I help companies, investors and financial institutions identify material ESG and reputational risks — and translate them into clear, decision-ready advice.
"What should our ESG and sustainability priorities be, and in what order?"
A practical ESG and sustainability strategy aligned with CSRD and CSDDD, with clear priorities and next steps.
Output ESG risk memo, management briefing or KPI review.
"Which sustainability impacts, risks and opportunities matter most to our business?"
A defensible double materiality assessment covering both impact and financial materiality.
Output IRO review with scoring logic, evidence base and management conclusions.
"How do we prepare our first CSRD report, and where do we start?"
Support in preparing your CSRD sustainability report: clarifying what ESRS expects of you, scoping the topics and data points that matter, and structuring the process towards reporting.
Output Preparation roadmap, requirements overview and input for the report structure.
"Are our ESG KPIs relevant, credible and useful for decisions?"
Assessment and design of ESG KPIs for relevance, credibility and decision-usefulness, aligned with your material topics and reporting needs.
Output KPI review with recommendations and a KPI framework.
"How do we set up due diligence on human-rights and environmental risks across our value chain?"
Practical due-diligence processes, from risk identification across the value chain to prioritisation and follow-up, aligned with CSDDD and UNGC/OECD expectations.
Output Process map, risk prioritisation and action plan.
"How do SFDR and the EU Taxonomy apply to our products and disclosures?"
Support on sustainable-finance regulation and product classification, from SFDR disclosures to EU Taxonomy alignment questions.
Output Interpretation memo, disclosure review or classification rationale.
"Which companies and activities should our portfolio exclude or flag, and why?"
Design and review of ESG and controversy-based screening, norms-based exclusion criteria and responsible-investment policies.
Output Screening framework, criteria set and policy recommendations.
"What ESG and reputational red flags should we know before we invest or contract?"
ESG and reputational due diligence on companies, investments, suppliers and counterparties, based on structured evidence and severity assessment.
Output Due-diligence report with red flags, severity rating and recommended next steps.
"Is our ESG scoring methodology robust, consistent and defensible?"
Design, review and calibration of ESG rating and scoring methodologies, including criteria, weighting and quality-control rules.
Output Methodology assessment, gap list and improvement proposals.
"Which ESG risks could affect this company's reputation?"
A concise, evidence-based risk note on ESG incidents affecting reputation or regulatory standing.
Output Company or sector controversy briefing with severity rating and next steps.
"Does this company breach UN Global Compact principles or OECD guidelines?"
Norms-based screening of companies against UN Global Compact principles and OECD guidelines, including adverse-impact and severity assessment.
Output Screening report with an assessment per principle, severity rating and sources.
"Are our sustainability claims substantiated and safe to publish?"
Review of sustainability and social claims in websites, reports and marketing for substantiation gaps and regulatory risk, for example under the EU EmpCo Directive. A risk review, not legal advice.
Output Claim-by-claim risk assessment with substantiation gaps and wording recommendations.
"How exposed are we to corruption, ethics and governance failures?"
Assessment of governance, anti-corruption, ethics and business-conduct risks, from policies to practice.
Output Risk review with findings, evidence and priority actions.
"Where are the human-rights and forced-labour risks in our supply chain?"
Screening of supply chains and suppliers for human-rights, labour-standard and forced-labour risks, including the EU Forced Labour Regulation.
Output Risk screening with hotspots, severity rating and mitigation priorities.
"How do we get early warning when an ESG incident hits a company we care about?"
Design of a monitoring process for ESG incidents: sources, triggers, severity scale and escalation, for portfolios, suppliers or your own company.
Output Monitoring framework, severity scale and reporting template.
"Can AI reduce manual ESG screening work without losing professional judgement?"
AI-powered screening and decision-support tools built around your ESG data and workflows.
Output Prototype, methodology logic or red-flag screening workflow.
"How do we turn an ESG methodology into a reliable data product?"
Translating ESG methodologies into data products: taxonomies, specifications and client-facing outputs.
