• A transparent and broadly supported overview of material topics
• A clear link between stakeholder expectations and business strategy
• A solid foundation for aaff’s sustainability strategy
aaff is a B Corp and aims to be the most sustainable accountancy and advisory firm in the Netherlands. To create targeted sustainable impact and report on progress on the sustainability topics that truly matter to aaff, a thorough materiality analysis is needed.
aaff asked Been Management Consulting to conduct a double materiality analysis in line with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). This required a structured approach to assess both financial materiality and impact materiality for the Double Materiality Analysis.
Approach
We structured the process in three clear steps:
1. Stakeholder consultation
We mapped all internal and external stakeholders. The relevant stakeholders were asked through interviews and surveys to share their views on the most important ESG topics for aaff. We examined how aaff deals with environmental issues (Environment) such as CO₂ emissions, energy consumption, and waste processing; with people (Social), such as working conditions, diversity, health, and safety; and finally how aaff is governed (Governance), including transparency, ethics, regulatory compliance, and the composition of the board. This resulted in a quantitative underpinning of the most important ESG topics for aaff, complemented by qualitative insights from the stakeholder consultation.
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2. IRO descriptions and assessment
Based on the results of the consultation, we identified and described (potential) impacts, risks, and opportunities (IROs) for all relevant ESG topics. These IROs were refined together with the aaff team during workshops and assessed on likelihood and the severity of expected effects. This assessment is used to determine materiality. It provides a clear picture of the greatest financial opportunities and risks for aaff and their (potential) impact.
3. Determining material topics
An ESG topic is considered material for aaff if the materiality score of one or more of the underlying impacts, risks, or opportunities exceeds the set threshold. The results of the double materiality analysis form the foundation for aaff’s sustainability strategy.
“We helped aaff determine which sustainability topics are relevant and where they can take focused next steps.”
How we supported the creation of a future-proof vision and organizational design for a department of 150 employees within a Dutch regional grid operator.
