Thank you for your interest in the important work Social Scaffolding does with our clients and partners.
We have in this quarters newsletter some exciting developments with new team members, new services and new certifications. It has been an action-packed quarter, and the end of another successful year for the Social Scaffolding team.
We hope you enjoy this update, and we look forward to working with you in this new financial year.
ESG Reporting - Opportunity to build trust & collaboration
With the significant increase in demand for our consulting services, we have two new team members specialising in the growing areas of stakeholder engagement, shared value and impact reporting. These combine to encompass what is referred to as ESG reporting. Denise Gibbons takes a closer look at what this means for our clients and the sector at large:
What is ESG Reporting?
ESG Reporting is an annual scorecard to the relevant stakeholders around Environment, Social and Governance metrics that apply for that organisation.
What does ESG include?
Environment: refers to the care of the environment by the organisation and covers climate change, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, land use, deforestation.
Social: the engagement and care of the people and community of the organisation and covers such matters as health, safety and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, stakeholder care, human rights, supply chain suitability, product and service safety, security and integrity of information and assets, community engagement and care.
Governance: how well an organisation is managed such mas financial management, audit and assurance, risk management, structure, management skills, diversity, stakeholder engagement, anti-bribery/corruption, as well as tax strategy.
Why do you need to consider ESG Reporting for your organisation?
Currently, this is a voluntary reporting framework with no mandated requirement to include in an organisation’s annual reports.
However, ESG Reporting is a way of building trust with your stakeholders, the community, and financiers by demonstrating through your ESG scorecard that your organisation is well-run, caring, and sustainable.
These detailed disclosures will better position your organisation to access capital and enhance brand awareness with stakeholders as a litmus test for future investment and ongoing financial support.
There is becoming an expectation from governments, shareholders, and employees (current and potential) for transparent and well-articulated ESG reporting as part of their involvement with organisations.
Further, there is an opportunity for collaboration. For example, the for-profit sector may find it challenging to undertake community engagement effectively. This may mean that they team-up with a not-for-profit to meet their scorecard. There is an opportunity to support social enterprises and community projects using the not-for-profit organisations expertise and add this project to their ESG scorecard and stories.
There are also philanthropic foundations that will want to meet their ESG targets and collaborate with the expertise of not-for-profit organisations to achieve these targets.
A practical example is the Nundah Community Enterprise Co-operative NCEC in Nundah Qld which provides sustainable employment and training opportunities for people with cognitive and/or psycho-social disabilities. They are supported by the Westpac Foundation and various other philanthropic foundations. Also, the Brisbane City Council outsources the maintenance of parks and gardens to the NCEC team. NCEC is contributing to the ESG performance of their partners.
How do you apply ESG Reporting to your organisation?
Step 1: Apply ESG Reporting to your organisation by developing an ESG Roadmap. This becomes a sustainable process of engagement for all parts of the organisation.
How can Social Scaffolding help?
At Social Scaffolding, we have consultants that can assist your organisation with creating your ESG Roadmap and helping with your Annual ESG Scorecard for your Annual Reports to your stakeholders.
Recent projects
Social Enterprise portfolio analysis and growth
A large disability accommodation and support provider offers employment and pathways as a core offering to their clients. With significant changes in NDIS employment funding, and people wanting more choice and control in their career, Shari and Andrew have been reviewing their capabilities, the market opportunities and then designing a decision-making framework to enable faster and more informed decisions when opportunities arise.
Desktop research, interviews and workshops culminated in a workflow design and decision-making framework to enable readiness to convert opportunities into more employment pathways faster.
Change management
Our largest change management and operations review project continues despite changes in government and scrutiny of labour management practices. Our client has continued to deliver essential support and guidance for foreign workers in an evolving framework. At a time of uncertainty – Anna, Carolyn and James have supported the executive team with change management design and facilitation, mentoring, coaching and governance framework design and implementation.
Service model design
As the aged care sector undergoes ongoing review and improvement, Ange has been working with one of Queensland's leading advocacy provider to inform their transition from a government funded service provider to a fee for service offering, and position them competitively to deliver more innovative aged care service provision in-line with aged care reforms occurring throughout Australia.
We have been delivering strategy workshops, service model design and financial modelling for cost-effective service delivery in what will be a competitive service offering.
Certification
Social Traders, QSEC & BCorp Registration
As a social enterprise having operated for the past seven years, Social Scaffolding have worked hard to represent and promote the values of a socially responsible and socially focused profit for purpose business. With the significant increase in market knowledge and expectations of social enterprises we thought now is an opportune time for us to ensure we are adhering to these roles and responsibilities – so we are very excited to announce that we have been certified by Social Traders as a social enterprise, registered as a member with Social Enterprise Council (QSEC) as a social enterprise and awaiting the final assessment from BCorp for their certification.
NAIDOC Week
And lastly as a social enterprise operating on Yaggera and Turrbal peoples lands, we take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional owners and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging - celebrate last week's NAIDOC week the oldest, continuous living culture on earth.