Strategy

The Business Insights Institute has specific ESG strategy formulation and implementation capabilities and can support you in a wide range of strategic issues, from discovering new sustainable business models to defining principle-based ESG strategies and implementing them. Professor Emmanuel Josserand specializes in innovation and strategy for sustainability, and Dr. Bradley Hastings focuses on change management and implementation.

Governance, Metrics, Reporting, and Compliance

The Audit and Assurance Research Group has expertise in ESG performance evaluation and measurement, the development of ESG metrics, mandatory and voluntary reporting, and assurance of ESG information, and the emerging domestic and international regulatory environment. Research is combined with a corporate focus to advance ESG internal and external reporting practices and the confidence that management and those external to the organization have in the information.

Team members are actively involved in the development and implementation of reporting and assurance regulations and are uniquely placed to work with partners to embed ESG matters into corporate reporting and governance practices with reference to developing societal expectations and government regulations.

ESG Performance and Benchmarking

The Digital Sustainability Group specializes in research and education on digital sustainability. A key focus of the Group is digital technology-enabled innovation. Scientia Professor Shan Pan, director of the Group, is the inventor of a sustainability intelligence system that tracks leading business organizations’ Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) performance.

Related, Business Insights Institute member Dr. Christian Criado-Perez has developed a Digital Sustainability Assessment Tool in collaboration with experts from the School of Management & Governance. This tool can help managers assess their maturity in terms of their practices and capabilities related to digital sustainability, as well as providing a roadmap on how to progress their maturity level across ten key dimensions including strategy, governance, business models, supply chains, and HR practices.

Risk Management

The IRIS Knowledge Group conducts cutting-edge research in the areas of risk management, notably with a focus on several SDGs, including: Good Health and Well-being, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Reduced Inequalities, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Climate Action. Recently, IRIS member Professor Qihe Tang has been collaborating with colleagues from Ulm University to analyze corporate social responsibility (CSR) investments to determine the optimal time to invest in CSR, considering both opportunity and reputational costs.

The UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response drives innovative research and education in relation to climate change led events. They help build capability for the identification and measurement of risks and advise on the responses to manage these. It is composed of a multi-disciplinary team of experts across Science, Business, and Law.

Impact

Assessing the impacts and increasing those positive effects of ESG strategies and activities has become a fundamental concern for Business and a core area of work at the UNSW Centre for Social Impact (CSI). CSI develops people and partnerships that accelerate social innovations for a more sustainable and inclusive economy. The Centre works across corporate, community, and government to develop social impact strategies, impact evaluation frameworks, and validation models.

Professor Danielle Logue and A/Professor Melissa Edwards lead a team of researchers at CSI who have expertise in enhancing organizational and strategic capabilities for ESG and integrating social impact through innovation.

ESG and Firm Performance

Several UNSW Business School researchers have developed a unique expertise on the performance effects of ESG. For instance, Professor Hauke A. Wetzel is a globally recognized authority on sustainable marketing. He has notably researched the effects of sustainable marketing practices and new technologies on firm performance. Dr. Weiting Zheng specializes in how businesses navigate the political environment to achieve both organizational success and positive societal impact, notably in emerging markets.

The Business Insights Institute

The Business Insights Institute serves as a concierge for industry and government partners who want to harness the power of UNSW’s expert research to address complex challenges and create brighter futures. We provide a seamless experience and ensure the highest standard of delivery.