How to reduce takeover fears among employees in mergers and acquisitions: Practical approaches to reducing uncertainty among the workforce<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Successfully dealing with employees' takeover fears is crucial for the success of change processes such as mergers and acquisitions, company mergers and takeovers. Employees often experience change as a potential threat to their jobs and professional roles. With targeted communication and a professional M&A strategy, fears can be reduced and trust built.\r\n\r\n Timely and transparent communication in the M&A process\r\n\r\nEven before signing in mergers and acquisitions, employees should be informed about the reasons and goals of the upcoming changes. It is essential to keep everyone involved continuously informed. Unclear information fuels insecurity, strengthens office rumors and provides space for speculation, gossip or misinformation.\r\n\r\n Actively address fears\r\n\r\nEmployee fears, such as losing their job or control over their own work area, must be taken seriously. Managers should actively ask employees about their concerns and address them in one-on-one meetings. This approach helps to defuse emotionally charged situations.\r\n\r\n Build trust through presence and dialogue with company management\r\n\r\nA visible and accessible management team is key to reducing anxiety. Personal encounters with decision-makers and direct communication show employees that their concerns are being heard and taken seriously. This helps to avoid a \u201cus against them\u201d situation.\r\n\r\n employee involvement\r\n\r\nEmployees who are actively involved in the change process during mergers and acquisitions experience less loss of control. This can be achieved through workshops, feedback rounds or project groups. This creates a sense of participation and influence. Feelings of helplessness or powerlessness, on the other hand, are avoided.\r\n\r\n Guide emotions with clear visions\r\n\r\nA clear vision as a guiding principle gives employees orientation and highlights the advantages and synergies of mergers and acquisitions. It is important that this vision is authentic and supported by concrete measures.\r\nConclusion\r\nTargeted communication in the M&A process lays the foundation for successfully dealing with fears surrounding mergers and acquisitions and company takeovers. Transparency, dialog, addressing concerns, and involving employees help to reduce uncertainties in M&A in medium-sized companies and strengthen trust in the M&A process.<\/div><\/article>How to strike the right tone: Strategies for clear and transparent communication during an M&A process<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Communication in M&A projects is a complex interplay of M&A strategy, timing, empathy and target group orientation. The tone in which communication is carried out has a significant influence on the perception and acceptance of the transaction. We collected six crucial elements you need to focus on if you want to get the tone of voice right and measurably increase all relevant stakeholder's acceptance of your transaction.\r\n1. Understanding of target groups\r\nStriking the right tone starts with an understanding of the target groups. Employees, investors, customers or authorities have different needs. For example, communication with employees should be empathetic, while M&A for investors requires a more factual, fact-based approach. \r\n2. Empathy and sensitivity\r\nM&A processes are often accompanied by uncertainties and fears in view of the upcoming changes. The tone of communication must take these emotional aspects into account. Statements such as \u201cWe understand your concerns\u201d can create trust, while the further explanations should convey confidence and highlight the advantages of the transaction, without, however, concealing possible challenges. Sensitivity and balance in communication are particularly important when it comes to topics such as job cuts or restructuring.\r\n3. Clarity, precision and transparency\r\nA clear and precise tone is crucial in M&A processes to avoid misunderstandings. Particularly in internal communication, information should be conveyed in simple, target-group-oriented language so that it is also understandable for employees without specialist knowledge. Vague or evasive wording can lead to mistrust and speculation. By contrast, open communication about the challenges and opportunities of the transaction increases credibility.\r\n4. Consistency across all channels\r\nA consistent tone across all communication channels is necessary to avoid confusion and the mistrust that can arise from it. Whether in press releases, internal announcements or presentations for investors, the messages about the M&A process should be consistent. \r\n5. Proactive communication and a willingness to engage in dialog\r\nA proactive approach that anticipates questions, provides clear answers and an outlook on the next steps strengthens stakeholders' trust in the M&A process. It is important to address possible uncertainties at an early stage of mergers and acquisitions, to identify them transparently and to promote dialogue. It helps to use a comprehensible line of argument. Regular updates and offers of discussion signal that the concerns of the target groups are being taken seriously. \r\n6. Timing and situation adaptation\r\nThe \u201cright tone\u201d can change during the course of the M&A process. While discretion is required in the initiation phase, the integration after M&A requires an open and motivating language. The levels of understanding build on each other: a change in behavior without acceptance is just as pointless as a fundamental understanding of the information not automatically bringing about a change in attitude among the stakeholders.