The environment, social commitment, governance: ESG matters across all its parameters more and more – not only to clients and shareholders, but also to job seekers concerned about the policies and practices of the companies they approach. Our dream is to inspire, educate and lead an unstoppable movement for sustainable business practice in our markets and in our organisation.
At BDO we are committed to doing the best we can to reduce our impact on the environment through a number of initiatives that minimise energy and water use, as well as our carbon footprint. We are committed to supporting the goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner, along with our Global Public Policy Committee (GPPC) sector peers, with whom we joined the Net Zero Financial Service Providers Alliance (NZFSPA) in September 2021. NZFSPA is a global group of service providers committed to supporting the goal of global net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner.
Our social commitment springs from our deep commitment to meaningful transformation , not only for our own colleagues and their families, but for our business, our sector and the communities we work with and within. Our countrywide ‘Evolution’ volunteer programme brings this to life in many ways, assisting a range of communities in need, such as homeless children and the elderly. More specifically, we support a range of transformation initiatives that ensure our society offers ample and equal opportunity to all: these are detailed in the societal transformation section below.
In terms of governance, doing the right thing is one of our core values, along with a deeply integrated commitment to clarity, quality and integrity. In addition, as providers of sustainability services to our clients, our firm commits to following ESG best practice ourselves, transparently and clearly. Our sustainability services assist companies in identifying the environment, people and finances in their ESG strategy formulation, policy and procedures, and how the environmental, social and governance elements are interlinked and dependant on each other. To read more about BDO’s comprehensive range of sustainability services, please visit the Sustainability services page.
Evolution: Our volunteerism in practice
In a country such as South Africa, with a devastatingly high and increasing unemployment rate and many social challenges, we believe that it is incumbent upon individuals and companies to provide support to those in need. Engaging our people to become involved in community outreach programmes not only makes a difference in the lives of others, it also enables us to connect with one another. Most of us have experienced highs and lows due to the pandemic, unemployment and the substantial rise in the cost of living; but this must not stop us from supporting the many who are worse off than us.
Our CSI efforts are undertaken under the auspices of our Evolution Committee, comprising staff in each of our seven offices around the country. Through Evolution, each of our offices supports a range of local organisations.
Our commitment to societal transformation: elevating society
These are some of the initiatives that support our brand value proposition to elevate people, business and society: full details are available here in our 2023 Transformation journey.