ESG Transformation: Conversation Series

Tim Stutt, Anna Coroneo and Isabella Kelly delve into the integration of sustainability reports into annual reports, exploring the challenges and strategies for clear and effective climate-related disclosures. They cover a broad spectrum of topics including the potential for ASIC relief applications, complexities of cross-referencing and implications of the modified liability regime. They share in...

In our first episode of The Third Wheel for 2025, Tim Stutt, Anna Coroneo and Suzannah Hewson explore the key themes and latest trends in climate and sustainability reporting both globally and in Australia. They offer practical advice for companies preparing for new regulatory requirements and conducting climate reporting readiness initiatives, including gaps analysis, data management, and stakeho...

In the final episode of The Third Wheel for 2024, Tim Stutt and Mel Debenham reflect on the year’s ESG developments and look ahead to 2025. They discuss the recent governmental response to the statutory review of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth); the winding path of nature positive reforms in Australia; preparations ahead of the first year of reporting under the new climate reporting regime; and...

Now legislation for Australia’s new climate reporting regime has finally been introduced into Parliament, what impact will it have for corporates?... (and when?). The new climate reporting regime is likely to require a significant uplift in corporate reporting – and will require considerable resources and effort over the next 12-18 months. This episode talks about how the regime will phase in, and...

Given the scale of the exercise to report against the new climate reporting regime, what sort of foundational steps should companies be considering now? In this episode, we share our insights into common pain points and suggested focus areas to help identify aspects of reporting for front loading, ahead of the new regime commencing.

The new reporting regime will be a prompt for companies to critically assess whether existing governance arrangements are ‘fit for purpose’ (and disclosure) in respect of climate impacts, risks and opportunities. In this episode, we talk about how companies are stress-testing their governance arrangements, reconsidering the division of responsibility, board and management skill sets, and updating...

Board and management oversight of climate issues is not a new concept, but deciphering and disclosing how this occurs in practice is often a challenge. The ASRS governance pillar requires quite granular disclosures of the board and management’s role in overseeing climate-related risks and opportunities. In this episode, we talk about how to articulate accountabilities and reporting ‘flows’ within...

Board and management oversight of climate issues is not a new concept, but deciphering and disclosing how this occurs in practice is often a challenge. The ASRS governance pillar requires quite granular disclosures of the board and management’s role in overseeing climate-related risks and opportunities. In this episode, we talk about how to articulate accountabilities and reporting ‘flows’ within...

Disclosure under this pillar is not just headline statements and overarching direction. These mandatory climate-related disclosures will mean that a company’s “strategy” will need to include comprehensive disclosure of how climate considerations are integrated into decision-making. The ASRS strategy pillar requires companies to focus not just on its transition plan and overarching strategic pathwa...

Climate-related metrics and targets are already a key area of focus for stakeholders, but under the new regime there will be more granularity than has been disclosed in the past. The ASRS metrics & targets pillar requires companies to take the leap towards granular quantitative disclosures (including in relation to Scope 3 emissions). In this episode, we talk about the need for a deep understa...

The process to test and verify the integrity of climate-related information will be critical in ensuring public disclosures match internal practices, and that claims can be substantiated if challenged. As well as being a baseline expectation of the board, a thorough verification process will be important to substantiate claims and underpin assurance. In this episode, we talk about verification app...

How can companies prepare for the assurance requirements when they’re still a moving target in and of themselves…? In this episode, we talk about the current proposal from the Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB) for phased assurance (with consultation open until 3 May 2024). We also talk through some practical steps that companies can be taking now to prepare for assurance of...

Jacqueline Wootton, Christine Wong and Christopher Hicks discuss the intersection between corporate criminal responsibility and ESG in a Third Wheel X Investigate 360 collaboration episode exploring governance, social licence to operate and the regulation of ESG issues under criminal standards. The serious risks associated with criminal matters are underlined, from corporate penalties and investig...