\r\nConclusion\r\nStriking the right tone in communication during mergers and acquisitions is quite an art. Open, sensitive and clear communication can build trust and credibility, reduce misunderstandings and uncertainties, and bring all parties together on the path to a common goal.<\/div><\/article>Press Release<\/h2><\/div><\/div>cometis AG appoints Ariane Hofstetter to the board of directors for ESG consulting\n \nWiesbaden, 26 May 2023 \u2013 cometis AG, a leading, owner-managed consultancy for financial communications and ESG advisory, announces the appointment of Ariane Hofstetter to the company's Executive Board as of 1 June 2023. She will be responsible for the growing ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) advisory business and its further expansion. Ms Hofstetter and cometis can look back on several years of very successful and trustful cooperation. The personnel decision is related to the strongly growing demand of medium-sized companies for analysis-based and implementation-oriented ESG consulting against the background of increasing regulation (e.g. CSRD, EU taxonomy) and a fundamentally increased need for information of all stakeholder groups.\nMichael Diegelmann, founder and Co-CEO of cometis AG, underlines the importance of this decision: \"cometis expects strong growth in the field of ESG in the coming years. The expansion of the Executive Board to three members and the appointment of Ms Hofstetter is therefore a consistent and clear signal that ESG consulting is a very high priority for our clients and for us. We already offer a wide range of ESG advisory services, including ESG strategy advisory, ESG reporting, ESG rating advisory, materiality analysis and stakeholder mapping. We will significantly expand this area in the coming years and develop it as a strong pillar alongside our traditional areas of investor relations, IPOs, M&A and financial communications.\u201d\nHofstetter is co-initiator and academic partner of the Global ESG Monitor. Coming from a market research background, her main areas of interest include behavioural economics research formats in the areas of sustainability as well as reception and learning behaviour in an increasingly digitalised world \nThese areas of focus complement and enrich cometis' service offering. Ariane Hofstetter also brings with her management experience, having been the managing director of a market research institute since 2016.\nWith the appointment of Ms Hofstetter, cometis' top management will not only become more diverse. Above all, it is the combination of practical financial communication and evidence-based sustainability research that will provide real added value for clients.\nHenryk Deter, Co-CEO and shareholder of cometis AG, adds: \"Linking financial and non-financial aspects in corporate strategy will be a key success factor for mid-sized companies in the future. With our track record of more than 20 years in comprehensive consulting for capital market-oriented companies and the recent appointment of Ms Hofstetter to the Executive Board, cometis AG has closely linked both topics. We are convinced that this combination will help our clients to make informed and fact-based decisions in their ESG activities.\u201d\nContact:\nHenryk Deter,Member of the Board,deter@dev.cometis.de,0611-205855-13\nMichael Diegelmann,Member of the Board,diegelmann@dev.cometis.de,0611-205855-12\nAbout cometis:\ncometis AG is a leading, owner-managed financial communications and ESG advisory firm based in Wiesbaden, Germany. Since its foundation in 2000, the company has supported capital market-oriented companies and organisations in the areas of financial and corporate communications, investor relations and ESG. With an experienced team of interdisciplinary experts, cometis offers tailor-made strategies and solutions for long-term relationship management with investors, analysts, media and other stakeholders. The company has extensive national and international experience and distinguishes itself through its holistic consulting approach. cometis supports clients in the implementation of financial publications, non-financial and sustainability reporting as well as in crisis situations and assists with M&A transactions and IPOs. For more information, please visit: www.cometis.de.\n\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/article>ESG aspects at annual general meetings<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The trend of placing ESG issues on AGM agendas continues. According to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) initiative, 576 ESG-related resolutions were submitted in 2022, an increase of more than 15 percent from the previous year. But ESG resolutions are unevenly distributed globally, due to country-specific legal frameworks. Why should German companies nevertheless also address the issue?\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nThis article was published as a guest article in the HV Magazin 01\/2023 by GoingPublic Media AG.\nHigher hurdles for shareholders in Germany\nWiesbaden, 17. March 2023.\nBy international comparison, the hurdles for submitting resolutions on key sustainability issues - also known as \"ESG Resolutions\" in English - are high in Germany. Pursuant to Section 122 (2) 2 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG), a minimum share of 5 percent of the capital stock or a pro rata amount of 500,000 euros is required to put items on the agenda that are eligible for a resolution. In this respect, it is not surprising that no ESG resolutions can be found in the PRI database for companies with their registered office in Germany.