Environmental, Social & Governance

  1. Ed Mahon

    Ed Mahon

    Principal

  2. Ethan Bach

    Ethan Bach

    Managing Partner, Innovation, Solutions and Corporate Development

  3. Heather Acker

    Heather Acker

    CPA

    Managing Partner

  4. Joe Donnelly

    Joe Donnelly

    CPA

    Partner

  5. Kevin Simmerman

    Kevin Simmerman

    Executive Director, Risk Management

  6. Mallory Thomas

    Mallory Thomas

    CPA, MBA, CIA, CITP, CISA

    Partner

  7. Scott A. Miller

    Scott A. Miller

    CPA

    Partner

  8. Shane Lloyd

    Shane Lloyd

    Head of Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging and Societal Impact

  9. Shanté George

    Shanté George

    CIRA

    Principal, Chief of Staff

  10. Susan Borries Reed

    Susan Borries Reed

    J.D.

    Managing Director

  11. Theresa Nickels

    Theresa Meiners

    Principal, General Counsel

  12. Tom Unke

    Thomas E. Unke

    CPA

    Partner

Let’s build a sustainable future now, for tomorrow.

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) has emerged as much more than a responsibility. It’s an opportunity to build a more sustainable business and a key differentiator to enhance relevancy and trust with organization stakeholders. Built strategically, an ESG program creates valuable impact within your organization, your community and for the planet for years to come.

Why is it important?

A strong and meaningful ESG program can set a vision for an organization’s environmental and societal influence, providing value both internally and externally.

Establishing environmental goals can help reduce your carbon footprint, determine your sourcing strategy and set a foundation for how to eliminate unnecessary waste. From a social impact lens, you can build a meaningful diversity program, enhance employee health and make lasting changes in your community.

And by building a strong governance foundation, you can diversify your board, enhance business ethics, increase stakeholder transparency and protect privacy.

These are a sampling of the many benefits of a strong, customized program that will help your organization reach the sustainability goals that matter most.

Explore our solutions

We understand the complexities organizations face regarding ESG strategy, compliance requirements and stakeholder pressures. We'll meet you where you are. Through an industry-forward lens, we help organizations manage risk, innovate, and create and protect value through detailed execution of ESG initiatives.

  • Sustainability strategy and transformation
  • ESG risk and materiality
  • Climate risk and impact
  • ESG reporting readiness
  • ESG assurance
  • Energy transition

Sustainability strategy and transformation

As stakeholders continue to demand more environmentally and socially responsible products and services, organizations are expected to respond. Your organization’s ESG program needs to be aligned with the overall business strategy and mimic what is material to the firm. Where is your organization on the ESG journey? We can help assess, strategize and execute.

  • Education and training: provide ESG education and training to key stakeholders (i.e., board members and executive leaders)​
  • Strategy development: define ESG-related vision and goals and discuss how they align with organization strategy and purpose with cross-functional organization leaders​
  • Current state assessment: perform benchmarking, assess current policies, baseline metrics and measurement systems
  • Maturity assessment: evaluate your ESG program maturity including readiness to comply with current and forthcoming regulatory requirements
  • Governance structure development: develop ESG governance structure, risk management processes and procedure documents and reporting cadence to address climate-related risks
  • ESG roadmap development: create an ESG action plan aligned with your organization's priorities and regulatory requirements

ESG risk and materiality

Today, organizations can face many emerging risks, including operational, transitional, climate-related, compliance/regulatory and financial, which can create significant challenges if not addressed. In the context of your organization’s operations and strategic plans, performing an ESG risk assessment can identify environmental, social and governance elements while incorporating the associated materiality and reporting requirements (e.g., SASB/GRI), as applicable. Be proactive, stay ahead of the competition and ensure your organization is set up for success.

To do so, we will:

  • Utilize surveys, interviews and workshops with stakeholders to identify and assess ESG elements ​
  • Prioritize ESG elements and develop mitigation and action plans​
  • Communicate results through an assessment report and assist with the development of your reporting capability​
  • Assist with the integration of ESG into enterprise risk management governance and oversight processes

Climate risk and impact

Organizations are facing regulatory, reputational and financial risks due to an increase in climate transparency requirements. Take action to identify climate-related risks and potential impacts to your organization and develop a risk mitigation plan to help you comply with material regulatory requirements.

