[Case] My ESG Journey from A-Z

When Carina Hedemark explained how her practical learning journey with ESG started, she described herself as a “home-made CSR professional”. Others would probably describe her learning journey as “learning by doing”.

Before she started working with CSR, Carina Hedemark had worked with marketing and business development for several years, and therefore had extensive experience in turning commercial ambitions into concrete actions.

Even so, Carina had always wondered about the many costs and waste of resources that were often associated with the processes to meet customer requirements.

In 2017, this wonder became the starting point for establishing CSR in the international pharmaceutical company Orifarm, and after taking the practical Sustainable Business Change Manager (SBCM) training in 2021, Carina was ready to take the leap as an independent ESG advisor.

WORKING WITH CSR FROM A-Z

From her time as CSR manager, Carina Hedemark gained practical experience with this field from A to Z: right from the first conversation about what CSR actually means for the business, to preparing strategy and concrete initiatives that address ESG compliance requirements.

To start with, I put CSR internally on the agenda by holding countless workshops and presentations for employees, management, and the board. Since then, it has been the preparation and implementation of policies, governance models, and materiality analyses. I have also written several CSR reports, collected data, made CO2 accounts, and prepared corporate assurances, explains Carina Hedemark.

Along the way, Carina Hedemark used the suite of tools from the SBCM training to prepare a sustainability strategy and roadmap for Orifarm’s CSR efforts.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT IS CRUCIAL

It is one thing to get a handle on concepts and processes. It is another thing to ensure internal buy-in.

The latter, in particular, has challenged Carina Hedemark over time, and therefore she knows today that change management is just as important a part of consultancy work as the use of analysis tools and strategy development.

I have put in my effort, made countless U-turns, built upon, taken away and, not least, had many dialogues and talks with employees and management. Both to learn more about the company’s business model, CSR impact, risks and opportunities, but also to ensure internal understanding and commitment, says Carina Hedemark.

In addition to the strategic business approach, the SBCM education also had a solid focus on the change management aspect of working with CSR, which I greatly value today when I advise other companies. The fact that I have simultaneously knocked on so many doors and had so many dialogues with employees throughout the business gives me a good understanding of my customers’ situations, questions and challenges , Carina elaborates.

FROM ESG COMPLIANCE TO VALUE-CREATING BUSINESS

When Carina Hedemark advises companies today, it is primarily about helping them get started with ESG and prepare for the new CSRD legislation.

It requires management to come on board to ensure focus and resources for the compliance work.

CSRD is indeed a large administrative burden, which places very high demands on companies. It requires a lot of complex knowledge to be brought into companies, which today have neither the resources nor the money to take on a whole new business discipline, which ESG is, Carina Hedemark says.

But although the focus in the short term is on legislation and reporting, Carina Hedemark has a keen eye for the long-term purpose of the compliance exercise:

 I really want to make the work with sustainability transparent and value-creating. That’s why I’m a fan of ESG and the new CSRD legislation, also despite the very cumbersome tasks that it places on companies. Because it requires companies to put responsibility and sustainability on their business agenda. And when they HAVE to do it anyway – then they are open to whether it can create new business opportunities, new products and new ways of doing things.

I don’t just want to help companies navigate the new legislation. I also want to help them find ways and opportunities to combine their commercial objectives with consideration for the environment and society.

CARINA’S 3 TIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Tip #1: Try your hand – there is no straight path to finding solutions. You MUST get involved, but be patient and use the time to spread knowledge and educate your colleagues, your network and your managers.

Tip #2: Sustainability is a big and broad agenda and few have deep knowledge about it all. So make sure you have a good NETWORK that you can spar with and that can challenge you. And not least to find just the specialist who can help you with the specific task you are facing.

Tip #3: Make sure you have the TOOL BOX in order. I have greatly enjoyed the Sustainable Business Change Manager training, which has given me a very large knowledge base and tools that I can directly use in my work today – for analyses, workshops and communication.

Read more about Carina Hedemark’s consultancy ESG Management.

The Sustainable Business Change Manager Online certificate programme is provided by TANIA ELLIS – The Social Business Company®, a leading Scandinavian-based speaking, consulting and training company. The programme is supported by B Corp Movement in the Nordics and endorsed by Henley Business School Denmark. Sign up to our Academy newsletter to learn more about our training opportunities.

Learn more at www.sustainablebusinesschangemanager.com