First SROI Workshop in China | 2016
Archive Emerging Market Multinationals Network for Sustainability
On March 31st, 2016, the first workshop on how to incorporate Sustainable Return on Investment (hereafter referred to as SROI) evaluation standards into the assessment of sustainability projects was jointly held in Beijing by the EMM Network and SynTao Sustainability Solutions. This first workshop introduced the objective of this global EMM initiative and some general methodological concepts of project evaluation in case of company-led sustainability initiatives
In a short introduction, Mr. Phillip Kruschel, Executive Director of EMM Network, welcomed the participants from enterprises and NGOs. As initiator and supporter of the project, he briefly introduced himself, the EMM Network and GIZ China and outlined the state of previous and current SROI project implementations in Brazil, Mexico and China. In 2015, GIZ piloted this initiative with seven EMM member companies in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and achieved positive feedback from all parties involved. CSR managers in China face an increasing challenge to communicate and advocate the value and importance of their work to their leading management. Sustainable ROI methodologies offer a toolset to measure and evaluate the impact of CSR initiatives and sustainability projects. In contrast to conventional cost-benefit analysis, it incorporates non-financial benefits and/or costs of sustainability projects, e.g. project impacts on environment and/or society. Together with deputies of EMM member companies, the EMM Network and SynTao aim to develop a “Chinese” approach on how to determine the environmental and social benefit created in course of sustainability initiatives.
As co-initiator and supporter of the SROI project, Mr. Jilai Peng, Partner of SynTao Sustainability Solutions, addressed the participants to outline some of the benefits and concrete next steps for project participation in China. The following group discussions offered wide space for clarification of questions, exchange of first impressions and identification of potential eligible CSR project cases.
In the following months, EMM/GIZ and SynTao will co-organize at least three more SROI company workshops. Companies interested in joining the initiative are welcomed to do so. All information on upcoming events and contact details can be found on the EMM website (https://www.emm-network.org/about-us/).
