Communications group Havas has extended Genus, its sustainability practice with an integrated global network of sustainability experts, to Ireland after it first launched in London last May.
Havas Genus brings together a broad set of capabilities to help address sustainability challenges for business and offers business transformation, strategic communication, and creative and brand services to the public and private sectors.
The practice was launched at an event at Havas Village Dublin attended by Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan, with speakers from Microsoft Ireland and AstraZeneca, along with prominent international sustainability expert Mike Barry.
Speaking at the event, Chair of Havas Village Dublin, Chris Upton said, “we are delighted to officially launch Havas Genus, a global sustainability network, in Ireland. Genus brings together expert consultants to help meet the challenges and opportunities faced by organisations in delivering their sustainability requirements and obligations.”
The areas discussed at the event included the prioritisation of sustainability at the boardroom level, the new Irish sectoral targets, and the infrastructure challenges companies face in Ireland in achieving their sustainability targets.
Research from Havas Genus shows 50% of C-suites in Ireland now cite environmental, social and governance (ESG) as important to their company’s financial performance, with over a third of respondents (39%) saying it was most important.
The research was carried out by Gate One among 105 Irish C-suites business leaders, who were asked about their sustainability journey, what motivates the decisions they are taking, and what they need to embed their strategy.
Three quarters (74%) said the shift in focus towards the ESG agenda is for the better. When asked about the opportunities of doing so, 65% said this change can increase the resilience of the company’s operations.
This was followed closely by improving equality in the workplace and mitigating risks by strengthening good governance.
Seven in 10 respondents said the C-suite in their organisation had undergone specific ESG or sustainability training, but 60% said there needs to be more ESG education at board at C-suite level, while 53% said a lack of meaningful metrics to measure returns to stakeholders was a major barrier.
Over half of businesses (56%) reported that their employees were highly engaged in the company’s ESG strategy.
Around 500 employees from businesses in the private sector also took part in an online survey for the report, 43% of whom said they would like to see more education and support to help employees at all levels integrate sustainability into their regular work practices.
A further 46% of workers said they would potentially reject a job offer from a company with a poor track record when it comes to sustainability.
Source: Business Plus
