Spark Newsletter – August 2023

The August 2023 Spark Newsletter examines:

• The benefits of using life cycle assessments (LCAs) to drive product sustainability
• The differences between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social and governance (ESG)
• Carbon offsetting as a potential emission reduction strategy
• Effective strategies for managing and mitigating supply chain risk
• Measuring and addressing financed emissions

How Companies Benefit from Using LCAs for ESG

Customers require transparency. So do governments, business partners, procurement teams and investors, to name a few key stakeholders. To achieve the desired visibility into the potential environmental impacts of their products or services, companies can perform LCAs. The ability to provide data on the entire product life cycle characterizes companies that lead in ESG transparency. ??

Read about how LCAs offer benefits beyond transparency. ?

ESG vs. CSR: What Are the Differences??

Consumers, investors and employees expect businesses to evaluate their impact on society and, if needed, make changes that ensure that impact is positive. To do this, companies may consult two related but distinct frameworks: CSR and ESG.

Read this article to learn more about the differences between CSR and ESG.

Carbon Offsets Explained: What Companies Need to Know?

As businesses around the world strive to tackle climate change and reduce their carbon footprint, carbon offsetting has emerged as a potential emission reduction strategy. But what are carbon offsets, and how can they help your company meet its net-zero goals?

Learn more about carbon offsetting, its origins and the growing industry surrounding it.

Understanding, Managing and Mitigating Supply Chain Risk?

On this episode of the SpheraNOW ESG Podcast, Alex Studd, a Sphera product marketing manager, and Heiko Schwarz, Sphera’s global supply chain risk advisor, discuss the most effective ways to manage supply chain risk.

During the discussion, Heiko notes:

“We live in a world full of risk. It's the new normal that disruptions happen, wherever they're coming from. Wherever the next bigger thing is coming from, we don't know but we know it's coming. Disruption has become a constant, meaning we have to be better prepared and switch from reactive to proactive."

Listen to the full conversation about how to manage and mitigate supply chain risk.

Financial Institutions and Climate-Related Risk: Understanding Financed Emissions?

In order to build a carbon-neutral economy, investors and lenders need to direct the flow of capital away from carbon-intensive activity and toward more sustainable businesses. To support this process, they must determine the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions tied to their portfolios—what we refer to as “financed emissions.”?

Learn more about measuring and addressing financed emissions.

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