ESGlogic, which grew out of the MeDoFly incubator, is a fast-growing company specialising in ESG. At the Scale-Up Night organised by BECI on 30 April, co-founder Santiago Torres talked about his experience. Today, he tells BECI his story.
ESGlogic, founded by Santiago Torres and Théodore de Ville de Goyet, has been guiding companies of all sizes towards an ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) transition since 2018. ‘We wanted to become a catalyst for positive change for these companies,’ one of the co-CEOs reveals. With the support of BECI's MeDoFly programme, the company has gone from a start-up to a scale-up.
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ESG refers to the ‘Environment, Social and Governance’ criteria used to measure the sustainable and societal impact of an activity or company. The Environment (E) factor refers to respect for the environment and the fight against climate change. Social (S) relates to relations between companies and their employees, promoting diversity and inclusiveness, etc. Governance (G) concerns the way in which the company is managed and run. |
How was ESGlogic born?
We began with a concept of participatory philanthropy. We created a platform that allowed companies to redistribute an envelope to a charity. Once we'd done that, we fell within the scope of what's known as CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), and we started looking at other solutions that would meet the needs of businesses. For example, being greener, more sustainable, more socially responsible and so on. We ended up really developing our solutions, to become a catalyst for positive change.
How do you achieve this?
Through a ‘carbon footprint’ assessment, i.e. an analysis of a company's main sources of CO2 emissions, we take note of where things are going wrong or where there is room for improvement.
We then carry out a Business Impact Assessment (BIA). This is a 360-degree assessment of the environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects, as well as the customer and community aspects. Based on this, the company obtains a score for each of these categories, which enables it to situate its level of ESG maturity. Based on these findings and this score, we define an action plan for a company to achieve ESG compliance.
What arguments would you give companies to adopt an ESG approach?
ESG refers to everything to do with a company's good environmental, social and governance practices. Having a clear ESG strategy that is part of the company's DNA makes it easier to engage and retain talent, but also to be more competitive with competitors and increase the chances of obtaining procurement contracts. Financial institutions are increasingly willing to lend to companies that take these issues into account. What's more, ESG also helps to improve a company's image, making it more resilient in times of crisis.
You were present at the Scale-Up on 30 April at BECI. Was it important for you to share your story with other entrepreneurs?
As well as talking about our story, it was important for us to show that we had taken part in BECI's MeDoFly programme. We were a start-up that was starting to grow, but thanks to this programme, we were able to take a step back on a whole range of issues, which allowed us to accelerate our growth. We moved from a start-up model to a scale-up model, and that's why I would to thank BECI and MeDoFly.
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Once a month, BECI organises Scale-Up Nights. Entrepreneurs from the MeDoFly incubator come along to share their experiences, their careers, their challenges and their future plans. Why not join them? Here's everything you need to know about the MeDoFly programme. https://www.beci.be/starters/scale-up |