By Dan Brookes, Partner at BDO in Yorkshire and the North East
In amongst the pressures of economic uncertainty and recent volatility, it’s easy to place Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) on the ‘nice to have’ list, regarding it more as a value creation opportunity rather than a critical lever.
While that may be the view of some, it’s not the view of everyone, particularly at BDO where ESG is firmly embedded across our business. For us, it’s a non-negotiable to have a mature ESG approach . It’s something that drives our business towards sustainable growth, rather than the first thing to come off the list when economic conditions get tough.
That’s why winning ‘Best ESG Campaign’ at the Yorkshire Accountancy Awards mattered. It’s part of our DNA; it’s a must when it comes to responsible growth and is led by principles of good governance, people, prosperity, and planet – each with ambitious targets demonstrating our commitment to a sustainable and responsible business.
But it’s not just a ‘personal’ choice, as a sector we have a responsibility to meet existing and emerging obligations – rules that are shaping the market’s approach to ESG.
Regulatory obligations
When it comes to the environmental aspect of ESG, there are various factors that influence how the accountancy sector manages sustainability and climate concerns – both as an operating business and the work we do for our clients.
Like many businesses, we have a responsibility to reduce our environmental footprint – whether that’s through embedding responsible procurement into our decision-making or our sustainable travel policy. As a firm, our goal is for 80% of our suppliers (by emissions) to have science-based targets, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), by FY27. What’s more, BDO aims to achieve Net-Zero by the end of 2050, already reducing our Scope 1 and 2 operational emissions by over 90%.
It’s also clear that businesses have a growing responsibility to report on ESG performance. Whether it’s as a firm, or for clients, accountants are increasingly responsible for measuring, verifying and reporting environmental data such as carbon emissions and sustainability performance.
Social responsibility
The ‘S’ in ESG is also hugely important to BDO and something we believe is a real point of difference. We want to be an ‘exemplar’ on social agendas, specifically around social mobility and ED&I. After all, BDO is a people-powered business and it’s our people who are the core component of our success.
Fostering an inspiring, challenging and collaborative environment where people are encouraged to be themselves, are supported to reach their potential and strive to deliver quality in all they do, is essential for any organisation that is serious about ESG.
BDO’s ‘Every One, Every Day’ strategy aims to make inclusion and belonging a defining part of our working environment, building a culture which drives inclusive leadership at all levels, removes barriers ensuring fair access to opportunities and promotes inclusive communication, listening and learning.
But it’s not just within a firm where you can make a real difference. Our suite of early careers programmes – from graduates and school leavers to industrial placements, summer work experience and insight programmes – are all aimed at increasing access to accountancy and progressing the next generation of professionals. What’s more, right here in Yorkshire we helped to launch a new partnership with Enactus to expand its ‘NextGenLeaders’ programme, which is designed to empower pupils to lead social impact projects.
BDO in Leeds has delivered a series of impactful initiatives bringing our ESG ambitions to life through purposeful action and community engagement.
A standout example is the “Big Pitch”. Now in its fifth year, this programme is designed to develop BDO second-year trainees while inspiring and educating Year 10 pupils in local schools. We’ve also played a leading role in the Leeds University Business School’s widening participation module. This programme supports students from under-represented backgrounds, offering insights into professional services and helping bridge the gap between education and employment.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate how BDO in Leeds is translating ESG strategy into real-world impact, combining staff development with community empowerment and turning values into action.
Embedded into the culture While regulatory obligations can shape how a business approaches ESG, and governance is a pre-requisite and a license to do business in the accountancy sector, there is also a choice to be made about how it sits within the culture of an organisation and how that business conducts itself.
That’s why BDO fosters an inclusive and supportive workplace. We provide ED&I training for all employees, have multiple employee-led networks and continue to invest in diverse talent pipelines through our early career pathways. Our diversity targets include achieving 30% female partners by 2030 and 10% ethnically diverse partners by 2026, of which 10% should be a from Black heritage. Our Social Mobility Strategy reflects our commitment to creating opportunities for under-represented groups, which is why we were recognised in the top 75 UK employers for social mobility last year.
ESG isn’t simply a tick in the box. It requires a firm and consistent commitment.
Taking a top-down approach
Like with anything in business, leading from the front is essential to success and ESG is no different. Sustainability needs to be embedded into governance through ethical leadership and values-driven behaviours. Leadership teams should be directly involved in setting ESG priorities, monitoring progress and aligning initiatives with long-term business goals. ESG needs to be integrated into decision-making across every facet of a business.
As a £1bn firm and as a collection of almost 8,000 individuals, the impact we have on people, the business world and society can be equally significant. We need, and intend, to keep investing our time, money, resources, knowledge and passion on those topics most material to our business. In doing so, we can boost our positive impact, and help mitigate any negative impact, on the world around us.
In particular, our investment in society means we are part of the movement to improve social mobility and access to accountancy in more disadvantaged areas and on a published path to our first near-term Net-Zero target. Like all businesses, we’ll be a ‘work in progress’ for many years to come; BDO’s ESG journey is one of continuous evolution. It is rooted in purpose, central to our strategy and driven by action. Our focus is on deepening our commitment and we do not shy away from that. But the most important thing is to keep progressing.
Dan Brookes is a partner at BDO in Yorkshire and the North East and the Leeds-based National Sponsoring Partner for Social Mobility. He is also the BDO trustee for Access Accountancy, a charitable organisation with a mission to ensure that everyone has an equal chance of accessing, and progression within, the accountancy profession based on merit, not background.
Image of Dan Brookes provided by BDO
