Client Snapshot
As Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) expectations shift, companies around the world are being asked to show how their governance structures, policies, and management practices are aligned with regulatory requirements and the expectations of customers and other stakeholders within the framework of sustainability and the global supply chain. Well-designed and consistently applied good policies are essential to demonstrate responsible business conduct and support ESG performance.
This case study relates to a diversified manufacturing organization belonging to a sector requiring ever higher standards of ESG expansion and had sought to strengthen its policy framework by complying with the National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC). The scope of work included policy mapping and gap assessment against NGRBC principles followed by preparation, updation and standardisation of corporate policies, to bring them in line with regulatory requirements and customer ESG expectations.
The Challenge
- Policies were not comprehensively aligned with all NGRBC principles and sub-elements.
- Diverse customer ESG requirements created complexity in policy alignment and supporting disclosures.
- Inconsistent policy structures, language, and governance provisions reduced clarity and effectiveness across the policy framework.
- Lack of a formal mechanism for periodic policy review and updates increased the risk of misalignment with evolving ESG expectations.
Our Approach
- Mapped all existing policies against NGRBC principles to find gaps, overlaps, and areas that require improvement.
- Updated existing policies and drafted new policies to strengthen alignment with NGRBC principles and emerging ESG expectations from key customers.
- Standardized policy formats, language, governance provisions, roles, responsibilities, and review mechanisms to ensure uniformity across all policies.
- Created a formal structure for ongoing policy review and keeping policies in line, with each other.
Results Delivered
- Enhanced policy framework aligned with NGRBC principles.
- Strengthened the company’s ability to meet customer ESG expectations and demonstrate business practices.
- Increased clarity, consistency and governance across the corporate policy system.
- Developed a structured process, for monitoring, reviewing and updating policies regularly.
- Positioned the company effectively for upcoming ESG disclosures customer evaluations and sustainability due diligence.
Impact
This engagement helped the company strengthen the foundation of its ESG governance framework by integrating its policies with the NGRBC framework and key customer expectations. We mapped the policies across the organization, aiming to update the policies, align governance structures and set up review mechanisms that keep the ESG governance framework compliant. As a result, the ESG framework became more relevant, consistent, and robust, helping the company promote business conduct.
