To determine the key messages for SRI investors, companies should cross-reference between their strategic planning function, investor relations team and the CSR/sustainability department as follows:
Issue scoping
Fundamental factors
- (External): Which five external factors are most important to understanding the company’s markets and strategic positioning?
- (Internal): Which five internal performance factors give most insight into the company’s long-term business prospects?
Current drivers
- (External): Which five market / external indicators are ‘mainstream’ financial analysts currently watching most closely?
- (Internal): Which five internal performance metrics are ‘mainstream financial’ analysts focussed on currently?
Sustainability factors
- (External): What external social or environmental factors have and will have most impact on the company?
- (Internal): What are the company’s five priority areas for sustainability management?
Overlap
- How (if at all) do the sustainability factors identified above overlap with the fundamentals and current drivers?
- How is the company’s sustainability programme being directed to reduce business risk and capture commercial opportunity?
- What key metrics exemplify this?
