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How We Built a Successful Sustainability Consulting Business from Scratch…🌱
Tom Rodford
CEO of Rodford & Partners
We saw a gap in the market, and here’s why and how we developed our consulting business:
Why we made the move:
💸 Clients overpaying for consulting – Companies were paying premium prices to big firms but often dissatisfied with the results.
👥 Access to top talent – We were already recruiting for major consulting firms, giving us access to the same top-tier experts.
⏳ Hiring slowdown, but work still needed – Clients still needed projects done but wanted to reduce overheads by outsourcing to consultancies.
⚖️ Stretched ESG teams – Sustainability teams were under-resourced and looking for cost-effective ways to maintain quality without overspending.
We also noticed professional consultants dissatisfied with the constant "time is money" mindset at larger firms. At R&P, we encourage our consultants to spend the time needed to deliver high-quality work and build lasting relationships with clients. This approach has led to post-engagement aftercare, where both clients and consultants appreciate the lasting impact of their work. After all, satisfaction is worth a lot—and we are a people business.
How we did it:
🧠 Brought in senior experts – Professionals with extensive experience in RFPs, consulting delivery, and cost centre management.
📚 Invested in materials – Developed robust consulting resources to ensure delivery on every project.
🔄 Agile & responsive – As a smaller business, we flex and adapt quickly to meet client needs.
🤝 Built a consultant network – Full-time employees and vetted contractors, ready to be onboarded quickly with reference and compliance checks done.
We’re proud to now offer clients the same expertise, at a fraction of the cost and with more agility. 👏
For more on the engagements we’ve delivered across Reporting, Governance, Strategy, Training, Organisation Design, and Materiality Assessments.
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Thank you to the UN Global Compact Network UK for an outstanding and thought-provoking conference at the Guildhall in the City of London on 1 October.
Carel Van Randwyck
Partner at Rodford & Partners (LinkedIn)
Key takeaways:
• In the ambition to improve their supply chain resilience, larger organisations should invest in their suppliers and develop long-term partnerships, particularly with SMEs who represent the majority of corporate value chains.
• Do not over-burden SMEs with sustainability reporting requests; larger organisations should be clear what they want and why; work with SMEs, share experience and technology and be clear that the requested information adds value for both parties.
• SMEs need to prepare for CSRD and CSDDD reporting. Although they may not be subject to the regulations, their larger customers are and will be requesting information so that they can comply with the regulations.
• Sustainability/ESG-related regulations are key to driving change, however, industry can either pre-empt or avoid them by establishing voluntary best practices and codes of conduct which can be equally impactful.
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Did you know that the U.K. is at the bottom of the list of G7 countries in terms of the amount of biodiversity retained (and only ahead of Ireland and Malta of the list of European countries)?
Natasha Page
COO of Rodford & Partners (via LinkedIn)
Some vital statistics I learnt at the Lord Mayor’s Sustainability and Biodiversity event earlier this week:
• UK is estimated to have lost: 95% of oyster reefs; 90% of seagrass and 85% of salt marsh
• £15bn is the cost to the U.K. from the loss of coastal ecosystems and fisheries
It was fascinating to learn about the Thames Seagrass Restoration Project and work being done by Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Port of London Authority to bring back the lost seagrass meadows in the Thames Estuary.
Great to hear from Lord Mayor Michael Mainelli of the support he offers to the initiatives focusing on biodiversity and on driving transition to net zero. Financing these projects remains a challenge as discussed by the panelists James Lawson, Samuel Sinclair David Donnelly and Phoebe Tucker
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Unlocking Alpha: How Responsible Investment Teams Hold the Key to Long-Term Success
Aidan Fisher
Head of Consulting at Rodford & Partners
Over the years, I’ve observed a fascinating trend: Responsible Investment (RI) teams often have more comprehensive access to company leadership and boards than traditional investors. This access, combined with their focus on sustainability and governance, positions RI teams as pivotal players in driving long-term value for investors.
RI Teams’ Unique Access to Leadership
Unlike traditional investors, whose relationships often focus on financial performance during reporting periods, RI teams engage with a broader range of leadership, from Chairs and Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) to General Counsel and advisors. This allows for a more nuanced understanding of the company’s long-term strategy and governance dynamics.
RI teams influence company strategy by discussing materiality factors, sustainability, and governance. Their insights help boards align with investor interests, shaping strategies that foster sustainable competitive advantage— creating the opportunity for higher financial returns and improved altruistic outcomes.
Stronger Collaboration Between RI and Investment Teams is Key
While RI teams may have this unique access to stakeholders, the real key to success lies in their strong connection with investment teams. It’s not enough for RI teams to sit in isolation. To truly unlock alpha, RI and investment teams must work together seamlessly, sharing insights and strategies to drive both short-term profitability and long-term value.
Strategic Integration: RI teams can identify sector-specific materiality factors and assess how a company's sustainability efforts may translate into future success. By embedding these insights into the broader investment strategy, firms can create a more well-rounded approach, driving alpha over time.
Holistic Decision-Making: Investment teams that align their strategies with RI insights are better positioned to understand the full picture of a company’s health—beyond short-term profits. This collaboration helps create a clearer view of opportunities to invest or disinvest, based on both financial and non-financial factors.
Ultimately, strong, well-thought-out collaboration between RI and investment teams is what unlocks the full potential of responsible investment. Without it, the deeper insights RI provides may not fully translate into alpha for investors. By fostering this connection, firms can ensure their RI efforts not only meet regulatory and client demands but also enhance overall performance.
Alpha Opportunity Through Integration
When RI insights are integrated into investment strategies, they reveal opportunities that traditional metrics may overlook. This can drive alpha generation through better governance, proxy voting, and succession planning—helping investors make more informed decisions about when to invest or disinvest.
However, many asset managers still underappreciate the value of their RI teams and have not aligned RI and investment teams to learn and collaborate with each other. Furthermore, Financial Institutions are themselves experiencing ever increased reporting criteria whereby the focus of the RI team may become regulatory and client reporting. This creates the risk that RI teams are regarded as cost centers with underappreciated attributes!
How does your RI team function?
Newpost
🚨 ESG: Regulation vs. Enforcement – What's the Answer? 🚨
Tom Rodford
CEO of Rodford & Partners (via LinkedIn)
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