\nThe situation is different in the USA, for example: According to PRI data, 3 resolutions have already been submitted for upcoming AGMs for the 2023 AGM season. The author of the resolutions is Follow This, an association of \"green\" shareholders with a focus on oil companies. Targeted by Follow This resolutions so far this year are Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Conocophillips. They are to align their greenhouse gas reduction targets with the Paris climate goals.\nEven failed resolutions can make a big difference\nHowever, despite the comparatively more difficult initial situation, there have also been some prominent examples in Germany in recent years of so-called activist investors seeking to oblige major corporations to be more sustainable by putting appropriate items on their AGM agendas. At last year's AGM of RWE, the investor Encraft was able to force a vote on the spin-off of the energy company's lignite division. The corresponding motion was ultimately rejected by the AGM, but the issue received a great deal of media attention - all the leading media such as Spiegel, FAZ and Handelsblatt reported on it. And RWE, possibly also due to Encraft's action, actually announced at the end of the year that it would bring forward its planned lignite phase-out by 8 years to 2030.\nThis example is symptomatic for many other actions of investors like Encraft. Often, the resolution put on the AGM agenda is rejected, but in any case, the pressure on companies to respond to activist investors and their demands increases..\nESG resolutions bring voting advisors into the arena\nIn addition, companies need to be aware that introduced ESG resolutions bring to the fore issues that also attract the attention of a group relevant to AGMs: proxy advisors. They advise asset managers who manage the assets of asset owners and provide them with voting recommendations. In doing so, voting advisors are guided by predefined criteria set by asset managers. These criteria also increasingly include ESG aspects.\n\nTransparency is what counts\nIt is therefore essential for issuers to transparently disclose their sustainability performance. The aforementioned documents must first verifiably depict the status quo - how high is the CO2 footprint, what is the company doing against child labor, is there a gender paygap within the company - as well as describe the sustainability strategy with which the company intends to improve its sustainability performance. With the Global ESG Monitor, which cometis AG developed together with KOHORTEN Sozial- und Wirtschaftsforschung GmbH & Co. KG, the transparency of corporate sustainability reporting can be made measurable. For the Global ESG Monitor, the ESG reporting of 350 companies was evaluated using 184 criteria with the help of a specially developed analysis tool, the GEM ASSAY™. Using this methodology, companies can have their transparency score determined and, based on the Global ESG Monitor data, compare their result with companies from their industry or benchmarks. The comparison reveals the gaps that companies need to close in order to improve their reporting. This also enables them to achieve better sustainability ratings or actively approach rating agencies while correcting incorrect ratings. Improving ratings in particular is a fundamental part of the sustainability strategy, as these are often the first and only source of information for investors, asset managers and proxy advisors on the sustainability performance of issuers.\nSustainability does not only mean environmental issues\nWhile environmental issues dominate public and media perception, social and governance issues are also becoming increasingly important for investors submitting proposals at annual general meetings. Here, too, there are major differences between countries. For example, the issue of diversity has been on the agenda in the USA for much longer than in Germany, although it is also becoming increasingly important in this country. According to a study by the \"Investors for Diversity\" initiative, almost three quarters of the 30 most influential investors in Germany make demands on the diversity of the top bodies of German companies.\nNew laws strengthen governance powers of the Annual General Meeting\nAnd the competencies of shareholder meetings are also increasing in legal terms: Since the Act Implementing the Second Shareholders' Directive (ARUG II) comes into force in 2021, it has been mandatory for shareholder meetings to vote on executive board compensation and the underlying system (\"Say on Pay\"). As the variable remuneration components also increasingly include the achievement of sustainability targets, ESG aspects are also gaining in importance for the AGMs in this sense.\nConclusion\nSustainability has long since ceased to be a marketing issue and now affects companies in all areas, from their reporting and business and financing strategy to the annual general meeting. This makes it all the more important for companies to communicate their sustainability performance transparently in order to secure access to the capital market, remain compliant with the ever-increasing legal requirements - and be prepared for possible ESG resolutions and critical questions at the annual general meeting.