An ESG audit checklist is a tool that can help you assess your company’s performance against environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. This checklist can be used to identify areas where your company can improve its ESG performance and to demonstrate your commitment to sustainability to your stakeholders. Here is a sample ESG audit checklist that your company can use, with additional information and examples:
Environmental
- Greenhouse gas emissions: Do you have a greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan in place? Have you set specific targets for reducing your emissions? Are you tracking your progress toward these targets?
- Water consumption and waste production: Do you track your water consumption and waste production? Have you identified opportunities to reduce your water consumption and waste production? Have you implemented any measures to reduce your water consumption and waste production?
- Renewable energy: Are you using renewable energy sources? If so, what percentage of your energy consumption comes from renewable sources?
- Sustainable sourcing: Do you have a policy for sustainable sourcing of materials? Do you work with suppliers to ensure that they are meeting your sustainability standards?
- Environmental impact reduction: Are you taking steps to reduce your environmental impact, such as recycling and composting? Have you identified any other opportunities to reduce your environmental impact?
Social
- Diversity and inclusion: Do you have a diversity and inclusion policy in place? Are you working to create a diverse and inclusive workplace? Do you have a plan to increase the representation of women and minorities in your workforce?
- Employee training and development: Do you provide training and development opportunities for your employees? Are you investing in your employees’ skills and knowledge?
- Fair wages and benefits: Do you offer fair wages and benefits to your employees? Are your wages and benefits competitive with other companies in your industry?
- Safe and healthy working conditions: Do you have a policy for safe and healthy working conditions? Are you taking steps to prevent accidents and injuries? Are you providing your employees with the resources they need to stay healthy and safe?
- Work-life balance: Do you support your employees’ work-life balance? Do you have flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting and flextime? Do you offer paid time off for vacation, sick leave, and personal days?
Governance
- Board of Directors: Do you have a board of directors that is independent and diverse? Does your board of directors have the skills and experience necessary to oversee your company’s ESG performance?
- Code of ethics and conduct: Do you have a code of ethics and conduct in place? Does your code of ethics and conduct cover topics such as anti-corruption, human rights, and environmental protection?
- Risk management: Do you have a risk management process in place? Have you identified and assessed your ESG risks? Have you developed plans to mitigate your ESG risks?
- Reporting: Do you have a transparent and accountable reporting process in place? Do you report on your ESG performance to your stakeholders? Is your ESG reporting in accordance with recognized standards, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards?
- Corporate social responsibility: Are you committed to corporate social responsibility? Do you support charitable organizations and social causes? Do you volunteer your time and resources to the community?
This is just a sample audit checklist, and you may need to add or remove items depending on your company’s specific industry and ESG goals. Once you have completed the checklist, you can use the results to identify areas where your company needs to improve its ESG performance.