We conduct extensive due diligence for acquisition targets.
Interviews. Assessments. Audits. Site Visits. Research.
Speeki, through its over 15 years' experience in research, auditing and assessments accumulated offers investors a solution for ESG due diligence of target companies or investments.
Speeki Acquire™ is a detailed due diligence offering that considers in significant detail the target company and their position on ESG. Our solution is global and almost always involves extensive research, interviews, assessments and even audits of the target company and its operations across 19 key risk areas using our Engage™ methodology.
Speeki Acquire™ is not a 'sanctions check' or some form of 'company search', it is a comprehensive analysis of ESG.
What Speeki does with Speeki Acquire™ sets us apart
Our briefing at the start of the project is either conducted in person (preferably) or online. It takes about 2-3 hours to scope out the project and its objectives.
We engage our senior team with a minimum of 15 years in ESG matters in every project. Our senior team remains engaged throughout the entire project.
Speeki Acquire™ uses the Speeki Engage™ methodology to tackle the project and decide the best way forward based on the budget, the timing and the objectives.
The Speeki Acquire™ team builds a project plan that could be a mixture of headquarter interviews, regional meetings, audits of specific areas, policy and procedure reviews and assessments, with on the ground research. For a global company, it will most likely mean a multi-country engagement based on risk and their operations and where we need to focus to get the data needed to form a true assessment of risk.
Delivery wise, the Speeki Acquire™ project team can be up and running in a day, and depending on the delivery needs can be completed in a few weeks to a month. This is a fraction of the time that most companies have for an acquisition 'due diligence' and can easily fit within a window of time.
Our team will price the due diligence up front and build a comprehensive set of deliverables at a set price. All Speeki engagements include all fees and expenses relating to travel. We offer a fixed price solution with a detailed set of deliverables. Most of our engagements are likely to be in excess of USD 50,000 and several much higher.
Our ESG due diligence looks at ESG through 19 key risk areas. This is not just limited to public information but a deep engagement with the target company and a review of their policies, procedures, operations and also interviews. We validate their input through targeted audits.
Speeki expects that our work is an integral part of the decision-making process as to whether to acquire or not. We don't provide 'tick the box' efforts.
What most providers do in their 'ESG check' when doing a due diligence report
Other providers use a one-line email that kicks off the project and rarely gives any detail on objectives, scope of areas of focus.
Other providers delegate the project to a resource in the Philippines, India, Poland or Malaysia. Rarely would you know who they are, what they do or their skillsets. Talking to them is virtually impossible.
Other providers use a cookie-cutter template and a fixed price that rarely considers the objectives and has a set amount of time calculated based on the price charged.
Other providers follow a standard due diligence template that looks at company registry information (which is normally publicly available), media research (that shows very little in most cases), sanctions checks (which for ESG issues is mostly irrelevant) and occasionally a site visit (which is often a Google maps check of one location). Rarely would they look beyond the 'main company' that they were asked to look at.
Most background check vendors’ software applications are barely able to cover assessments, audits, onsite work or serious interviews. The basic level of their product and the time taken to deliver the product are totally out of sync. The cookie cutter delivery is comparatively slow.
Other providers will have a set price for a set product. While this gives you some certainty, it is cookie cutter and is likely to be information you already know or which could be learned through an internet search. Most providers charge USD3,500-5,000 for what is simple public research.
Other providers will not look at the depth of issues covered in the Speeki ESG model. They will look at some basic anti-corruption elements, maybe some modern-day slavery disclosures and sanctions. Totally insufficient for a proper ESG due diligence.
Other providers are there to 'tick a box' and justify some 'due diligence' was done.
The true deliverable of Speeki Acquire™ is more than just a report.
Every project starts with a deep planning session that engages our clients to understand their needs and also engages the target to scope out our access to information and people which is essential to our work.
Every project leads to the development of a comprehensive report that details ESG against 19 risk areas and a rating on each of their areas according to our own Speeki Engage™ methodology. Where possible we show visual maps of achievement and gaps to focus on, which can be helpful post-acquisition.
Our projects end with a report out from Speeki experts. The report out is ideally delivered in person and walks through the entire set of findings.
Why is Speeki Acquire™ the right product for your M&A activities?
We know our content
Our team are experts in all ESG risk areas and know how to identify key areas both from a risk perspective and from an opportunity perspective. Our Engage™ methodology is at the heart of our Speeki Acquire™ solution. We have the expertise and the seniority to identify risks that are 'showstoppers' and those that should be completed soon after the transaction closes.
Speed and Efficiency
We know that investments are not always done with a lot of lead time. We can get moving quickly and escalate our work to meet deadlines.
We have our own dedicated resources supported by our network of affiliates to get active quickly and engage in a transaction. We follow a strict project management discipline and apply a PM to each and every project.
Systems
We have already built workflows, checklists, ratings, and other key measuring systems to assess ESG. We apply these proprietary solutions to our engagements. Our focus is to build the fact base from our research, interviews, assessments and audits to build into our proprietary systems.
Ultimately, this saves time and builds a defensible process.
Speeki features of Speeki Acquire™.
Professional reports and recommended actions
Delivered by a leader in ESG consulting for over twenty years. This is not a researcher doing public searches.
Customer success concierge
Speeki’s customer success team aims to ensure that every customer, every time, has an exemplary experience with Speeki.
Multiple language support
Our project will likely involve multi-country interviews, assessments and audits in local languages. We have the resources ready in most countries to conduct assessments at the same time and in parallel with each other.
Clear pricing
We always work to a fixed price schedule. While it is very much dependent on the scope of the project and its objectives, it is not unusual for a budget for a target acquisition due diligence to start at USD 50,000 and reach around USD 150,000 for a larger assessment. If you are looking for a cookie-cutter public records search, we are not your provider.
Time sensitive and fixed price
Our projects are fixed price and generally fixed time for delivery wherever possible. We would generally complete projects in 8-12 weeks from engagement depending on the size of the engagement.
Getting engaged with us on a Speeki Acquire™ project
The first step is to reach out to us and kick off a complimentary introductory call where we can walk through the proposed transaction (having signed an NDA and cleared conflicts and confirmed independence). This call will establish what ESG due diligence might be appropriate and possible given the budgets and timelines. We can then propose an engagement to budget and scope the proposed ESG due diligence.
Application
Roles involved
Risk Areas addressed
FAQs
The Speeki Acquire™ solution covers ESG risk areas such as environmental impact, social responsibility, and governance practices. This includes assessing specific issues like carbon emissions, labor practices, diversity and inclusion, ethical business conduct, supply chain sustainability, and more.
It stands out by engaging a senior team with over 15 years of ESG expertise throughout the entire project, in contrast to other providers who often delegate projects to junior resources. Additionally, it uses the Engage™ methodology to tailor project plans to the budget, timing, and objectives, ensuring a comprehensive and customized approach.
The typical timeline for completing an ESG due diligence project with Speeki Acquire™ is 8-12 weeks, which aligns with the needs of investors and companies involved in M&A activities. This efficient timeline allows for comprehensive due diligence within a timeframe that fits within the window of time often available for acquisitions.
It utilizes its Engage™ methodology to determine the best approach based on budget, timing, and specific objectives by conducting a detailed briefing at the start of the project, engaging a senior team, and building a project plan tailored to the ESG due diligence needs of the target company.
The pricing for Speeki Acquire™ is structured as a fixed price solution, including all fees and expenses related to travel. Typically, the budget for an ESG due diligence engagement with Speeki Acquire™ starts at USD 50,000 and can reach around USD 150,000 for larger assessments, reflecting the depth and comprehensive nature of the service provided.