AdVaes® Diag
Maturity Assessment

An ESG maturity assessment dedicated to IT and digital vendors, and IT departments

The latest analyses carried out by AdVaes reveal a highly variable level of maturity among IT vendors and departments, in terms of commitment, action and monitoring of extra-financial indicators (ESG). Listed companies often demonstrate a higher level of maturity when it comes to ESG, particularly in terms of sustainability reporting. Those that defend ESG principles at the highest level have already integrated them into their strategy, while those that are obliged to do so by regulation (e.g. CSRD) are gradually committing themselves.

The stakes are high for all companies that have to comply, whatever the deadlines and whatever the pressure from their stakeholders (customers, regulators, investors, etc.).

Carrying out an ESG diagnostic is one of the first steps in assessing maturity. The specific characteristics of the IT sector mean that this exercise must take account of indicators that are unique to it. Carrying out an ESG diagnostic enables any IT company or IT department to:

• Identify potential shortcomings in its practices;
• Activate the appropriate action levers to remedy them;
• Challenge itself in relation to practices in the ecosystem;
• Raise the awareness of internal teams and involve them more closely in action plans;
• Strengthen its competitiveness by anticipating the ESG requirements of its customers.

AdVaes draws on its expertise in digital technology, software and IT services, cloud computing, data management and digital sustainability to carry out its assessments in a neutral and rigorous manner.

The aim of the AdVaes® Diag is to provide IT vendors and CIOs with a clearer view of their ESG maturity level, to help them draw up an action plan and to support them in monitoring their progress.

AdVaes prefers to carry out a diagnostic or maturity assessment rather than an audit. The diagnostic aims to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a specific organisation, project or system. It focuses on analysing the current situation in order to detect problems and propose recommendations for improvement or solutions. The main objective of an audit, on the other hand, is to assess the compliance or effectiveness of an organisation's processes, systems or financial information against predefined criteria, such as international standards, laws or regulations. The scope of a diagnostic is broader and can cover various aspects of an organisation or project, including operations, management, strategy and processes. It is more flexible and tailored to the specific needs of the entity being assessed. The approach is more consultative and analytical, aimed at understanding underlying issues and identifying opportunities for improvement. It may involve interviews, surveys and the use of various analysis tools.

In summary, whereas an audit focuses on assessing compliance and effectiveness against external criteria, a diagnostic seeks to understand the current situation of an organisation or project in order to identify areas for improvement. The results of a diagnostic generally take the form of strategic or operational recommendations.

A first AdVaes® Diag dedicated to the environmental pillar

The first AdVaes® Diag covers the environmental pillar (E) of ESG. The diagnostics for the other pillars (S for societal and G for governance) are currently under construction.

This AdVaes maturity diagnostic covers 7 key areas of the ESG pillar E (environment): definition of impact reduction targets, GHG emissions, energy consumption, use of renewable and low-carbon energy, water consumption, electronic waste, IT practices and uses, and certifications. The following are also assessed:

• Circular economy processes;
• Actions relating to transport and business travel;
• Actions to promote soft mobility;
• Equipment lifespan;
• Data centre efficiency indicators (PUE, WUE, etc.);
• Eco-responsible practices in data centres;
• Use of recycled or reconditioned IT equipment, etc.

For the AdVaes® Environmental Diag, the final assessment is based on more than 50 criteria covering the 7 key environmental areas listed above. The scores are weighted according to the importance of the impact (generally from 0.25 to 4).

A report with recommendations for remedial action and an assessment certificate

The AdVaes® Diag is carried out using AdVaes' own methodology and a multi-phase process.

At the end of the assessment, AdVaes submits an 8-page diagnostic report including the spreadsheet (*) used to carry out the assessment. This report is structured as follows:

• Reminder of the objectives of the AdVaes® Diag;
• Assessment scopeList of indicators taken into account (*)
• Assessment grid (*);
• Your overall score and by major area (scorecard);
• Suggested priority action levers for your activities;
• Recommendations for improvement and remediation;
• Methodology.

A certificate is issued along with the report and is valid for 1 year from the date of issue.