Introducing the Boardforms Sustainability Assessment

We're delighted to announce the launch of the Boardforms Sustainability Assessment, a new product that helps the Boards of listed and private companies evaluate how well they oversee their risks, opportunities and impacts of sustainability.

Why we built it

Sustainability is now central to long-term value creation, resilience and trust, not a side issue. Climate change, nature loss, supply chain disruption and evolving mandatory reporting (ISSB, CSRD and UK SRS) is changing how businesses operate. All stakeholders including investors, policy makers, regulators, employees and customers increasingly expect Boards to show that they understand these issues and are governing them well. We believe Boards need a structured, transparent way to test themselves on this, just as they do for every other part of Board effectiveness.

Boards tell us sustainability is one of the hardest areas to assess objectively. We wanted to give them a rigorous, practical tool to see where they stand and what to do next, says George Panton, CEO at Boardforms.

What it covers

The questionnaire draws on Chapter Zero's Climate Competency in the Boardroom report and the World Economic Forum's Board Leadership for Growth and Resilience: Guiding Principles for Climate and Nature Governance, along with input from other leading organisations and subject experts. It covers board and governance oversight; strategy and long-term value creation; risk management; capital allocation and investment; stakeholder collaboration and reputation; performance and metrics; board knowledge and skills; board culture and mindset; disclosure and transparency; and continuous improvement.

Use it out of the box, or tailor it with Vanessa Neill Brown

Boards can run the full assessment as it stands. Alternatively, depending on how material sustainability is to your business, Vanessa Neill Brown can help you choose the right set of questions, either as a standalone review or built into your wider Board assessment.

Every Board is at a different stage of their sustainability journey. The aim is to meet Boards where they are, ask the questions that are material for their business, and help them make genuine impact and progress, says Vanessa Neill.

About Vanessa: Vanessa Neill Brown, Co-Founder of Ochre Partners and a Non-Executive Director, brings ten years of experience in board governance and significant experience as a sustainability consultant and advisor, as well as over 20 years in strategic communications for global organisations.

Board-pack-ready results, fast

Once the assessment is complete, the Boardforms report builder turns responses into a Board-pack-ready report quickly. It includes an executive summary, recommendations and clear statistics, and industry benchmarking will be added over time.

Get in touch

We very much look forward to working with Boards, Chairs and Company Secretaries on this. For more information or to arrange a demo, please contact George Panton at george@boardforms.com.