Strategy

Case study

 

PwC helped an oil & gas leader expend less energy on risk

High environmental impact industries such as oil and gas require a systemic approach to calculating, monitoring and managing risk. PwC worked with Argentinian energy giant to develop economic models and processes for risk analysis and remediation.

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The client’s challenge

The client sought to identify key environmental issues and risks for each of its business units, including Exploration and Production, Refining and Petrochemical, Gas and Energy Production.

Our approach

PwC professionals:
  • Provided support with monitoring the physical and budgetary progress of Environmental Remediation Plan projects in key South American countries
  • Composed detailed management reports on site audits
  • Created a project management support tool to aid monitoring initiatives and conducted training workshops to acclimate users
  • Conducted analysis of gaps between project targets and actuals
  • Analysed residue and spills indicators related to the Environmental Remediation Plan

Benefits to the client

PwC's counsel and support enabled the company to obtain precise and reliable data and take proactive control over the management of environmental risks and remediation works.

Setting a smooth course towards sustainability excellence for a Danish shipping conglomerate

In light of increasing scrutiny from investors of its environmental policies and performance, a Danish shipping and cargo company engaged PwC to develop a comprehensive CSR and climate change strategy. We analysed industry benchmarks and relevant regulatory frameworks to craft a platform that was economically feasible and aligned with the company's business goals. The new CSR approach combined with internal training provided by PwC was well received by key stakeholders and has resulted in significant cost reductions.

Driving home CSR improvements and stakeholder engagement strategies for transportation leader

The client, a leading private transport and communications infrastructure management corporation, aimed to strengthen its strategic positioning with stakeholders and influencers by bolstering its CSR program. PwC completed a holistic assessment of the client's activities to identify weaknesses and opportunities. We delivered comprehensive recommendations for upgrading reporting and monitoring systems, elevating employee and stakeholder engagement, and enhancing the client's performance on sustainability indexes and rankings.

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For many companies, the most challenging aspect of the sustainability agenda is incorporating sustainability into their long-term strategic plans.

The highest hurdle for CEOs and boards is to accept the need for change. The forces driving companies to integrate sustainability into their strategic planning are now familiar – regulation, climate change, resource constraints, globalisation and ease of access to information. Even so, most businesses have not changed their mindsets, and instead continue to respond opportunistically or with cosmetic measures to address sustainability-related pressures.

A more comprehensive approach begins by assessing the specific sustainability issues that affect the business most critically and where opportunities lie, given not only its sector and locale, but also its particular competitive advantages. That forms the basis for a company’s response, and its vision for where it wants to be in five years. Then, to bring that strategy to fruition, a company can plan its resource allocation around its sustainability agenda, its strategic goals and metrics, and the communications plan for stakeholders – including employees.

PwC helps clients at every stage of this process and embeds sustainability considerations into all its strategic advisory. Its services include:

  • Assessments of a company’s unique sustainability-related risks and opportunities, including through stakeholder engagement programs and benchmarking
  • Identification of options
  • Market analyses and assessments of public sector incentives to determine the viability and potential of proposed strategies
  • Development of a strategic vision that is realistic and suited to the individual client
  • Implementation plan design
  • Development of progress measurement systems
  • Communication strategy design

Triggers

  • Will it be possible to continue with our current product line given our raw materials constraints?
  • Our products are considered unhealthy. Should we target a different consumer group, perhaps in a different country, alter our products or create new ones?
  • We anticipate that a cap-and-trade system will make our power generation uncompetitive. How much time do we have to switch to new energy sources and which mix will be most viable?
  • How can we predict what the automobile market will be like in five or 10 years?
  • Is the local food movement just a fad or should we be planning to stock our supermarkets with steadily increasing percentages of domestically grown produce?