Latest news with #SECNewgate
Campaign ME
19-05-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
ESG communications clarity: Building trust in a polarised world
We live in an increasingly polarised world, a world where crucial ESG issues are hijacked for political talking points, greenwashing abounds, and profit almost always trumps people and the planet. Against this backdrop, it's no surprise that people feel disengaged, distrustful, and disinterested in companies' ESG pledges and promises. From supply chain slavery coverups and fossil fuel fashion people have been misled, tricked, and conned for years. Winning back their trust won't be easy. But, this is not an excuse for companies to draw back into the shadows and stay silent – a practice known as greenhushing. And the research shows that consumers don't want this either. In fact, recent research from SEC Newgate found that of the 14,352 people it surveyed across 14 countries and territories, including the UAE, close to three in four people want companies to communicate more clearly about what they are doing to improve their performance on ESG issues. In the UAE, the figure rose to 84 per cent. 'Beyond hurting brand reputation, damaging consumer trust, and putting off potential talent, global greenwashing regulations are emerging left, right, and centre, and while there remain plenty of loopholes, the crackdown has begun.' Clear ESG communications begin with good data. Without robust data collection and verification processes, companies are left scrambling in the dark. Utilising this data and evidencing your progress—and room for improvement—provides a foundation of transparency, and when it comes to consumers, this goes a long way. One 2018 survey of US consumers by Social media management and analytics software company SproutSocial found that 89 per cent of people said a business could regain their trust by admitting to a mistake and being transparent about the steps taken to resolve it. Meanwhile, 85 per cent were more likely to stick with a brand during crises. But lesson one of company anti-greenwashing class 101 is: Act before you speak. There are a myriad of severe consequences if companies decide to take the opposite direction. Beyond hurting brand reputation, damaging consumer trust, and putting off potential talent, global greenwashing regulations are emerging left, right, and centre, and while there remain plenty of loopholes, the crackdown has begun. And then, companies must continue to walk the talk. As a result, it's essential to provide evidence that ESG isn't just a once-a-year activity but, instead, embedded into overall corporate strategy as part of your DNA. ESG is a journey, a process of business transformation, so communicate this with consumers and let the actions you're taking be demonstrated authentically, with a particular focus on their impact. But just as ESG is a company journey, for consumers, it's also a learning process. While companies might be making significant headway on their pledges and promises, it won't reach the right ears without the right action. So, it's crucial to discuss ESG data in an accessible way. For those in the ESG bubble, where Scope 3 and double materiality are part of their daily lives, keeping things complex and corporate might be something that's difficult to break free from. But it's essential for better consumer engagement. Cut the jargon and explain complex terms in a way that democratises ESG knowledge without patronising consumers. Finally, collaboration is the cornerstone to success. If companies lack the internal skills and experience to create a transparent, engaging and impactful ESG communications strategy, bringing in the experts will be a gamechanger. As the climate crisis intensifies, one abundantly clear message is that collaborative action is vital to climate change mitigation and adaptation – and the same goes in business. Knowledge-sharing is fundamental to solving the ESG comms in crisis, preventing missteps, mistakes and miscommunication. By Sal Jafar, CEO, ESG MENA
Reuters
19-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
UK-EU summit live: Starmer and EU leaders set to agree post-Brexit reset deal
FILE PHOTO: Starmer and von der Leyen in New York, September 25, 2024. Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS The economic benefit of any deal will be limited by Starmer's promise to not rejoin the EU's single market or customs union. But he has instead sought to negotiate better market access in some areas - a difficult task when the EU opposes so-called "cherry picking" of EU benefits without the obligations of membership. Removing red tape on food trade will require Britain to accept EU oversight on standards, but Starmer is likely to argue that it is worth it to help lower the cost of food, and grow the sluggish economy. One trade expert who has advised politicians in both London and Brussels said the government needed to "break the taboo" on accepting EU rules, and doing so to help farmers and small businesses was smart. Trade experts also said Britain benefited from the greater focus on defence, making the deal look more reciprocal, and said improved ties made sense in a more volatile world. When "trade disruption is so visible and considerable" anything that reduced trade friction with a country's biggest trading partner made sense, said Allie Renison, a former UK government trade official at consultancy SEC Newgate.
The National
17-03-2025
- Business
- The National
Investcorp buys majority stake in German supply chain and logistics consultancy Miebach
Bahrain's Investcorp, the biggest alternative asset manager in the Middle East, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in German supply chain and logistics consultancy Miebach. Following the transaction, Miebach's existing equity partnership will retain a significant minority stake in the company, Investcorp said in a statement on Monday. It did not disclose the terms of the deal. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025 and is subject to customary regulatory clearance. As part of the deal, Miebach will continue to expand its organic growth initiatives, while developing a focused mergers and acquisition strategy, Investcorp said. 'As a global leader in supply chain consulting, logistics and material flow engineering, Miebach has established itself as the end-to-end consultant for truly international clients seeking highly complex supply chain solutions,' Yusef Al Yusef, global head of distribution at Investcorp, said. Since 2012, Investcorp's European private equity group has invested about €2.1 billion ($2.28 billion) in companies across Europe. The acquisition of Miebach is the group's fifth investment over the last 15 months, following the more recent acquisitions of SEC Newgate, Outcomes First Group, Stowe, and Epipoli. Set up in 1973 with headquarters in Frankfurt, Miebach provides specialised global supply chain and logistics consultancy services, a market estimated to be worth about €30 billion and expected to grow at double-digit rates annually, according to Investcorp. Miebach's services extends from the development of supply chain strategies to engineering designs, while providing digital services to the client's warehousing infrastructure. The company employs more than 500 people with offices in 20 countries, providing services to various industries and international blue-chip clients across the world. 'The supply chain and logistics consultancy market is exposed to long-term trends, and is expected to benefit from positive tailwinds in supply chain resiliency, sustainability, digitalisation and automation,' Investcorp said. Established in 1982, Investcorp invests across asset classes through its six business lines: private equity, real estate, absolute return investments, infrastructure, credit management and strategic capital. Its assets under management have grown to $55 billion and it aims to boost it to $100 billion by investing in areas including the Americas, Europe and the broader Asia region, including the Middle East.
