From Compliance to Commerce: How Creating Value from Sustainability, ESG and Social Value
Part of the Business Growth Studio
"Compliance sees materiality as risk to manage. Strategic leadership sees materiality as a place where value is at stake."
Businesses are facing increasing demands from customers, investors, procurement teams and supply-chain partners for sustainability data, such as on ESG and Social Value.
These reporting requirements come as leadership teams juggle immediate operational pressures alongside broader questions about value, risk, performance, growth and stakeholder expectations. This workshop will explore how sustainability can contribute to both day-to-day performance and longer-term business goals.
We'll create a confidential space to explore how different leaders make sense of sustainability and what creates value in their world. Through private discussion and peer learning, participants will explore how their organisations can create value from emerging requirements and initiatives, and strengthen relationships with customers, investors, employees and communities. We'll explore how risks might be reframed as opportunities that aren't visible through a compliance lens alone.
Participants are welcome to bring a genuine challenge from their own organisation and contribute to discussions around issues brought by others, alongside real-world examples and discussion topics that we will introduce.
The session will encourage participants to explore how different stakeholders understand value, how different perspectives shape organisational priorities, and how leadership teams can make better decisions in a changing world.
Those who find value in the discussion may continue the conversation through future online or in-person peer-learning sessions, creating opportunities to test ideas, share experiences and explore practical applications over time. This workshop is intended as the start of an enquiry rather than the end of one.
What we'll cover:
✔️ New perspectives on value creation: Explore how different leaders and stakeholders understand value, and how sustainability, ESG and Social Value intersect with organisational priorities, relationships and long-term success.
✔️ Value creation through stakeholder relationships: Examine how organisations can move beyond compliance by working with customers, investors, employees, suppliers and communities to create mutual value and address shared challenges.
✔️ Fresh thinking on a live challenge: Whether you bring a challenge of your own, or simply listen and contribute to challenges brought by others, you'll gain new perspectives, practical ideas and potential next steps through confidential peer discussion.
Who should attend?
- Board members
- Owners and Managing Directors
- Finance Directors and senior finance professionals
- Operations, Commercial and Procurement leaders
- Sustainability and ESG leads
- Professional advisers supporting growing organisations
Agenda:
- 9:00am – Registration, Refreshments & Networking
- 9:30am – Welcome from the Chamber
- 9:40am – Workshop delivery
- 10:50am – Closing comments from the Chamber
Speaker
Gerard Davies
Venue
📍GBCC, 7th Floor West Wing, 54 Hagley Road, Birmingham, B16 8PE
Why this matters!
This workshop event is part of the Business Growth Studio, a new GBCC programme designed to equip Greater Birmingham SMEs with the essential tools, knowledge, and connections to grow confidently in today’s economy. Through digital resources, expert insights, practical workshops, peer support, learning & sharing, and networking opportunities, the Business Growth Studio supports SMEs through the different stages of their journey.