We’ll assist by:

  • Administering questionnaires, performing interviews and hosting workshops to identify and assess climate-related risks and their associated potential and real impacts​
  • Developing risk responses and opportunity plans considering your organization’s risk tolerance and strategic priorities

ESG reporting readiness

There is increased stakeholder pressure on organizations to report on ESG metrics, which requires input from various departments within an organization, including operations, HR, legal, IT, risk and compliance. Because of the cross-functional nature of ESG reporting, data collection, consolidation, analysis and management are often difficult and time-consuming tasks. Our specialists understand your industry and data management needs. We’ll work together to gather your ESG data, analyze the metrics to help guide ESG priorities and track progress.

  • Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reporting: assist with data gathering and report preparation for carbon accounting and reporting GHG emissions (scope 1, 2 and 3) utilizing the GHG protocol to comply with regulatory requirements (e.g., SEC, FAR, CSRD, SFRD, ISSB), as applicable​
  • Data validation: assist with reporting preparation including data validation to comply with selected frameworks, metrics and reporting requirements ​
  • SOX and internal controls: identify and design internal controls over sustainability and ESG reporting to comply with regulatory requirements (e.g. SEC, FAR, CSRD, SFRD, ISSB), as applicable​
  • Metrics, targets and analysis: establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and collect relevant data to measure, monitor and track progress against sustainability goals ​
  • Technology solutions: evaluate technology solutions for ESG and sustainability reporting (e.g., ESG reporting, data management and GHG/carbon accounting)​
  • ESG and sustainability report development: develop report templates, outlines and content for internal and external reporting​

ESG assurance

After investing significant resources into sustainability reporting, ensure your data is accurate and in compliance with regulatory requirements, and mitigate the risk of greenwashing accusations with third-party assurance.

  • Independent reporting assurance: Provide independent assurance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports, GHG emissions, and sustainability/ESG reporting and data​
  • Internal audit alliance: Integrate ESG risks into your internal audit plan and assist with the evaluation of related risks and internal audits​

Energy transition

Regulatory changes, decarbonization initiatives, environmental and consumer activism and new technologies are driving the global shift and demand for sustainable business. We can help your organization stay ahead by strategizing and taking action on your energy transition commitments. 

  • Energy transition services: develop the strategy and roadmap with a lens to enterprise program management 
  • Net zero strategy: develop the pathway, process and reporting to meet net zero commitments for your clean energy transition​
  • Renewable energy solutions: identify optimal development structures and understand the requirements from concept to completion for both developers and distributors
  • Ever.green: leverage the leading clean energy project funding and tax credit marketplace to buy and sell tax credits that are vetted, secure and compliant with regulatory requirements 

How ESG can shape an organization's sustainability

A strong ESG program can help shape an organization’s sustainability by reducing costs, managing and mitigating risks, and attracting and retaining talent. Understand why organizations are falling short on their sustainability journeys and how you can kick-start your ESG program with a few simple steps.

USA map with particles connection

Energy Community Mapping Tool

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 has created tax credit opportunities for clean energy projects sited within an energy community in the U.S. Our interactive mapping tool can help you determine if a project might be located in an "energy community".

Business professionals walking around outdoor office space with trees

Baker Tilly Teams Up with Ever.green to Create First Marketplace for Clean Energy Tax Credits

Baker Tilly and Ever.green, a clean energy project funding and tax credit marketplace, have formed a strategic collaboration to reduce the complexity of transferring clean energy tax credits.

trees and sky with climate bonds standard approved

Baker Tilly achieves approved verifier status for green bonds in the U.S.

Have you explored green bonds as a means to broaden an investment pool and advance sustainability initiatives? As an Approved Verifier certified by the Climate Bonds Initiative, we help governments and companies secure financing through green bonds for projects that address climate change.

"At Baker Tilly, building a sustainable future is who we are at our core. Our talented professionals are dedicated to developing and guiding our clients on their ESG journey now, for tomorrow."
Theresa Meiners, ESG Practice Leader
Theresa Meiners

Start your journey

Count on Baker Tilly to serve as an extension of your management team on this journey. We’ve been there and stand ready to guide you through this ever-changing environment as your organization continues to make a difference.