ISO is the strongest global certification of ESG and sustainability. Period.
The ultimate aim for any company should be to obtain certification for all or parts of your ESG and sustainability initiatives and reporting. Depending on your objectives, Speeki may be able to assist with certifying you under an ISO standard or providing pre-certification support.
There are several options for companies to gain assurance of their ESG and sustainability strategy
How to proceed with assurance initiatives largely depends on the framework under which you are seeking assurance or certification, as well as your overall objectives. Speeki is a leader in ESG assurance initiatives and is expanding our product suite in this area.
Certification under an ISO standard
Speeki Europe is a certification body for management system standards. We can certify your programmes, such as anti-bribery under ISO 37001.
Following an ISO guideline on a ESG and Sustainability topic
Speeki can also provide support around training and understanding how to apply the large volume of ISO standards and guidelines on ESG topics.
Assurance under one of the ISO guidelines.
Speeki can also provide assurance based on ISO Guidelines. A good example is whistleblowing under ISO 37002, where although it is not a certifiable standard, Speeki can provide assurance and confirmation of your adoption of the guidelines and acting in accordnace with them.
Support for internal audits
If you are being certified by another group, Speeki can help with internal audits, ESG assessments, readiness assessments, and post-audit rectification. For example, you may be certified under a standard by another certification body but would like our help with internal audits.
ISO adoption will help you reduce the impact of sustainability report assurance now mandated by CSRD and other standards.
The EU's European Corporate Sustainability Directive (CSRD powered by ESRS) and other key standards like GRI or SASB-IFRS S1 and S2 requires or strongly encourage assurance for your sustainability statements - reports.
Similar to financial reports being audited, your sustainability report will also need to undergo an assurance assessment (either limited or reasonable). Having ISO standards as your backbone to your sustainability management will help to fast-track and simplify your sustainability report assurance.
It just makes sense that these ISO certifications of key areas in ESG and sustainability will help your overall preparation and audit of your final statements and reports on sustainability.
Building your ISO strategy on ESG & sustainability is a key business driver and is an excellent oversight strategy.
Simplify your sustainability report assurance under CSRD
If your sustainability report assurance provider can see that you have certifications under ISO standards, like anti-bribery, health & safety, environment, or even have had your GHG numbers verified by an ISO body, that fact surely will account for a more simple sustainability report assurance project. Your assurance provider should be able to place significant value on all that underlying work and reduce their review time.
Reduce costs of assurance by leveraging an ISO certification backbone
It makes sense that the costs of sustainability report assurance will decrease if you have a strong certified backbone in your ESG and sustainability progranmme. From a Speeki perspective, when we quote on sustainability report assurance, we see impacts of 30-40% reductions.
Assurance insights
Explore our expert articles on ESG and sustainability assurance
If you want to get started on building up your ESG certifications, start with anti-bribery.
Many companies start by certifying their anti-bribery programme. This is a good idea because most companies already have a solid anti-bribery compliance programme that can be easily adapted to ISO standards. It is also a key area where the risk of fines and the costs of investigation are significant, making certification a worthwhile investment.
Identify assurance priorities
Assurance adds an extra layer to your ESG and sustainability initiatives. Determining how to incorporate assurance into your ESG strategy will be important, so focus on your highest-risk priorities.
Select your assurance partner
Choosing an ESG and sustainability assurance partner is a relationship built on trust. Since trust takes time to develop, we recommend starting early. It’s better to work on your own timeline than one imposed by a regulator.
Low-hanging fruit
There are likely some simple, easy wins for assurance, such as a whistleblowing programme or anti-bribery certification. These will strengthen your programme-building efforts and help you add an assurance layer.
Pauline Bailly
Pauline is the leader of our Assurance and Certifications business. Focused originally on ISO 37001 anti-bribery certifications, Pauline is now the lead for all assurance solutions across Speeki. She has a details-oriented and practical approach to helping companies prove the value of their ESG efforts to stakeholders through Assurance.
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Why assurance needs to be factored into your ESG strategy.
Assurance is an additional layer to your ESG strategy. It provides independent review, audit, and sometimes certification of your programmes. This adds strength, resilience, and trustworthy assessments to your ESG initiatives.
There is a growing international push for companies to have their ESG reports and statements reviewed and assured. This follows the model of financial reporting and adds another layer to ESG reporting. It’s clear that this is the direction of travel, and it’s likely to become mandatory in certain areas very soon.
Most assurance is carried out by experts in content areas, auditing, and assurance. The process offers significant benefits by highlighting gaps, non-conformities, and areas for improvement. It’s often an inexpensive way to drive improvement through feedback and recommendations.
Independent verification adds value because it is seen (accurately) as being more reliable, robust, and better able to withstand potential issues. Assured or certified systems manage non-conformities better because they detect issues earlier and handle corrections more effectively.
Achieving certification against a recognised standard is the ultimate demonstration of compliance. It shows not only that you meet requirements but also that you’re committed to improvement and striving for higher levels of achievement.
The risk of failure is reduced when a system has been reviewed, audited, and certified to a standard by an expert content provider. Lower risk means reduced costs, remediation, and potential fines or litigation. ESG assurance adds strength to your programme, reducing risk overall.
For management system certifications under ISO, a three-year certification cycle applies. When a company undertakes certification, it signifies a long-term commitment to maintaining and improving its management system, unlike a one-off audit or review.
FAQs
Speeki can support the development of an ESG-compliant management system using ISO 37301 by offering training, gap analysis, pre-audit services, and certification. This ensures effective risk management and compliance, while enhancing overall ESG initiatives.
Effective anti-bribery policies, risk assessments, employee training, and continuous monitoring are critical for ISO 37001 certification. Speeki assists companies through gap analysis, readiness assessments, and certification services, ensuring compliance and strengthening anti-bribery initiatives.
Implementing whistleblower programs and obtaining anti-bribery certification are examples of low-hanging fruit for ESG assurance. Speeki facilitates this by providing gap analysis, training, and certification services, helping companies quickly enhance their ESG initiatives and compliance.
The proposed European Corporate Sustainability Directive may require independent assurance for ESG reports, raising compliance demands. Companies can prepare with Speeki's support through early audits, readiness assessments, and building strong reporting frameworks to ensure compliance.
Assurance improves ESG initiatives by providing independent reviews that identify gaps and enhance compliance. Speeki's assurance solutions add value through audits, certifications, and tailored support, strengthening ESG frameworks and increasing stakeholder trust.
Certification for ESG initiatives boosts credibility, reduces risk, and demonstrates compliance with recognized standards. Speeki's certification process supports companies through detailed audits and guidance, demonstrating their commitment to continuous improvement and best practices in ESG.
Speeki provides a range of assurance solutions around ESG.
