“The Sustainable and Just Association: Canadian Benchmark of Association ESG Practices” is a report of a survey of 59 Canadian associations, including industry, business, and professional associations. “The Sustainable and Just Association: Canadian Benchmark of Association ESG Practices” recognizes that Canadian Associations are becoming increasingly interested in developing or enhancing their strategies and programs to help members improve their social and environmental performance and address societal challenges faced by their members and society.
“The Sustainable and Just Association: Canadian Benchmark of Association ESG Practices” report provides the following insights into sustainability practices and approaches of associations:
Staffing: A number of Associations have staff with designated ESG responsibility.
Terminology: Most Associations use the term “Sustainability” when referring to the environmental and social performance of their members.
Priorities: Many Associations focus on one social theme and one environmental theme under the headings of social justice and climate change.
ESG Practices: Most are bringing their members together to address ESG issues through collaboration, and many have in-house operational ESG practices.
Barriers: Most point to varying levels of ESG knowledge and organizational size among members as their top constraint, followed by member and Association capacity. Lack of member interest is not a primary obstacle.
Business Case: A key driver of ESG programs is to demonstrate sector or professional leadership.
Social Purpose: Many Associations have a social or societal purpose as the reason their Association exists, in which the Association serves society in addition to serving members.
Stage: In terms of their ESG maturity, most Associations are either at the basic, strategic, or visionary level. Very few perceive themselves at the social purpose and transformational level of impact.
“The Sustainable and Just Association: Canadian Benchmark of Association ESG Practices” provides insights into the current state of play of association ESG practices.
