1、KPMG IRoad to readinessKPMG ESG Assurance Maturity Index 2023Environmental,social and governance(ESG)related topics are reshaping business operations,performance measurement,and risk management,introducing both new challenges and opportunities.Its within this context that we are pleased to launch KP

2、MGs inaugural ESG Assurance Maturity Index,developed to help inform companies,investors and wider stakeholders on the current landscape.It comes at a pivotal time,as companies globally undertake a critical journey to prepare for new ESG regulatory requirements.Most companies are already doing some r

3、eporting on ESG topics,primarily on a voluntary basis.But now the rules and market demands are changing,and what was once done at a companys discretion is now becoming mandatory and subject to independent third-party assurance.Time is of the essence as sustainability reporting frameworks come into f

4、orce.1To gain investor and stakeholder confidence and mitigate the risk of greenwashing,ESG reporting should be subject to a level of scrutiny comparable to the financial information that users depend on.This means that companies need to invest in and improve data quality by applying disclosure cont

5、rol and risk frameworks akin to those used in financial reporting.The impending regulatory requirements are unquestionably driving the urgency to become ready for ESG assurance,but that is just part of the story.As our Index and research show,the potential benefits to becoming assurance ready go bey

6、ond mere compliance.Stakeholders from investors to employees to society as a whole want to know more about how companies are operating in a sustainable way.This has been the impetus for the regulatory action but assuring ESG data can more broadly contribute to a companys reputation.The rigor and pro