Entrepreneurship

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Assisting our clients, encouraging sustainable entrepreneurship

How can we support our clients in their journey towards sustainable entrepreneurship and, as a result, towards a sustainable economy? Corporate Responsibility allows us to enlarge our scope from companies’ financial results towards the added value they create. We can help our clients achieve long term sustainable growth by combining our knowledge regarding Corporate Responsibility with our key expertise in the fields of – for instance - reporting, internal control, risk management and strategic information management. It is essential to create a balance between financial and non-financial performance.

Climate Change and Sustainability Services

We are aware of the current and future dilemmas regarding economic, environmental and social issues. Our high-quality Corporate Responsibility services allow us to help our clients transform these risks and challenges into opportunities and to evaluate the quality of their Corporate Responsibility reports through our assurance engagements. Our aim is to support our clients in their journey towards sustainable entrepreneurship in the evolving context of sustainable economic, ecological and social development, by rendering Climate Change and Sustainability Services.

Thought Leadership

In order to move towards a more sustainable economy it is important to gain knowledge on how transparency of financial and non-financial performance is organized and to show the link between them. Ernst & Young is specialized in providing integrated reporting.
We believe that organizations should try not to separate Corporate Responsibility (non-financial aspects) from financial aspects. Therefore those who believe Corporate Responsibility plays a key role in their corporate strategy integrate both. We are active in several leading commissions that improve transparency regarding financial and sustainable policies, management and performance. Examples are our active participation and chairmanship in the ‘Award for Best Belgian Sustainability Report’ in Belgium, as well as our participation in the Global Reporting Initiative and in the United Nations’ reporting group. Furthermore, we support the Prince of Wales Accounting for Sustainability project which has recently founded, in collaboration with the GRI, the International Integrated Reporting Committee.

Research
Through research we aim to enhance our clients’ awareness of the opportunities arising from sustainability.

Action amid uncertainty, the business response to climate change (pdf, 766.1kb) : This survey shows that global executives believe that climate change will remain high on the strategic agenda, despite the difficult economic context and the legislative uncertainty.
Seven Questions CEOs should ask about triple bottom line reporting (pdf, 6.8mb) : This article deals with seven questions CEOs should ask themselves in order to prepare their sustainability reporting or to improve their existing reports by optimizing their data collection processes.
The Path forward: the financial sector from a non-financial perspective (pdf, 3mb) : This survey was held in 2010 and focuses on the current status of the sustainability reporting of the Top 20 European financial services organizations.
Beyond the Plug: finding value in the emerging electric vehicle charging ecosystem (pdf, 3.4mb) : This report provides insight into the current and future Electric Vehicle (EV) business models within and outside Europe.

In order to share knowledge, trends, ideas and social changes with our clients and stakeholders, we actively participate in meetings and conferences. For instance, we regularly organize workshops, events and conferences to enhance knowledge sharing regarding sustainability themes such as “Reporting for Change – Sustainability reporting as a key driver for change” or electric vehicles and the transformation of current business models.

Education
We believe it is crucial for students to gain practical experience°; combining science with practice enhances the quality of education. Therefore our people are offered the opportunity to participate in the academic world. In Belgium for example, Ernst & Young acts as Prime Foundation Partner of the Impulse Centre Growth Management for Medium-Sized Enterprises of the Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School. In this context we carry out research and organize workshops on growth management. In addition, we are partner of Vlerick Alumni.
Ernst & Young encourages its professionals to participate in various leading think tanks and commissions, as well as in initiatives and frames that allow us to develop our expertise. Not only our own firm, but also our sector and the society as a whole can benefit from this approach.

Entrepreneur Of The Year Award

Working with entrepreneurs and guiding them offers us a deep understanding of the important role they play in creating employment and transforming communities and industries. Entrepreneurs also prove to be extremely inventive, both in good times and in adversity. In order to celebrate entrepreneurship, Ernst & Young organizes the Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award in fifty countries all over the world.

Networking

Ernst & Young Belgium is member of various CSR-networks, such as UN Global Compact Belgium, Kauri, Business & Society Belgium and Belsif.