Menzies acquires Grain Sustainability to strengthen ESG capabilities
Grain Sustainability has joined Menzies. Grain’s arrival at the national professional services firm strengthens its ESG capabilities, as new sustainability reporting standards and tightening climate, supply chain and anti-greenwashing rules come into force.
Madelyn Postman, director at Grain Sustainability, said, “Menzies has a strong track record of supporting rapidly growing and scaling businesses, many of which are now facing increasing expectations around ESG compliance and reporting as they mature. What organisations need is not just help to meet the rules, but guidance on how to use the ESG process to shape strategy, strengthen operations, and create long-term value. By joining forces, we can bring that expertise to Menzies’ existing and future clients, helping them turn compliance into a driver of performance and positive impact.”
UK businesses face a pivotal moment for their ESG plans, as new sustainability reporting standards and disclosure requirements begin to take shape. With new UK sustainability reporting standards (UK SRS) expected to apply from 2026, alongside tightening climate, supply chain, and anti-greenwashing rules, demand for credible ESG strategy, reporting, and assurance is accelerating.
By bringing Grain into the firm, Menzies aims to strengthen its ability to help clients navigate this fast-shifting regulatory landscape with confidence. Grain has developed a strong market reputation for delivering end-to-end ESG and sustainability services spanning corporate strategy, materiality assessments, supply chain sustainability, and net zero roadmaps. Grain’s consultants have supported a broad range of businesses in the UK, from private sector and trade associations to charities and government bodies, including Asahi UK, Dogs Trust, Nordic Pharma, The R&A, and the University of Warwick, among others.
The move combines Menzies’ full-service offering with Grain’s two-plus decades of expertise in ESG strategy, reporting, assurance, and compliance. As part of this acquisition, Grain directors Christoph Geppert and Madelyn Postman, along with consultants Amber Harrison, Maria Angeles, Martín León, and Mary Pearson, will join Richard Singleton, Menzies’ head of sustainability, at the firm’s flagship Gresham Street office in the City of London.
Singleton added, “ESG reporting is no longer a requirement just for large companies and multinationals. As new UK and EU reporting standards emerge, and expectations rise across supply chains, mid-size businesses and organisations now need to be proactive in demonstrating how they manage sustainability risks and opportunities. At Menzies we believe ESG should never be viewed as a box-ticking exercise. Robust ESG reporting and assurance helps businesses de-risk, strengthen stakeholder confidence and improve long-term performance. By bringing Grain’s expertise under the Menzies umbrella, we’re enhancing our ability to support clients in this business-critical arena.”
This is Menzies’ third acquisition of the year, with Beever and Struthers joining in August, and Haines Watts Wales joining its Cardiff office – and is expected to take Menzies beyond its fee income of over £110 million, and past a 1,000-person headcount. By joining Menzies, Grain also becomes part of the HLB International network, which connects independent accounting firms and business advisers in more than 150 countries worldwide.
