CFI recognises Steward Redqueen as best ESG Advisory
Capital Finance International, an international oriented business and economics community, has extended Steward Redqueen the ‘Best Emerging Markets ESG Advisory Team Global Award’. According to the jury, the consulting firm can build on a “quite exceptional” suite of services, making it “the go-to consultancy” for ESG-related engagements.
Over the past decade corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability have developed into one of the key themes on the management agenda. Dubbed as a marketing slogan by many in the early days, in recent years academics, executives and researchers have increasingly been able to unravel and highlight the positive correlation between CSR and sustainability goals with business performance. As a result, companies have followed suit and boosted their appetite for incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) parameters into day-to-day business operations.
Despite the importance given to putting processes and operations on a sustainable footing, many (still) struggle with defining and implementing ESG principles. Even some big name brands may need a helping hand – and a word of advice – to measure their impact on nature and society, and down the line embed key principles within the organisation. For support, companies typically turn to management consulting firms, such as the sustainability practices of the Big Four, the strategy consultancies, or specialised boutique firms.
One of those specialised firms is Steward Redqueen, a Netherlands-based advisory that basically makes a living with ESG and other socio-economic related topics. Founded in 2010 by Wouter Scheepens, a former SVP at ABN Amro, Steward Redqueen has since gone from strength to strength, and established itself as a reputable boutique practice in the field. The advisory operates with a core team of 16 consultants from Haarlem (Netherlands) – with satellite offices in Barcelona (Spain) and New York (USA) – complemented by a global network of associated advisors operating under the flag of the ‘SRQ Associates Network’.
Steward Redqueen’s engagements span across the globe. The firm has for instance helped Heineken gauge its impact on the emerging markets of Sub-Saharan Africa which, in turn, allowed the brewery to better engage with local communities. For BOM Capital, a global asset manager, Steward Redqueen developed a tool that enables investment professionals to incorporate ESG parameters into decision-making processes and subsequently monitor a company’s ability to manage these issues. As a result, the client may now easily embed ESG factors in its risk rating and valuation models. And for Coca-Cola the firm completed several projects, including an analysis of the soft-drink’s socio-economic contribution to the UK economy (£2.4 billion a year) as well as a similar analysis for the Croatian economy.
On the back of its expertise, and track record, Steward Redqueen has now been placed under the spotlights by Capital Finance International (CFI), a London-based business and economics platform and journal. Each year, CFI seeks out organisations that in its view have created “significant added value to stakeholders and contributed significantly to the convergence of economies”. Nominations are received from readers and subscribers, as well as visitors to its website. An independent jury reviews submissions based on information generated during the nomination process, and at a later stage executes a thorough due diligence process on the finalists.
In the category ‘Best Emerging Markets ESG Advisory Team 2015 Award’, a prize that recognises the best consultancy firms that deal with sustainability issues of the private sector, the jury has appointed Steward Redqueen the overall winner. “We consider the scope of the services provided by Steward Redqueen quite exceptional. This is not an outfit staffed by dreamers; rather Steward Redqueen keeps its eye on the bottom line, finding opportunity where others may see trouble. In fact, the firm has found more than one way of fitting square pegs into round holes. That is an accomplishment the judging panel wishes to recognise.”
Willem Vosmer, one of the partners of Steward Redqueen, says the award represents an “exceptional recognition” for the firm’s efforts. “We take great pride in assisting our clients to become frontrunners in the field of impact and sustainability. We would like to take the opportunity to thank our clients for their trust and look forward to continue working with them and other organisations.”