\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n\n\n\n<\/div><\/article>PRGN\u2019s Investor Relations & ESG Agentur in Wiesbaden<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Since 2009, cometis AG has been a proud member of the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN), which unites 53 renowned companies in all major markets worldwide. Twice a year, the partner companies meet at different locations to exchange best practices or develop new opportunities for collaboration. For me, these meetings are always among the highlights of the year, precisely because of the different country- and culture-specific perspectives that the partners bring to the table.\nUltimately, the customers of the PRGN partners benefit from this knowledge transfer. The partner companies develop communication strategies tailored to their individual needs, while the local, owner-managed consulting firms guarantee close and personal customer contact. Local expertise and the active involvement of the owners guarantee first-class consulting quality.\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann\u00a0\n\nWiesbaden, March 16, 2023.\u00a0Visit our website or contact one of our member companies directly for more information about PRGN:\nAdverum - Vilnius, Lithuania\naccelent communications - Vienna, Austria\nAlexander PR - Auckland, New Zealand\nAristo Communications - Istanbul, Turkey\nAthenora Consulting - Brussels, Belgium\nBianchi Public Relations, Inc. - Detroit, Michigan (USA)\nBuchanan Public Relations - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)\nCabinet Priv\u00e9 de Conseils, S.A. - Geneva & Bern, Switzerland\nThe Castle Group - Atlanta, Georgia & Boston, Massachusetts (USA)\nCoast Communications - Stockholm, Sweden\ncometis AG - Wiesbaden, Germany\nCullen Communications - Dublin, Ireland\nCurrie - Melbourne, Australia\nEje Comunicaci\u00f3n - Mexico City, Mexico\nEvident P.R. - Amersfoort, Netherlands\nFearey - Seattle, Washington (USA)\nFree Communication - Bucharest, Romania\nGhidotti - Little Rock, Arkansas (USA)\nGlobal. - Lisbon, Portugal\nGoodwill Communications - Budapest, Hungary\nHMA Public Relations - Phoenix, Arizona (USA)\nThe Hoyt Organization, Inc. - Greater Los Angeles Area, California (USA)\nHWB Communications - Cape Town, South Africa\nIDENTIA \/ PR - Buenos Aires, Argentina\nIndustrie-Contact - Hamburg, Germany\nWE agency - Paris, France\nThree Box Strategic Communications - Dallas, Texas (USA)\nIntegrate Communications - Tokyo, Japan\nKAMIR - Tel Aviv, Israel\nKreps PR & Marketing - Fort Lauderdale, Miami & West Palm Beach, Florida (USA)\nL.C. Williams & Associates - Chicago, Illinois (USA)\nLandis Communications Inc. (LCI) - San Francisco & Silicon Valley, California (USA)\nLBS Communications Consulting Ltd - Hong Kong, China\nMedia Profile Inc. - Toronto, Ontario (Canada)\nMileage Communications - Singapore\nNettResults Middle East - Abu Dhabi & Dubai, United Arab Emirates |\u00a0Jeddah & Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia\nNovitas Communications - Denver, Colorado (USA)\nOneMulti - Warsaw, Poland\nPeritus PR - Birmingham, Alabama (USA)\nPerspective Strategies - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia\nPRGarage - Madrid, Spain\nPrichard Communications - Portland, Oregon (USA)\nRace Communications - Goi\u00e1s, Rio de Janeiro & S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil\nREED Public Relations - Nashville, Tennessee (USA)\nROOP & CO. - Cleveland, Ohio (USA)\nRumboCierto Comunicaciones - Santiago de Chile, Chile\nS&A Communications - Raleigh Durham, North Carolina (USA)\nScandinavian Communications - Copenhagen, Denmark\nSound Public Relations - Milan, Italy\nSouthard Communications - New York City, New York (USA)\nSpider - London, UK\nTwo Cents - Brussels, Belgium\nXenophon Strategies, Inc. - Washington, DC (USA)\n\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.\n<\/div><\/article>CSRD is coming! 15,000 companies affected across Germany!<\/h2><\/div><\/div>It's time to wake up - companies can no longer hit the snooze button on sustainability. The longer you put off structural ESG reporting, the further you fall behind and run the risk of losing access to the capital market, failing to comply with increasingly stringent laws, and being sidelined by your business partners.\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nKeep an overview in the ESG jungle!\nWiesbaden, 03. March 2023. CSRD, SDG, GRI, EFRAG, CDP, ESRS, ISSB, SFDR... The numerous regulations, frameworks and standards, certificates or organizations with which one is confronted around the topic of sustainability and sustainability reporting are reminiscent of the much-cited alphabet soup. Here, it is important not to throw in the towel, but to filter what is really relevant.\n\nThe legislators are pressing ahead!\nFor companies in Germany, the directive currently still in force is the European Union's Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), which was transposed into German law in 2017 by the CSR Directive Implementation Act (CSR-RUG). Under this law, companies with more than 500 employees are required to submit a non-financial statement containing information relating to environmental, social and employee issues, respect for human rights and the fight against corruption and bribery.\nIn the coming years, the reporting requirements and the number of companies they affect will be massively expanded. As a successor regulation to the NFRD, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will then gradually come into force throughout the EU. According to the current timetable, the CSRD will apply from 2025 - i.e. for reports for the financial year 2024 - to all companies that are already subject to reporting requirements within the meaning of the NFRD.