ll make recommendations to close any potential gaps identified in the industry analysis. With this prioritized road map for improvement, 3R can then work with you to implement the plan.

Companies are facing increasing expectations and reporting requirements related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics from regulatory authorities and other stakeholders.

Sometimes referred to as a Sustainability Plan, an ESG Plan identifies specific and measurable efforts that an organization plans to tackle over the course of a specified time. With our ESG Strategy and Plan service, you’ll gain a better understanding of the necessary resources and time required to achieve your goals and the confidence to communicate your plans to stakeholders.

Related Impact Areas

The consultants at 3R are experts in the various reporting frameworks and standards and while our processes to prepare a sustainability report are aligned with industry best practice, we understand that sustainability is a journey, and we are happy to meet you where you are. Following the completion of a Materiality Assessment and ESG Action Plan, we have a solid foundation for reporting on your material topics. Working to prepare a report in accordance with the GRI Standards, we work across your team to collect relevant data, and management approaches. In addition to GRI, we can align your reporting with the UN SDGs, SASB, EcoVadis, B Corp, GRESB, ISSB, CSRD, TCFD, and other frameworks. An impact report or reporting in reference to the GRI standards can be a great option for companies in their first year of reporting or for those just starting to understand their impacts.

The sustainability reporting landscape is complex and ever evolving and stakeholders are quick to call out unsupported claims. With our Sustainability Reporting services you’ll gain a comprehensive narrative that demonstrates your progress, commitments, and plans to your stakeholders. We approach each sustainability report with the goal of creating a balanced, transparent, and holistic report that considers and where applicable, aligns with, expectations and requirements from raters and corporate rankers such as ISS, MSCI, EcoVadis, and S&P’s CSA.

Related Impact Areas

3R’s policy experts will work with your company to identify existing commitments and industry best practice to inform policy updates or generate new policies. Depending on your individual company’s goals, 3R can spearhead policy creation related to environmental, health and safety, sustainable procurement, labor standards and human rights, and much more.

Informed by industry frameworks, standards and rating systems such as the UN Global Compact, EcoVadis and GRI, 3R takes a holistic approach to assessing and recommending improvements to your company’s management approach to a given topic. Our policy writing services will provide your company with the industry expertise and bandwidth required to establish meaningful and operational policies to formalize commitments and guide your sustainability journey.

Related Impact Areas

3R can help you make sense of the increasing amount of ESG rating systems and certifications, and help you incorporate sustainability into your management systems. Utilizing our knowledge of your company, industry, and our deep expertise in ESG ratings and certifications, the 3R team can help you realize the value of utilizing a rating system or certification to support internal change management and drive business resiliency.

While each ESG rating system and assessment has its own methodology, they are nearly all centered around many similar topics. The 3R team can assist your company in choosing a rating system that is in line with your sustainability commitments and determine a prioritized plan to improve your corporate rating.

Related Impact Areas

3R’s approach to sustainability is rooted in science and supported by data. With that in mind, we approach every project with potential validation in mind. Our consultants prepare GHG inventories in line with the GHG Protocol and ISO14064. With each GHG inventory, you receive a report that is ready for validation.

If you choose to partner with 3R for conducting your materiality assessment, ESG planning and reporting, you can have confidence that your sustainability management and reporting was prepared in accordance with the AA1000 Accountability Principles. The AA1000 Assurance Standard (AA1000AS v3) serves as a standard for assurance on sustainability information across organizations of all types, based on the effective application of the AA1000 AccountAbility Principles.

We partner with a third-party assurance provider to support your validation needs, if requested.

Related Impact Areas