Sustainability and ESG Advisory

Turn sustainability priorities into practical action, stronger governance and measurable business value.

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Sustainability and ESG advisory services in Saudi Arabia

BDO Saudi Arabia helps organisations develop, implement and strengthen their environmental, social and governance (ESG) approach across strategy, reporting, climate, risk, sustainable finance, data and assurance.

Sustainability consulting for a changing Saudi business environment

Sustainability is becoming increasingly relevant to how organisations in Saudi Arabia set strategy, manage risk, attract capital and communicate with stakeholders.

Saudi Vision 2030, the Saudi Green Initiative, evolving capital-market expectations and international sustainability standards are increasing the need for organisations to understand their ESG priorities and establish credible processes for managing them.

For many businesses, however, the challenge is not deciding whether sustainability matters. It is determining what matters most, what should be addressed first and how ESG commitments can be translated into governance, data, controls and measurable action.

BDO Saudi Arabia provides end-to-end ESG and sustainability advisory services, supporting organisations from initial diagnostics and strategy development through implementation, reporting, performance improvement and assurance.

Our approach combines sustainability expertise with experience across governance, risk advisory, internal controls, reporting and assurance. This allows us to help organisations integrate ESG considerations into the way decisions are made rather than treating sustainability as a standalone reporting exercise.

From ESG ambition to implementation

A strong ESG programme needs to connect strategy, governance, data and execution.

BDO Saudi Arabia can support organisations in:

  • assessing current ESG maturity and identifying gaps
  • conducting materiality assessments and stakeholder engagement
  • developing ESG strategies, frameworks and implementation roadmaps
  • preparing sustainability disclosures and strengthening IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 readiness
  • establishing ESG governance, policies, responsibilities and internal controls
  • calculating Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions
  • assessing climate risks and developing decarbonisation pathways
  • defining ESG KPIs, targets and performance monitoring processes
  • improving ESG data collection, validation and reporting
  • conducting ESG due diligence and supporting sustainable finance initiatives
  • strengthening ESG capabilities across Boards, management and operational teams
  • providing independent assurance over selected sustainability information

Where is your organisation on its ESG journey?

Where should we start with ESG?

How BDO can help establish the foundations of your ESG programme:

  • ESG diagnostics and maturity assessments
  • benchmarking against relevant ESG good practice
  • materiality assessment and stakeholder engagement
  • baseline greenhouse gas emissions measurement
  • identification of priority ESG risks and opportunities
  • development of an initial sustainability roadmap aligned with business priorities and the Saudi context, including Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative where relevant

Are our disclosures, data and controls ready for growing stakeholder expectations?

How BDO can help strengthen ESG reporting and disclosure readiness:

  • ESG reporting readiness and gap assessments
  • strengthening ESG data, methodologies and internal controls
  • support for relevant CMA requirements and Saudi Exchange ESG Disclosure Guidelines
  • IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 readiness and alignment with other relevant international sustainability frameworks
  • preparation for sustainability and non-financial assurance

How can we move from reporting to measurable ESG performance?

How BDO can help turn sustainability commitments into measurable action:

  • definition of ESG KPIs, targets and performance measures
  • governance structures and clear accountability for ESG initiatives
  • ESG performance monitoring and management reporting
  • climate risk and opportunity assessment
  • decarbonisation initiatives and emissions reduction planning
  • operational and value-chain sustainability improvement programmes

How can ESG support business strategy, investment and risk decisions?

How BDO can help integrate ESG into strategic decision-making:

  • integration of material sustainability matters into corporate strategy
  • alignment of ESG priorities with business objectives and relevant Vision 2030 priorities
  • integration of ESG risks into enterprise risk management
  • climate resilience and decarbonisation planning in the context of the Saudi Green Initiative where relevant
  • integration of ESG considerations into capital allocation and investment decisions
  • ESG due diligence, sustainable finance and transaction support

How can sustainability become part of how the organisation operates?

How BDO can help embed ESG across the organisation:

  • integrated ESG governance, policies and internal controls
  • ESG data ownership, validation and reporting processes
  • integration of sustainability into risk management and operational decision-making
  • ESG performance dashboards and management reporting
  • digital solutions and ESG systems requirements
  • capacity building for Boards, management and operational teams
  • assurance readiness and independent assurance over selected sustainability information

Who we work with

BDO Saudi Arabia supports listed and large private companies, family-owned groups, government and semi-government entities, PIF portfolio companies and organisations supporting Vision 2030 programmes.

Our multidisciplinary ESG capabilities are also relevant to banks and financial institutions, investors, energy and utilities businesses, petrochemical and industrial companies, real estate and infrastructure organisations and businesses across healthcare, retail, logistics, telecommunications and technology.

We work with Boards and Board committees, CEOs, CFOs, Chief Sustainability Officers, Heads of ESG, Chief Risk Officers, Heads of Internal Audit, General Counsel and strategy leaders.

Why BDO Saudi Arabia?

With more than 45 years of presence in Saudi Arabia, BDO combines an understanding of the Kingdom's regulatory, governance and business environment with multidisciplinary sustainability expertise.

Our teams bring together capabilities across ESG, climate, risk advisory, governance, internal controls, reporting and assurance.

This means we can support clients throughout the ESG lifecycle: from understanding where they stand and defining priorities to implementing change, measuring performance, preparing disclosures and building confidence in reported information.

Meet BDO Saudi Arabia ESG advisors

Multidisciplinary experience across ESG, climate, risk advisory, internal controls, governance, reporting and assurance.

Syed Moin Ahmed Zaidi

Moin Zaidi

Senior Manager, Risk Advisory Services & ESG
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Common ESG questions Saudi businesses face

What ESG services does BDO Saudi Arabia provide?

BDO Saudi Arabia provides ESG strategy and diagnostics, sustainability reporting and assurance, climate and decarbonisation services, ESG governance and risk advisory, sustainable finance and ESG due diligence, ESG data solutions and capacity building.

How can companies in Saudi Arabia prepare for IFRS S1 and IFRS S2?

Preparation typically requires assessing current disclosures, identifying sustainability-related risks and opportunities, defining governance responsibilities, assessing data availability and establishing the processes and controls required to produce reliable sustainability-related financial information.

Does ESG only apply to listed companies?

No. ESG considerations are increasingly relevant to large private groups, government entities, PIF portfolio companies, financial institutions and companies participating in major supply chains or seeking investment and financing.

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Strengthen your sustainability strategy

Whether your organisation is beginning its ESG journey or strengthening an established sustainability programme, BDO Saudi Arabia can help identify priorities and turn them into practical action.

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