Lucy McCullagh, Alice Molan, Mark Hatfull and Naomi Hutchings delve into the multifaceted world of carbon offset projects working toward Australia’s net zero and nature positive goals, from regulatory considerations to project finance and structuring. Key concepts are outlined including the Carbon Farming Initiative Act, the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) scheme and the need to comply with f...

Anna Coroneo and Isabella Kelly cast aside Third Wheel tradition to have a one-on-one discussion about some of the key aspects of Australia’s incoming climate reporting regime. From directors’ declarations to modified liability and assurance, Anna and Isabella discuss the uplift required of organisations as they prepare for the new requirements. They highlight what can be done now – from gaps anal...

Tim Stutt and Mel Debenham are back behind the wheel to discuss HSF's second report in its ‘Unlocking ESG Investment in Australia’ series. They explore the findings of our second major survey on the barriers to deploying investment in ESG-aligned activities, and the progress in operationalising ESG considerations across business activities. The report surveyed 161 senior executives from large...

Isabella Kelly is joined by Gareth Sykes, Heike Schmitz and Carolyn Pugsley for a tour of some of the key ESG reporting requirements internationally and the work that is being done to understand how they map against each other. They discuss challenges around the regimes’ differences in materiality thresholds, subject matter coverage and approaches to protection from liability. They share insights...

Jacqueline Wootton, Christopher Hicks and Isabella Kelly embark on a whistle-stop tour of the intersection of ESG and whistleblowing. They discuss why developing an effective whistleblower program is a sound investment and should be a core part of an ESG risk management system. They explore how whistleblower programs can help companies comply with a web of positive legal obligations on various ESG...

Tim Stutt and Isabella Kelly are joined by Aaron White and Adrian Wong to discuss the soaring demand for data centres and the importance of identifying and managing ESG issues in their development and operation. Adrian provides insights on how generative AI is driving the demand for data services, the development hotspots, and the policy and regulatory levers to encourage investment. Aaron highlig...

Isabella Kelly fires up the crystal ball and invites Tim Stutt and Mel Debenham to share their ESG predictions for 2024. Mel discusses the timing tightrope for decarbonisation projects, Commonwealth environmental legislative reform and a very different approach to regulation. Tim queries if there is an elastic start date for mandatory climate reporting, whilst the required corporate uplift crystal...

Melanie Debenham and Timothy Stutt wrap up their reflections on this year’s Climate Governance Forum, hosted by the AICD and the Climate Governance Initiative Australia. Kicking off with a keynote from Mike Cannon-Brookes and followed by sessions on mandatory reporting, transition planning, greenwashing risks and an address by Senator Jenny McAllister (Assistant Minister for Climate Change), the d...

Melanie Debenham is joined by Gemma McKinnon and Bianca Janovic from our Pro Bono and Responsible Business teams to take us through the Regional Dialogue process that led to the Uluru Statement from the Heart and how it relates to the Voice referendum proposal. They discuss the proposed constitutional amendment and principles of the Voice to Parliament. They address some of the more “lawyerly” con...

Lucy McCullagh, Alice Molan and Anna Coroneo take the wheel to debrief their key takeaways from the Australian Sustainable Finance Summit 2023, including Australia’s progress toward a financial system aligned with sustainability commitments, the creation of an Australian sustainable finance taxonomy, the development of disclosure and reporting standards and the importance of transition financing....

Jacqueline Wootton, Hannah Cassidy and Antony Crockett take the wheel to explore trust in banking, as the sector faces a number of stress tests, including carving out credible positions on social and climate issues, creating new carbon offset markets which operate with integrity and transparency and other challenges explored in HSF’s latest edition of the annual Global Bank Review. They discuss ho...

Lewis McDonald, Carolyn Pugsley and Tim Stutt set the scene ahead of COP28 in Dubai with a stocktake of past COPs and sign-posts to the way forward, including new "regulatory technology" and continued investment to support innovation across the energy transition. They also discuss the ‘trilemma’ of energy security, affordability and sustainability. Check out the biodiversity questionnair...