Helping organizations accelerate their ESG strategies for sustainability
Metabolic and PwC have embarked on a new and ambitious cooperation to put organizations’ Environmental Social and Governance goals (ESGs) and sustainability strategies on the fast track. Eva Gladek, founder and CEO of Metabolic, and PwC’s ESG experts Alexander Spek and Viviana Voorwald explain how the combination of these two ESG leaders will make a difference.
Complementary expertise tackling sustainability challenges
“Metabolic is a systems change agency that helps organizations tackle sustainability challenges with data analytics, independent research, new ventures, and demonstration projects. They have enormous expertise in areas such as biodiversity, energy, impact measurement and circularity. They combine this knowledge with speed and power,” says Viviana Voorwald, who at PwC initiated the collaboration with Metabolic.
This collaboration combines PwC’s expertise with Metabolic’s specific knowledge and software for sustainable value chains and climate change mitigation initiatives that restore biodiversity – the economic model of the future.
Metabolic has long provided assessments of companies’ supply chains and guided strategies for sustainable operations across many sectors. Now, its software development team offers tools that automate key elements of a company’s ESG strategy-building process. From impact assessments of materials and supply chains to geospatial intelligence that measures environmental impact, Metabolic’s software company provides actionable insights critical to the strategy and reporting process.
It is PwC’s years of experience, enormous reach, and level of professionalism that made a partnership such a clear choice for Eva Gladek, founder and CEO of Metabolic. “PwC has so much experience in areas where we are less present. From reporting and regulations to supervising major transformation processes in order to make the impact truly sustainable. That is precisely why our competences are complementary,” said Gladek.
Innovation and acceleration
Innovation and acceleration are the key words for this joint business relationship. “There is no time to lose when it comes to companies doing their part to reduce negative impact on the environment,” Gladek believes. “The tipping point is near as global temperatures rise. Everyone is feeling the heat, both literally and figuratively.” she said after signing the partnership agreement at PwC’s head office. In PwC she has found the perfect partner with which to sound the alarm. “It may seem like a small step, but I believe that together with PwC, we can really change the mentality and way of thinking of an even broader audience.”
The first initiatives to get there are underway. “On the theme of biodiversity, for example, we are already combining our strengths,” said Alexander Spek, expert in ESG reporting and responsible for the biodiversity proposition within PwC.
Metabolic helps organizations with systems change, using data analytics and impact measurement frameworks. Toward that end, Metabolic developed a tool that shows a factory’s impact on biodiversity tailored to its location within a specific environment. “The resulting analysis that follows is very strong,” said Spek. “But, how do you ensure that you help the client to reduce the negative impact on biodiversity? We can guide every step, from analysis to strategy, implementation, and transformation.”
Tackling problems and achieving impact on a large scale
Expectations are high. Both PwC and Metabolic want to pull out all the stops to tackle big problems and realize positive impact on a significant scale. Thinking big is Gladek’s motto. “For example, what can we do together to ensure that 50% of the world’s agriculture is sustainable in 2030? How can we make that happen,” she said, offering up just one of many approaches to the economy that the world must undertake.
Such an attitude and the new collaboration spark energy for Spek, who emphasizes how joint perseverance is an absolute condition for success. “We have to show courage, together.”
Photo caption: Metabolic and PwC sign the partnership agreement from PwC’s head office in Amsterdam. Pictured from left to right: Seadna Quigley (Chief Financial Officer Metabolic), Emmy Scholten (Commercial & Partnership Director Metabolic), Mhairi Letcher (COO and General Counsel Metabolic), Eva Gladek (Founder and CEO Metabolic), Viviana Voorwald (ESG Lead at PwC Netherlands), Alexander Spek (Partner ESG services at PwC Netherlands), Maarten van de Pol (member, board of management PwC NL), Veronique Roos-Emonds (member, board of management PwC NL)
