In 2020, Utz, a Hanover, Pennsylvania based snack company, went public after nearly a century of private ownership. Following their IPO, the company needed to enhance its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) management and disclosure practices but lacked a formal strategy and program.
We supported Utz with a materiality assessment to set the agenda. Then piece by piece we helped our client assemble the essential components for good sustainability management. Together, we developed performance metrics, data collection processes, and presented the business case to the Utz Board. With Board approval we were able to move in an execution phase, assisting in hiring a sustainability manager and establishing improvement plans across Utz’s most material ESG issues.
Our ongoing partnership included:
- Strategic development: Identifying key initiatives to embed sustainability into business decisions and foster continuous improvement through a three-year roadmap.
- Sustainability governance: Establishing a formal sustainability governance framework that engages leadership and operational management.
- Sustainability reporting: Developing and improving Utz’s sustainability reporting to comply with SASB and laying the groundwork for IFRS-aligned reporting.