\nOne year later - i.e., starting in 2026 and for the reports for fiscal year 2025 - the CSRD will also apply to all limited liability companies, credit institutions and insurance companies that meet at least two of the three characteristics:\n\nBalance sheet total: at least 20 million euros\nNet revenue: at least 40 million euros\nAverage number of employees during the fiscal year: at least 250[2]\n\nAgain one year later - i.e. from 2027 and for reports for the 2026 financial year - the reporting requirement will be extended to listed SMEs, small and non-complex credit institutions and captive (re)insurance companies. From 2029 (for annual reports as of the 2028 reporting year), the CSRD will also cover non-EU companies with EU branches or EU subsidiaries if they generate net sales of more than EUR 150 million within the EU.\n\n50,000 companies affected EU-wide - 15,000 of them in Germany!\nFinally, the CSRD will extend the reporting obligation from currently around 11,700 to around 50,000 companies in the EU; in Germany, the CSRDwill affect an estimated 15,000 companies \u2013 30 times as many as currently have to report under the CSR RUG!. In addition, reporting companies will be required to have their non-financial disclosures externally audited and to make their sustainability information available digitally.\nPay attention to the frameworks - and the right ones!\nWhile it is regulated by law which companies have to publish non-financial statements, sustainability or ESG reports in the first place, there are still no specifications as to what these reports have to look like or what they have to contain - beyond the information mentioned above. This will change with the introduction of the CSRD, as it will be accompanied by the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). These reporting standards, which will apply throughout the EU in the future, are already available in draft form and are largely based on existing and widely used frameworks.\nIt is therefore important to familiarize oneself with these frameworks today, and not to wait until the introduction of the ESRS to deal with them!\nOne of the most widely used and detailed frameworks are the reporting standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)[3]. The GRI itself states that the application of its reporting standards in sustainability reports best prepares companies for the new ESRS standards. The consolidated GRI standards currently comprise more than 700 PDF pages, and the requirements for disclosures in sustainability reports can be broadly summarized into the following topics:\n\nGRI 1: Fundamentals\nGRI 2: General disclosures\nGRI 3: Material topics\nGRI 201-207: Disclosures relating to the economic dimension\nGRI 301-308: Disclosures relating to the environmental dimension\nGRI 401-418: Disclosures concerning the social dimension\n\nNow that it is clear that reporting is required and how it should be done, many companies may still be faced with the question for whom - apart from the authorities - they actually prepare their sustainability reports. Companies should be aware that the requirements of important stakeholders go far beyond the legal obligations.\nInvestors are thirsty for data - and they want it now!\nEven more serious than the legal obligations is the pressure from the capital market, both in terms of equity financing and debt financing. If you want to secure access to any form of financing for your company in the medium term, and you have not yet established appropriate sustainability reporting structures, you are late to the party, to say the least.\nIn the period from 2014 to 2020, ESG assets under management worldwide increased by around 150% and, according to expert estimates, will account for more than one-third of all assets under management in 2025. But it's not just the numbers that paint a clear picture.\n\nThe fight against climate change is THE defining discourse of our time and will continue to shape society worldwide at least until binding measures against global warming have been adopted and show results. This position is held above all by younger generations, who are increasingly making their way into the offices of the largest asset managers or have assets of their own that they want to invest in the sustainable transformation of the economy. In addition to the desire to help shape this green transformation, risk considerations play into the selection of investments that incorporate ESG factors.\nA company that is less vulnerable to the consequences of climate change or contributes little to it, or a company that has established structures to eliminate child or forced labor along the value chain, thus represents a lower investment risk. It is less affected by high CO2 prices or possible \"shitstorms\" due to unethical behavior.\nDon\u2019t lose your clients!\nEspecially for small companies that are not yet reporting companies and will not be for another four or six years, the temptation is great to postpone dealing with the topic of sustainability. But they should be aware: they are already affected by the same factors that apply to large companies today!\nIf, for example, a car manufacturer has to report on the conditions in the extraction of raw materials or in the production of intermediate products, it has to rely on information from its suppliers. The deeper you look into the supply chain, the more often you will encounter smaller companies that have probably never collected the required data. But if a company at the top of the supply chain is unable to provide information because of this, it faces the threat of a lower sustainability rating, which in turn makes financing via the capital market more difficult. As a result, the pressure is passed along the value chain, so that small companies ultimately run the risk of losing business relationships with their most important clients.