The story

Companies that score well on environmental social and governance (ESG) ratings are known to better anticipate future risks and opportunities, be more disposed to longer-term strategic thinking, and able to deliver long-term value. Investors often use ESG ratings as part of a broader analysis, or to positively screen for ‘best-in-class’ companies and negatively screen out worst-performing companies. If a company appears low down its industry list, it could result in exclusion from ESG investment products.

Working closely with the sustainability team at easyJet, we engaged with two widely used ESG rating providers – MSCI and Sustainalytics – to identify opportunities to improve its scoring and approach to managing material issues. We began by evaluating the airlines existing performance in each rating, as well as the criteria for scoring each of ‘E’ ‘S’ and ‘G’. We analysed the results and mapped them against the company’s existing ESG strategy and disclosures.

Our analysis identified opportunities across important areas of easyJet’s performance and provided easyJet with a practical action plan to improve its scoring and approach year-on-year.

The story

At Simply Sustainable, we pursue an evidence-based approach to developing strategy for our clients. This ultimately ensures time and resource is focused on the areas with the greatest potential to generate positive impact.

We’ve been working with the team at MAG for over five years providing independent support to help them translate myriad stakeholder views into strategic insight. So when talk turned to their new CSR strategy, we couldn’t wait to get started with a tailored approach that took MAG’s unique operating model into account.

Our work began with in-depth consultations with local residents and groups, customers and partners to explore their dynamic needs. Analysing these incredible insights informed a detailed materiality assessment that built on our previous work and broadly identified MAG’s priorities.

We then scrutinised each priority topic – a process which involved analysis in the context of MAG’s business and operations, the local landscape, the wider aviation sector and global challenges – before bringing experts from across the business together in a series of workshops to agree the overall direction and generate the ideas that will bring the approach to life.

The resulting strategy builds on MAG’s strong track record of operating for the benefit of the communities, regions and environment around its airports whilst recognising its role in tackling the significant sustainability challenges facing the aviation sector.

The story

London Stansted Airport, part of Manchester Airports Group, is London’s fastest growing airport, welcoming over 27 million passengers each year. For over five years, we have supported and advised the airport on sustainability issues, from stakeholder engagement to strategy development, responsible business reporting to communications. Recently, we have also been delighted to prove our worth with several of the company’s corporate social responsibility reports.

Progress reporting is a vital part of our work at Simply Sustainable. Done well, they are a great opportunity to enhance your company’s reputation in the world; a powerful statement about what your business stands for.

We were challenged to improve on the robustness and quality of previous reports, while keeping the end-result concise and accessible to a varied audience.

To start, we helped the team at Stansted to think through and articulate their vision and ambition for the report. Through a variety of methods including interviews, we gathered relevant data from across the business. In close consultation, we then drafted all sections of the report, and advised on the design.

London Stansted were delighted with the outcome: an engaging, fully designed CSR report that communicates effectively with all stakeholders.