Sustainability issues have become increasingly important to investors and regulators. According to a recent IBM study, nearly 60 percent of consumers surveyed were willing to change their shopping habits to reduce their environmental impact. For instance, a decade ago, sustainability consulting as a service was a niche profession that consisted of only a handful of small firms working with a limited number of companies focused on sustainability issues.
However, with climate risk issues and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) taking center stage, embedding sustainability into businesses, including the financial sector has become a business imperative. Sustainability consultants traditionally focused on reducing environmental impacts such as freshwater consumption, carbon emissions, and waste pollution. Today, as the views of sustainability have matured, consultants are viewing the various impacts of sustainability through the ESG lens. In order to successfully operate and invest in Asia or Africa, the right understanding and insights are critical.
This understanding and insight, in an ESG context, includes evolving legislative requirements, complex socioeconomic contexts along with the diversity of cultures and languages, and the drivers for ESG relevant topics. "IBIS Consulting recognizes this and has built a business as a leading emerging market ESG and Impact advisory that helps our clients navigate ESG issues to unlock value by improving their environmental and social performance. We provide a unique combination of executive advisory and on-the-ground management expertise, supported by our extensive experience working with multinational companies and local clients across Asia and Africa” says Oliver Warner, Managing Director, IBIS Asia.
Flagship Offerings
Since its inception in 2015, IBIS has worked with some of the top Development Finance Institutions(DFIs), Private Equity companies, Banks, Asset Managers and Impact Investors, as well as various publicly listed multinationals. IBIS has worked in over 30 countries across Asia since its inception and delivered over 250 projects across different sectors including the financial sector, power, manufacturing, agribusiness, TMT, healthcare, and education.
In the continually evolving world of ESG, IBIS strives to remain on the cutting edge by constantly innovating and enhancing their services and capabilities to ensure their clients are kept abreast of industry trends, new regulations, and ESG-related risks. For this reason, IBIS is recognised for its services and support provided to financial institutions, including Transaction Advice and Due Diligence, E&S Strategy and Systems, Social Performance and Development Impact, Resource Efficiency and Climate Change, Sustainability Reporting and Assurance, and Training and Capacity Building..
IBIS' Due Diligence and Transaction Support helps clients to effectively assess prospective debt and equity investments against internationally accepted ESG and Impact standards and best practice guidelines and to provide recommended actions to ensure alignment with ambitions and commitments. The company's leadership team brings a unique depth of experience, having led many of the most complex transactions across Asia and Africa.
"We provide comprehensive due diligence services to support decision-making and ensure your strategic, operational and compliance requirements are fully met, frequently working in tight transaction-led timelines”. adds Oliver. IBIS' support around Strategy, Policy and Management Systems involves the development, review and updating of strategy, policy and systems to support the successful integration of ESG and Impact into day-to-day business and investment processes. Designing these to be bespoke to each financial institution. Another key offering is their Value Add and Specialist Advisory Services which enables clients to better identify, measure and manage ESG and impact performance in selected specialist areas at both a fund or financial institution and investee company level to achieve improved operational performance and tangible long term benefits.
IBIS strives to remain on the cutting edge by constantly innovating and enhancing their services and capabilities to ensure their clients are kept abreast of industry trends, new regulations, and ESG-related risks
Their Monitoring and Reporting advisory supports clients in effectively monitoring the ESG and Impact performance of investments and to better demonstrate and communicate such outcomes and performance to both internal and external stakeholders. "As regulatory requirements become increasingly complex and burdensome, financial institutions value the strategic approach IBIS takes to putting in place controls, processes and governance structures” said Oliver. Diversity, Gender Equality and Inclusion are considered fundamental drivers for unlocking sustainable economic growth, driving business success and contributing to positive societal impact.
IBIS has built a practice to support gender smart investing from fund level policy and strategy setting, gender assessments and evaluations to gender action plans, tool kits and capacity building for fund managers and portfolio companies. Climate change is a systemic challenge that will affect all asset classes and sectors; impacting portfolio returns, valuations and allocation processes of financial institutions. To help their clients navigate Climate Risk, IBIS helps their clients by integrating the Task Force on Climate related Financial Disclosures(TCFD) into investment processes, by mapping material physical, transition and mitigation risks and opportunities, supported by bespoke tools, templates and systems.
IBIS has been working across Green Loans, Green Bonds, Sustainability Linked Loans and other products, and is notably an Approved Verifier by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) for Asia and Africa for the certification of qualifying Climate Bonds. The CBI certification scheme acts as a universal adapter across jurisdictions, and it incorporates the Green Bond Principles and Green Loan Principles. Development Impact is an increasingly prominent part of the investment strategies of investors. This has resulted in more emphasis on the ways in which Impact mandates can be delivered most effectively as well as how Impact performance can be measured and communicated with stakeholders. IBIS' objective is to capture and maximise the Impact that its clients create by developing customised solutions at each stage of the investment process.
Empowering & Transforming Businesses
IBIS currently has offices located in Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa, Morocco, Kenya and France and has just opened a new office in Egypt, bolstering their expansion plans across the emerging markets. Since its establishment the company has won various accolades such as the Advisory Services Firm of the Year For Private Equity 2021, Best Emerging Market Sustainability Consultancy Of The Year For 2020, Due Diligence Firm Of The Year For 2019 and many more. Driven by their values of Integrity, Excellence, Inclusion and Passion "We aim to exceed related industry best practices and our clients' expectations, creating value and delivering impactful solutions", concludes Oliver.
.jpg "Technology in Cancer Care: A story of evolving paradigms")
.jpg "Bringing Shop Floor to Manufacturer's palm: Smart Factory Solutions for tomorrow")
