Systemic change requires joining forces. That’s why at Empact we strategically build partnerships that directly benefit our clients. We spoke with our ESG consultant Anne about how these collaborations better empower organizations to make their own impact.
“We work with partners with the same goals and values. In doing so, it has to be very clear what each partner brings to the table and that there is a nice balance between give and take. Both must want to be at the forefront to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future.”
The power of a shared vision
“Sustainability requires a fundamental transition,” Anne explains. “More and more organizations have great ambitions to achieve a more sustainable business model. The only way to get that done is to do it together. As a consultant you can of course shout very loudly that things have to change, but you won’t make it on your own. It’s ultimately about transforming the whole system.”
This philosophy is reflected in our diverse partnerships: from educational institutions to verification partners and from communication agencies to software vendors. The binding element? A shared vision of sustainability that moves clients forward.
“The most important thing is that partners have the same vision,” Anne stresses. “We work with partners with the same goals and values. In doing so, it must be very clear what each partner brings to the table and that there is a nice balance of give and take. Both must want to be at the forefront to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future.”
“Because we have to translate our knowledge for lectures and trainings, we stay up-to-date ourselves. These professionals have diverse backgrounds, which also gives us refreshing perspectives. This helps to better understand our clients as well.”
Knowledge and Innovation: From academia to practice
Cooperation with universities such as the UvA, Nyenrode and Wageningen University & Research creates a cross-pollination between theory and practice that directly benefits clients.
“At these universities, we work with professionals who are retraining or taking ESG continuing education courses,” Anne explains. “We meet people from diverse backgrounds there. That’s very valuable, because ESG and laws like the CSRD cut across all departments and organizations: you have to be able to put that knowledge in a new context.”
These collaborations keep us sharp and up-to-date. “An important added value is that these knowledge partners encourage us to keep up with scientific articles and recent developments. Because we have to translate our knowledge for lectures and trainings, we also stay up-to-date ourselves. These professionals have diverse backgrounds, which also gives us refreshing perspectives. This helps to better understand our clients as well.”
At the same time, we are investing in the future by working with students. “We want to reach the new generation,” Anne explains enthusiastically. “In programs like Lead for Sustainability and Wageningen University, we meet students from all over the world who want to specialize in sustainability. Students bring a surprising amount of specific knowledge, for example about legislation around certain materials or about sectors where we are less active.”
Practical applications that help immediately
Through our partnership with knowledge platform Sdu, we make ESG knowledge directly applicable for companies. This also gives our own clients practical tools to work quickly and effectively on their sustainability ambitions, without having to reinvent the wheel.
“At Sdu, we develop not only white papers and practice notes, but also practical tools such as Excel templates that organizations can use to get started right away,” Anne says. “It’s not just about sharing knowledge, but also about making it practically applicable.”
Our involvement with standardization institute NEN also strengthens our customer support. “In their completeness, NEN standards can sometimes be theoretical and difficult for companies to apply. We bring in our practical experience to indicate what does and does not work for customers. At the same time, it gives us an edge: because we are involved in the development, we can take customers on board at an early stage in what is coming up.”
“By focusing on content and impact, and leaving the translation to visual or textual communication to experts, we create documents that are understandable to a wide range of stakeholders.”
From compliance to real impact
By partnering with auditors like Deloitte, we can better prepare our own clients for audits and help them move beyond compliance. They save time, avoid remedial work and can move faster to create real impact.
“Our partnership with Deloitte came about in the context of new sustainability legislation,” Anne explains. “They act as an independent auditor, while we help companies prepare. We know their approach and what questions they ask, which allows us to efficiently guide our clients through this process.”
But we look beyond regulations. “We focus not just on complying with regulations, but rather on what comes after. The real impact lies in what you do with the results. For example, if you know what your current impact is on the world and society, how are you going to improve it? That’s where we take it a step further.”
Communicating complex topics clearly
ESG issues are often complex. That’s why we work with communications specialists such as Narrative Labs and Dart Design.
“At Empact, we’re all about impact, but we realize the importance of the right tone,” says Anne. “You often see topics like sustainability being communicated incorrectly or coming across as greenwashing, causing people to drop out.”
The immediate benefit to clients? “By focusing on content and impact, and leaving the translation to visual or textual communication to experts, we create documents that are understandable to a wide range of stakeholders – from employees to investors.”
Industry-specific communication through partners like Fishtrends strengthens our industry-specific impact. “Although our methodology is broadly applicable, we find that sector knowledge is essential to ask the right questions faster and realize concrete impact.”
Partnerships in practice
At CBS, we saw a great example of how partnerships reinforce each other. “At CBS, we used students to conduct research that was then presented within the organization. This research went beyond understanding ESG impact and touched on broader change processes. As a result, both we and the organization became more aware of these aspects.”
“Of course, as a consultant, you can shout very loudly that things have to be different, but you won’t make it on your own. It’s ultimately about transforming the whole system.”
Future outlook: flexibility is key
“Shared vision is essential, but so is the ability to move with it,” Anne concludes. “We see that legislation is changed regularly. So being able to move quickly is crucial, and with knowledge partners you want to make that speed together: bring new insights to the market quickly and stay up-to-date. So you have to be both able and willing to change to be successful together.”
Together we make more impact
For us, it’s clear: by working strategically with a diverse network of partners, we create an ecosystem that truly enables organizations to achieve their ESG ambitions. The result? Not just compliance, but real, lasting impact beyond what any one organization could achieve alone.
Want to know more or are you also interested in working together? Read all about our boutique consulting firm here or just get in touch!