Ocado Group

CSRD-compliant double materiality assessment + assurance, strategy refresh support

 

Challenge

Ocado Group is a FTSE250 business leveraging cutting edge technology solutions in automation, robotics and machine-learning and AI for online grocery and non-grocery distribution. The business operates across a global market, including Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia. Ocado Group were looking to complete a double materiality assessment (DMA) to help in preparation for CSRD requirements both at group level and across key markets. The findings from the DMA were also designed to serve as a robust and research-led foundation for a sustainability strategy refresh, being led by Ocado’s Sustainability Director.

 

Project

We worked with Ocado Group to map out the operational value chain and identify key stakeholders that would be vital to ensuring the DMA was comprehensive. Based on ESRS, GRI and SASB, as well as wider market and economic trends, we developed a long list of sustainability issues across environmental, social and governance categories, ready for testing and quantifying. 

CSRD-aligned double materiality approaches require an impact and a financial materiality phase, to identify impacts, risks and opportunities. We undertook interviews, surveys, workshops and validation sessions to assess the IROs that were emerging over the course of the research phase. Several rounds of validation took place throughout to ensure the results coming from the engagement process were appropriately representative of Ocado Group’s operations.  

The full DMA methodology and third party assurance statement can be found on Ocado's website at https://www.ocadogroup.com/sustainability/policies-and-disclosures. 

 

Outcome 

The process resulted in a third party assured DMA that allowed Ocado Group to refresh its strategy into a compelling new approach for the business, that can be rolled out rapidly. The business is also well-prepared to mature its reporting approach in line with the requirements of CSRD, ahead of the compliance window. 

 

Why we loved this project 

Double materiality has been a core principle at Ever for a long time, having carried out double materiality assessments for clients long prior to the introduction of CSRD. 

This project was a great example of how regulatory requirements can be used as a toolkit to mobilise strategy development in a way that is directly representative of the company’s value chain and stakeholder needs. While CSRD compliance was a foundational element of this project, the main goal was to allow Ocado Group to refresh their sustainability strategy. 

The Ever team enjoyed the opportunity of supporting Ocado Group in its strategy refresh. It was an example of double materiality being used to focus business attention towards the issues that matter, not just for compliance, but in the service of an ambitious strategy.

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