A4S was established by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2004 to make sustainable decision making business as usual. This mission will be achieved through the delivery of the following priorities:
1. Capture and disseminate a compelling evidence base and inspire people to act
There is a global need to demonstrate the validity of ESG integration, addressing gaps in research and peer examples of good practice, and tackling ineffective dissemination, and the underlying beliefs of the unconvinced. A desire to take action by a critical mass within the global financial community must be established to build peer pressure and drive rapid action.
2. Set ambitious targets and embed them into strategy and decision making
In order to achieve a step change and cross a tipping point, ambitious targets must be embedded into the heart of an organization’s strategy. This often means making cross-organizational and strategic changes, but there is often a lack of knowledge or understanding on how to do this, and how to measure progress.
3. Allocate funds to deliver sustainable outcomes
The global capital markets continue to provide investment and finance that exacerbates the looming crisis rather than providing solutions. Awareness is growing, but the pace of change must accelerate rapidly, and the trillions of dollars invested worldwide must be redirected to finance the transition to a 1.5°C pathway, achieve the SDGs and create a sustainable future.
4. Value natural, social & human capital to accelerate ESG integration into decision making
Social and environmental risks are starting to have short-term financial impacts, but the full financial consequences will only be seen over the longer term, and the cost is unlikely to fall on those who most need to act now. Putting a tangible value on the risks and opportunities is therefore vital to accelerate action.
5. Adopt common standards and consistent terminology
Confusion and a lack of comparable data are often cited as a barrier to ESG integration. Mandatory adoption of global standards is essential to close these gaps. Finance can play an important role in the development, adoption and implementation of robust disclosures.
