Introduction
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives have become central to business sustainability and crucial in risk management. However, having such initiatives put in place in most organizations proves challenging. However, managing the execution of these initiatives has proven to be very challenging for businesses. Despite requirements for ESG reporting, the translation of ESG principles into reality including the policies are enforced, approvals are properly documented, and compliance is ensured across teams – is where the true challenge begins. Unless tackled in a formal way, ESG workflows run the risk of siloing and with low levels of adoption, increasing overall risk.
This is where no-code workflow automation becomes very valuable. Platforms like Planally enable organizations to build standardized ESG workflows, apply governance, and build an ESG-culture all without the need for complex coding or significant IT investment.
Why ESG Workflows Are Hard to Implement
1. Prioritizing ESG Data Collection & Reporting Over Execution
A lot of time is taken by most organizations to gather ESG data, tracking parameters such as emissions, diversity, and compliance. Reporting is valuable, but by itself, it doesn’t allow operational transformation to take place. Businesses need procedures to weave ESG guidelines into the daily business so that groups use recommended processes from day one. Embedding ESG requirements into core processes and communicating them effectively throughout the organization is key in making ESG successful (McKinsey & Company)
2. Difficulty in Standardizing ESG Policies Across Teams
Even where there are well-defined ESG guidelines, different teams may interpret and apply them differently. In the absence of structured workflows, execution becomes inconsistent, elevating compliance risks. A unified ESG deployment strategy, where every department follows standardized workflows, helps maintain transparency and accountability. Integrating ESG requirements into these processes and dynamic technologies can facilitate this exercise. (McKinsey & Company)
3. Lack of End-to-End Visibility in ESG Initiatives
Sustainability programs often involve multiple teams, departments, and approval stages. Without a centralized system, tracking progress becomes challenging. Companies require real-time ESG task tracking, automated approvals, and standardized processes to ensure transparency throughout the organization. Effective ESG mapping involves understanding how the organization’s business model aligns with each ESG dimension and considering stakeholder interests. (McKinsey & Company)
How No-Code Workflow Automation Solves These Issues
1. Standardizing ESG Processes with Workflow Automation
With a no-code workflow platform like Planally, companies can design custom ESG workflows to:
- Define and enforce ESG policies across teams
- Automate endorsements & approvals for ESG initiatives
- Ensure compliance by tracking tasks, milestones, and responsibilities
With dynamic workflow roadmaps, ESG teams can structure sustainability initiatives with clear phase gates—from policy creation to execution and review.
2. Creating an ESG-Driven Culture Through Unified Deployment
Planally ensures that ESG becomes integral to daily business operations, rather than merely a reporting function. With automated task reminders, approvals, and notifications, teams remain engaged with sustainability initiatives, fostering an ESG-first mindset across the organization.
3. Improving ESG Governance & Compliance with No-Code Solutions
By implementing configurable endorsements and approvals, Planally eliminates the need for manual tracking and fragmented communication channels. Companies can establish:
- Automated ESG compliance checks prior to policy execution
- Pre-configured ESG approval processes to ensure governance
- Task tracking dashboards for real-time ESG workflow visibility (McKinsey & Company)
This level of automation enhances ESG governance, reduces compliance risks, and improves operational efficiency.
A Scenario: ESG Workflow in Action
Imagine a company with multiple departments working on different ESG initiatives. One team focused on reducing energy consumption, another team working on enhancing diversity and inclusion within leadership, and the final team implementing ethical sourcing within the supply chain.
Without a structured and standardized workflow, each department may be pursuing its ESG goals independently, leading to fragmented efforts and inconsistencies in execution.
Now, imagine if each of these teams used an automated workflow platform. The energy consumption team could manage automated tasks for energy consumption and reporting initiatives, with approvals and reviews scheduled automatically. Meanwhile, the diversity and inclusion team could have a workflow for tracking candidate diversity, with alerts when hiring goals are not met. The ethical sourcing team would receive automated reminders to review supplier contracts, with pre-configured approval steps to ensure that sustainable suppliers are selected.
With automated workflows, every team follows a consistent and standard process, ensuring that goals are aligned, tasks are completed on time, and compliance is maintained. The entire organization benefits from increased visibility, reduced manual tracking, and better alignment with ESG objectives.
Conclusion: ESG Success Requires More Than Just Reporting
To truly integrate ESG into their operations, companies need to do more than data gathering and should strive for execution-oriented workflows. With no-code workflow automation, organizations can:
- Standardize ESG execution across departments and teams
- Apply governance & approvals within formal workflows
- Build an ESG-first culture through automation
By leveraging Planally’s workflow automation, businesses can effectively transition their ESG strategies from goals to action, seamlessly and efficiently.
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