With more than 20 years of experience, EMG Group has become a recognized authority in the field of ESG.

EMG is regularly invited to share its thoughts and opinions on the most important trends in ESG at conferences, roundtable talks and network platforms all around the world.

Below are some examples of our public activities.

Chairing of events
As the chair of various CSR summits including CSR Dubai, the longest-running CSR conference in the MENA, EMG was part of shaping the summit agenda, working with the conference organizers to ensure current trends were addressed, and assisting with the networking of other experts in the field. EMG gave the opening speech on the outlook of CSR globally and the influence and opportunity locally. Providing ongoing support throughout the event, EMG facilitated the keynote panel discussions with royals and VIP executives.

Keynote speakers
EMG is frequently asked to deliver keynote addresses at summits, conferences, and other high profile events around the world, sharing knowledge and inspiring audiences on various topics within the fields of sustainable development and ESG. Recently EMG delivered the keynote speech on ESG reporting at the Turkey Sustainable Business Summit, the country’s largest sustainability event, attended annually by more than 1,000 sustainability professionals.

Previous keynote speeches include those delivered at the University of Leeds (Russell Group) and events organized by IEMA, the world’s largest membership organization for sustainability professionals with more than 15,000 members worldwide. Keynote speaches have also been delivered by EMG at Sustainability Live, the UK’s largest sustainability event, on the topics of implementing change and opportunities of ESG in BRIC countries, notably China, and more recently, at the Ethical Business Summit in London.

Images: Islamic Reporting Initiative in the Springer publication on Islamic marketing; EMG consultants speaking at sustainability conferences in Muscat and Dubai; EMG as keynote speaker at the Cambridge Islamic Finance Leadership Programme at Clare College; EMG presenting the 2014 sustainability excellence awards at CSR Saudi Arabia.

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion leaders
Over the years, EMG has been at the center of vibrant discussions on the topics of ESG and sustainability, fostering debate on delivering tangible progress, from moderating panel discussions at conferences, leading round tables, or stimulating dialogue with youth.

Leading the keynote panel at the CSR Summit in Dubai, representatives from EMG engaged with HRH Princess Banderi Al Faisal of Saudi Arabia, Director General of the King Khalid Foundation, and Bill Reese, President & CEO of the International Youth Foundation.

A team from EMG conducted a certified executive workshop, endorsed by the George Washington University, USA, on measuring the impact of CSR, delivering an interactive session on the subject of CSR implementation and reporting. EMG also chaired a session on the opportunities of NGO partnerships at the summit.

International experts
As an international expert, EMG is frequently called upon as an advisor on ESG and sustainability-related matters.

With experience in effective resource management and the circular economy model, EMG was a Guest Member of the World Economic Forum Circular Economy Taskforce, and separately, has held advisory roles with WRAP’s ‘Resource Revolution’; IEMA’s Resource Network Campaign; the Guardian’s Sustainable Business Platform; and a project partner with the University of Leeds’ resource program, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council.

An expert in ESG strategy at the macroscale, EMG has held advisory roles for the development of national ESG policy, such as supporting governmental and corporate bodies in numerous countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan and Jordan.

Transparency, accountability and reporting are the building blocks of a sustainability strategy and EMG is frequently invited to support organizations in delivering on these elements. For example, EMG took part in roundtable talks in Turkey as part of the ‘CSR for all’ project, outlining the potential in CSR reporting, and addressed an audience in Ukraine on the subject of transparency in state-owned companies.

Images: EMG at the headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah; EMG speaking on the topic of impact investment at the Royal Society of Arts in London; presentation about the Islamic Reporting Initiative in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; EMG founder Daan Elffers as conference chairman of Informa’s flagship CSR conference in Dubai, speaking to local media.

 

 

 

 

 

Awards
EMG is proud to share its professional expertise and is often called upon as a panelist at various ESG and sustainability awards. EMG’s Managing Director Daan Elffers was appointed judge for the inaugural CSR excellence awards held in Saudi Arabia and in Dubai. The Awards recognize organizations for their outstanding achievements in CSR, with categories ranging from Community Development and Environmental Sustainability to Employment Generation. EMG provided extensive input for the evaluation and assessment criteria and was on the panel of seven judges in the short-listing of entries. Other experts on the Panel included three CEOs and four executives from King Khalid University, Microsoft Arabia, Mubadala and Sanofi. EMG is honored to have led the awards ceremony, presenting the awards to the winners.

On another occasion, EMG was involved in the structuring of a Green Building Design Competition in Oman, including the establishment of its panel of international judges (strategic introductions). Organized by a leading Omani nonprofit organization in partnership with the Omani Ministry of Health, the competition gave young architects in Oman the opportunity to design a sustainable building for a new healthcare facility funded by the nonprofit organization in question.

Academic peer reviewers
Given the scope of our network and expertise, EMG is regularly asked to review the work of its peers in academic and business contexts.

For the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute in California, US, EMG undertook stakeholder assessment and analysis of financial and non-financial data which informed the first Impact Study, which was also peer reviewed by the Scientific Review Panel formed of representatives from Delft, Yale and Oxford Universities.

IEMA has frequently invited EMG to review documents intended for governmental and organizational use including their Skills for a Sustainability Economy document and the Graduate Standard, and worked on projects in cooperation with the University of Leeds.

Trainers of auditors
In 2008, EMG became the world’s first CSR firm with Certified Cradle to Cradle consultants for the marketing of Cradle to Cradle, the circular economy model developed by William McDonough and Prof. Dr Michael Braungart. The concept rests on an application of biomimicry to the design of products and systems, modeling human industry on nature’s processes and viewing materials as nutrients which circulate continuously in closed systems.

EMG has since become a trainer on how to maximize the business opportunity of Cradle to Cradle certification, including the assessors training, which was attended by engineers from Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, Brazil, the Netherlands and UK. Graduates become the latest accredited assessment bodies authorized to analyze and assess products on Cradle to Cradle Certified quality.

Authors of publications
EMG’s consultants regularly provide expert input to a range of media channels, including international industry publications such as Thomson Reuters Annual Review and the International Organization of Employers.

EMG consultants have written a wealth of publications featured by the European Commission, Columbia University Press (USA), Hurst (UK), NATO/ Springer on subjects from China, Global Security and Sustainable Development.

Inspiring the next generation
EMG’s youth engagement program seeks to share, inspire and foster growth in knowledge among the leaders of tomorrow through active workshops and presentations, to empower students to bring about the transition for a prosperous future. EMG consultants have been pro-bono guest speakers at colleges and universities in a growing range of countries from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to Turkey and the United Kingdom.