Makers and Partners pledges to promote Environmental, Social, and Governance practices

Makers and Partners (MAP), a chartered accountancy firm has reaffirmed its commitment to help strengthen Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in Ghana.

The ESG is a set of standards that checks how the operations of companies impact the environment, how the employees are treated, and how the companies uphold corporate governance.

Mr Wilfred Neneh Addico, Partner Advisory at MAP, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of a forensic investigation training for internal auditors of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said ESG had become a requirement for companies.

He noted that the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) had passed a guideline for companies that were listed on the stock exchange; saying “in that regard at MAP, we have taken it upon ourselves to build capacity to be able to help businesses implement or start initiatives in respect to ESG in their companies.”

Carbon emissions and their impact on climate change have become pressing global concerns, prompting nations to adopt sustainable practices and innovative solutions to mitigate environmental damage.

It would be recalled that last year, IFC and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs launched the Integrated ESG programme for Ghana, to assist the country’s banks and businesses to strengthen their environmental, social, and governance.

Ghana’s commitment to reducing emissions and engaging in international carbon markets reflects a proactive approach towards a greener and more resilient future.

Mr Addico mentioned that MAP had built capacity to be able to assist particularly companies listed on the GSE and as well provide assessment for organisations.

He reiterated that not just assessment but also to help in implementing initiatives that will make organizations’ more responsible in terms of how they impact the environment, for instance, reducing their carbon emissions to make their operations clean and able to meet requirements as provided by GSE.

He told the GNA that the next step was to also take the initiative to even non listed companies or multinationals; adding that “they can also be greener in their environment, so these are things that businesses can do to be able to make them more environmentally responsible, so they contribute to reducing carbon emissions in their activities.”

On his part, Mr Musah Yakubu, Acting Director of Audit at EPA told GNA that MAP’s forensic investigation training would help strengthen the Internal Audit Department in its investigative works.

He said he was hopeful that the investigative knowledge of the internal auditors of the agency would help advise management and as well help minimize the fraud risk that the agency was likely to be exposed to.

“We hope to start the implementation soon and we are grateful to MAP for extending its services to the audit department and EPA as an institution.”

Mrs Eugenia Anang, a representative of MAP, also told the GNA that the forensic investigation training aimed at equipping internal auditors with the requisite skills in forensic investigation to help deal with internal threats such as fraud and protect public funds.

She said the gesture formed part of the firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility, thus, training auditors within state institutions to help fight corruption.