Corporate sustainability assessments

Sustainability materiality assessments

Materiality assessments

Do you know where to start with sustainability? Are you trying to work out which economic, environmental, and social issues are most important to your business? Grain can help you:

What does a materiality assessment involve?

A materiality assessment is the process of identifying and prioritising relevant topics.

This starts with research, helping us understand your organisation, where you are in your sustainability journey, your sector, and your value chain. A key aspect of materiality is engaging your stakeholders and gathering their views. This provides a holistic view of your organisation, allowing us to identify issues and priorities for your business.

A materiality assessment is a crucial first step in your strategic process. We like to think of it as the foundation of sustainability strategy and everything that follows, from goal-setting to reporting and communications.

Why assess corporate sustainability?

The concept of materiality has its roots in financial disclosures: the notion that investors have a right to information relevant to their investment decisions.

The idea that companies must disclose more than financial information, and not only to investors but to a wide range of stakeholders in society, originated with the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) arose out of this tragic event, and along with it a new concept of materiality in the sustainability disclosure context.

GRI defines material topics as ‘those that have a direct or indirect impact on an organization’s ability to create, preserve or erode economic, environmental and social value for itself, its stakeholders and society at large.’

What will a sustainability assessment provide?

Grain sees materiality assessments as a powerful tool for you to champion people and the planet.

A materiality assessment developed by Grain will provide:

We’re here to guide you through and get your organisation on track for a more sustainable future.

Why work with Grain?

To continually improve our services, we engage a third-party consultant to interview our clients. Here’s what they say.

Our materiality work

A dog lying on the grass with a smiling face

Dogs Trust

Founded in 1891 as the National Canine Defence League, Dogs Trust is the UK’s leading dog welfare charity today. Their purpose is to help all

Student sitting on the grass

GLLM

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai (GLLM) encompasses three further education colleges in North Wales: Coleg Llandrillo, Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor. Wales’ largest further education institution covers

Masterfix Property Services

Our journey with Masterfix began with two foundational steps: a materiality assessment and a calculation of its 2022 carbon footprint. These initiatives laid the groundwork