Materiality assessment

Training module detailed outline

Capital markets and shareholders need robust, comparable, and decision-useful information on material ESG issues provided through corporate disclosure. Materiality and the materiality assessment process are considered vital for helping companies effectively identify, manage and report on significant ESG risks and opportunities. Materiality is about being more concise and tightening the focus on what is important to the business and to stakeholders. By taking into account different stakeholder perspectives, and clearly identifying material issues, companies will limit their reporting to criteria that help readers understand what could positively or negatively influence the organization’s capacity to deliver on its strategy and serve its stakeholders.

However, If the materiality assessment becomes a tick-the-box exercise only for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements of a reporting standard, this may limit the value of the process. Significant resources may be employed to undertake a thorough materiality assessment.  Materiality must be seen as a broader tool for the integration of ESG topics in strategic decision-making, where the outputs are used to evaluate current strategies and inform future priorities. The engagement with stakeholders during the assessment can support companies in anticipating opportunities, tensions, and changes in their environment. This course equips you with a sound understanding of the materiality assessment process as a necessary foundation of sustainability reporting and a valuable enterprise strategic tool.

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