As a longstanding provider of services to communities (cities, regions, nations) BDO has been integrating the ESG transition into its service offering, among others in promoting the UN Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
BDO’s Sustainable Communities service supports awareness-raising on SDGs and helps secure the financing of energy saving infrastructure investments. We support our clients at different stages of their sustainability journey depending on the level of development of their capacity to meet the ESG challenges and their need for support.
Our awareness-raising programmes support the establishment of a common understanding of the sustainable development goals and the associated risks, regulations, and opportunities. BDO helps drive understanding of how these new challenges can become a competitive advantage and an opportunity for innovation and collaboration.
The vision of a city or a region, including for sustainability, is often decided at the political level and implemented by the administration, which functions well if both parties are aligned. With effective governance, priorities for action towards sustainability can be easily implemented through collaboration between the two levels and the different departments.
BDO can assess the functioning of the municipal/regional administration and the municipal/regional council both in terms of governance and efficiency. Organisational improvements are which can lead to smooth and effective horizontal collaboration between departments fostering innovation and added value to implement the sustainability journey.
Many cities or regions need to develop new strategies for implementing sustainable development. Mobility, buildings, water, waste, and air quality are just some of the areas to consider for a holistic approach to the SDGs. BDO works as strategic adviser to identify the needs and priorities, assessing the current situation, future needs, regulations, and developing different scenarios to impact stakeholders. For instance, BDO has been working in the framework of the EBRD Green City Action Plan as project manager, legal and financial adviser.
To replace outdated/energy inefficient infrastructure or to purchase new equipment, communities must prepare a phased master plan, with priorities and access to financing options. Knowing the options and choosing the most appropriate solutions is complex and has a strong impact on the future budget of the city.
BDO can prepare various scenarios also considering the possible sources of financing. We develop financial models, business plans and investment optimisation to conduct the best possible investments with the most appropriate financing.