Cases
Infrabel: Deepening Materiality Through Internal Consultation
Context
As part of CSRD, Infrabel initiated its double materiality analysis and identified material ESG topics, but internal consultation remains limited while it is essential to meet regulatory requirements.
Objectives
Conduct engaging consultation with staff, while training them concisely on ESG issues and CSRD, to validate and complete material topics and anchor the approach internally.
Intervention
Step 1
Scoping and diagnosis: Conduct thorough analysis of internal needs and stakeholder expectations. Identify specific ESRS framework topics that require deeper exploration and validation. Determine key people across departments to mobilize during consultation process. Design consultation approach to maximize engagement and quality of insights gathered.
Step 2
Consultation structuring: Co-construct detailed interview guide with Infrabel sustainability team to ensure alignment. Simplify and translate key CSRD concepts into accessible language for diverse audiences. Develop pedagogical materials to facilitate productive conversations. Structure interview flow to cover impacts, risks, opportunities, and dependencies systematically.
Step 3
Interview conduct: Conduct 13 targeted interviews with experts across different business units and functions. Facilitate discussions to validate preliminary materiality scores from initial assessment. Gather qualitative enrichment covering detailed impacts, risks, and opportunities. Document specific examples and evidence to support materiality conclusions.
Step 4
Results consolidation: Analyze feedback from experts across all consultation themes systematically. Challenge existing scores and internal perceptions with fresh insights from interviews. Identify nuances and specific sensitivities according to different profiles and roles. Synthesize findings into clear patterns and priorities for strategic decision-making.
Step 5
Strategic perspectives development: Develop strategic recommendations based on consolidated consultation insights. Identify concrete action paths for priority themes requiring attention. Highlight themes requiring reinforced engagement or targeted communication. Provide roadmap for anchoring ESG materiality into ongoing operations and governance.
Results
- Confirmation of priority themes already identified, with reinforcement of their legitimacy via 13 internal feedbacks
- Identification of nuances and specific sensitivities according to profiles, enabling finer reading of ESG issues for Infrabel
- Support for strategic orientation, highlighting themes requiring reinforced engagement or targeted communication
Key takeways
Clear pedagogy enables collaborators to understand consultation's purpose and gain real value from ESG engagement.
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