Overcoming Environmental, Social, Governance Framework Fatigue

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Are ESG Demands Draining Your Business Resources?

The rules of doing business are changing with increased ESG transparency and reporting expectations across value chains. From supply chain pressures to complex reporting expectations, small and medium enterprise (SME) leaders are increasingly overwhelmed by rigid compliance demands. ESG reporting should never be a tick-box bureaucratic burden. Instead, it can become a clear competitive advantage when backed by lean, outcome-focused actionable tools that add value to your business, your clients and customers. 

Join the University of York for an exclusive 60-minute masterclass designed to cut through the noise, demystify materiality assessments, carbon and nature accounting, and introduce the new Voluntary SME (VSME) ESG Standard. 

What you will learn in 60 minutes

This fast-paced, high-value session offers an insight to a new course that will provide you with a practical preview of how to streamline your ESG reporting and strengthen your value chain relationships: 

• Demystifying the VSME standard: Learn how the new Voluntary SME standard aligns with major global frameworks like CSRD and ISSB without overwhelming your team. 
• The Business case for double materiality: See how evaluating both financial risks and environmental impacts protects your long-term market position. 
• The power of a storytelling:  Understand the key sustainability issues impacting your business and how to create a clear and compelling ESG narrative that will empower your employees and customers.
• Carbon and nature Accounting Fundamentals: Discover practical techniques for identifying Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions hotspots and managing nature-related dependencies. 
• Avoiding the greenwashing trap: Understand how to build credible, verifiable ESG statements that satisfy lenders, enterprise clients, and buyers. 

This taster session will also provide you an opportunity to ask questions and help shape the course content; we want to maximise the value it brings to you and the organisation you work for.

Who Should Attend?

This masterclass is designed for decision-makers and advisors looking for pragmatic, cost-effective ESG strategies: 

• SME Leaders: Business owners, directors, senior managers, operations leads, and procurement/supply chain specialists. 
• Sustainability and risk leads: Sustainability managers, EHS leads, environmental consultants, and compliance officers. 
• Professional advisors: Accountants, management consultants, governance advisors, and HR professionals supporting SME clients. 
• Key Sectors: Manufacturing, construction, healthcare/life sciences, food & agriculture, logistics, hospitality, NHS suppliers, and charities. 

No prior formal ESG certifications are required. 

Meet Your Masterclass Hosts

Delivered by world-class experts from the University of York, renowned for lived experiences as senior sustainability leaders within global business and cutting-edge research in environmental science, the circular economy, delivering sustainable solutions and empowering systems-level thinking: 

• Professor Jason Snape: ESG expert and environmental leader. Former Global Head of Environmental Protection at AstraZeneca and member of its Global Sustainability Leadership Team, with extensive experience supporting C-suite leaders and investor relations. 
• Dr. Laura Harrison: Senior sustainability leader and researcher specialising in corporate governance, circular economy, and building lean ESG capability for SMEs.