Output Product specification, taxonomy and delivery roadmap.
Asset managers, banks and insurers assessing ESG and reputational risk across portfolios and counterparties.
Corporates, sustainability teams, risk departments, boards and NGOs.
Screening and rating providers refining methodologies, controversy criteria and AI-assisted workflows.
Product management of Sentometrics' UNGC Risk Incident Database, an ESG controversy and due-diligence screening tool.
Development of Durably's AI-enabled Green & Social Claims Scan, screening greenwashing and social-washing risk in marketing claims.
ESG advisory support to PMV on KPI relevance, ESG tool outputs, client cases and practical implementation.
Own product — an app that builds ESG literacy through short daily quizzes.
Own product
SustainWise is an app I designed and built myself — it teaches CSRD, SFDR, greenwashing rules and forced-labour supply-chain risk through short daily quizzes, so teams build real ESG literacy without sitting through another training deck.
Independent ESG consultant providing advisory, methodological and product-related support on ESG risk intelligence, sustainability reporting readiness, ESG KPIs, controversy monitoring and due diligence. I also design and develop AI-powered tools that translate ESG and sustainability requirements into practical screening, analysis and decision-support solutions.
With 20+ years of experience in ESG research, sustainable finance and controversy risk assessment, I spent close to two decades at Vigeo Eiris and Moody's — most recently as Product Manager for Moody's ESG Incidents Screening, leading a team of 20 ESG analysts.
Executive Master in Management (Solvay Brussels School of Economics & Management), CSRD Professional certified, and Board Member at Forum Ethibel.
Download full CV (PDF) →We start by defining the question, agree a clear scope, and I deliver findings with practical next steps. Support can range from a focused review to an ongoing advisory relationship.
Based in Dilbeek, near Brussels, I work primarily remotely and am available on-site when it best serves the engagement.
NOVARISQ Consulting is the independent consultancy of Jordi Lesaffer, based in Dilbeek near Brussels, Belgium. It helps companies, investors and financial institutions identify material ESG and reputational risks and translate them into clear, decision-ready advice across four areas: regulation and reporting readiness (CSRD, ESRS, double materiality, CSDDD), sustainable finance and responsible investment, risk, controversies and claims including greenwashing, and ESG data, product and AI tools.
Three groups: investors and financial institutions (asset managers, banks and insurers assessing ESG and reputational risk across portfolios and counterparties); companies and sustainability teams (corporates, sustainability teams, risk departments, boards and NGOs); and ESG data and tool providers (screening and rating providers refining methodologies, controversy criteria and AI-assisted workflows).
A double materiality assessment looks at sustainability matters from two directions: the company's impact on people and the environment, and the financial risks and opportunities that sustainability matters create for the company. The deliverable is an IRO (impacts, risks and opportunities) review with scoring logic, an evidence base and management conclusions.
It is a concise, evidence-based risk note on ESG incidents that affect a company's reputation or regulatory standing. The output is a company or sector controversy briefing with a severity rating and next steps.
AI can reduce manual screening work while professional judgement stays in the loop. I design AI-powered screening and decision-support tools built around your ESG data and workflows. Typical outputs are a prototype, the methodology logic, or a red-flag screening workflow.
We start by defining the question and agreeing a clear scope, then I deliver findings with practical next steps. Support can range from a focused review to an ongoing advisory relationship.
Very flexible. I take on short, targeted assignments as well as longer advisory projects, full-time or part-time, and I am available on demand when you need a specialist for a call or a specific question. Scope and format are agreed together so the support fits your needs and timeline.
Primarily remotely, and on-site when it best serves the engagement. I am based in Dilbeek, near Brussels.
SustainWise is an ESG-learning app I designed and built myself. Short daily quizzes cover CSRD, SFDR, greenwashing rules and forced-labour supply-chain risk. It is available free on Google Play and as a web app at app.sustainwiseapp.com.
Email jordi.lesaffer@novarisq.com or request an introductory call via the contact section below. You can also connect on LinkedIn.
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