Crédito Agrícola

My motivation for taking part in KPMG Portugal’s ESG Week was the need and interest I felt in learning more about ESG concepts and regulations.

Banks play a key role in the transition to sustainability, and because this training packs in a lot of content, it provided me with an essential overview that I can later apply to audit work to be carried out in the future.

Lastly, the opportunity to learn with such an experienced and dedicated training team was a decisive factor.

The training had a significant impact by providing a more thorough understanding of ESG requirements, especially in relation to the CSRD and the European Taxonomy. This enabled us to define priority topics for inclusion in future audits, in the light of the regulations in force.

In addition, the training brought me greater confidence to talk about ESG topics and concepts, alerting more members of the team to the growing complexity of the regulations and the need to adapt processes in the bank and in companies. This new awareness is crucial for ensuring that we’re prepared for change and for the demands of the future.

The truth is I’ve been recommending this training since I first found out about it.

Although I was very aware of the urgency of the topic and that a lot of information existed at the time, I wasn’t familiar with many of the concepts and the avalanche of regulations that we’ve been flooded with.

It was a very intense week, but it brought me a general overview of the different concepts associated with ESG, enabling me to subsequently locate and organise each of the concepts. Obviously, you don’t leave there knowing everything, nor is that the idea, but for someone wanting to get a general grasp of all these concepts, their applicability, the regulations and how the concepts can be applied to each organisation, in different areas, this is undoubtedly a training course that will make a difference.

In addition, the quality and the depth of the content explored, and also the expertise and helpfulness of the training staff, were factors that made the experience even more valuable.

For companies setting out on their ESG journey, I would advise them to look carefully at the regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations.

It is crucial to invest in training and developing skills to ensure that the whole team is aligned and ready to implement sustainable practices and ESG requirements. It’s also important to set clear and measurable targets, and to communicate progress and challenges transparently along the way. Accelerating the process will always be plus, not least because it creates a competitive advantage.

Lastly, teaming up with partners who have technical expertise can be a valuable help on this journey.