\nThus, it should be self-evident: The case for establishing the structures for effective and transparent ESG reporting as soon as possible is overwhelming - and no company, no matter how large or small, can afford to ignore it any longer.\n\nDo you need consulting on the structured setup of sustainability reporting for your company? Then cometis is the right contact for you: We will be happy to answer your questions!\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n<\/div><\/article>IR23 Spring Edition<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.\r\nRegistration for the next Spring Edition webinars and the after-work event in D\u00fcsseldorf is already open. The exact program will be announced after the event.<\/div><\/article>all about IR 2023<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.<\/div><\/article>Influencer \u2013 The new power in IR<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Influencers not only play an immensely important role in the areas of health, fitness and lifestyle, but are now also established players in the financial market. In addition to traditional corporate financial communications, private investors are increasingly using platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, as well as blogs, to find out more about a company. But why does influencer marketing work so well in the financial sector?\u00a0\nby Lukas Oftring\nWiesbaden, June 03, 2022. The year is 2022 and the communication of content in the financial sector has evolved over time. Today, it is not only analysts and experts from financial institutions who make investment recommendations and provide information about companies and their business models, but influencers are also increasingly forming the interface between private investors and the capital market and are playing an important role. In addition to social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, however, podcasts have also become a popular medium for educating oneself and seeking information about investment opportunities.\nInfluencers, who often have no professional financial background, have in some cases built up a large number of followers and thus also influence and are increasingly blurring the original boundaries between investor relations, research and sales.\nInfluencers act as catalysts\nThe influence of influencers is hardly doubted today, and the impact of recommendations for action and critiques from financial influencers has taken on unimagined effects. They serve as part of the investment advisory process. Influencers can thus influence stock prices through postings, as has recently happened increasingly on the Reddit platform, for example with the Gamestop stock, which only multiplied due to the collected activities of private investors.\nApart from such negative examples, influencers basically enable very precise target group targeting through targeted campaigns, which did not exist before. Above all, the group of under-30s, who have discovered the stock market for themselves in recent years, are looking for new ways of obtaining information and are served here in a way that is appropriate to their target group.\nFrom recommendations to warnings to tips and tricks\nFinancial influencers provide private investors with a broad basis of content: from basic explanations of stock market events to detailed company analyses and interviews with insiders to updates on the overall market, everyone can find suitable information depending on their interests and level of knowledge. Thus, access to financial education has never been easier.\nThe demand for expert knowledge and help in dealing with money is particularly strong among young people. It is precisely this expertise that investors are looking for online today in order to make an investment decision. In the process, followers can benefit from the knowledge of influencers; in contrast to conventional media, they are given a much more private approach. For investor relations departments, this opens up new ways to get in touch with investors, to talk about their company in digital formats and to be able to explain concrete facts. The emotional factor, which often falls by the wayside in conventional media, is conveyed directly to followers via podcasts and videos, buzzword authenticity.\nWould you like to catch up with the time and integrate influencers or new media formats into your investor relations strategies? Contact us! Together we will create a promising concept to present your company in a modern and personal way and to address new investor groups.\n\nLukas Oftring : ConsultantLukas Oftring gained experience working on investor relations and corporate communications projects after studying biology and ecotoxicology at the University of Bonn, RWTH Aachen and Stockholm University. He has profound knowledge in the field of sustainability due to his previous professional activities in regulatory affairs or registration of environmentally relevant chemicals.<\/div><\/article>Starting a career: small or big companies, which is better?<\/h2><\/div><\/div>As a young professional, you are often faced with the question of whether you want to work for a small or a large company. But which company size is better for starting a career?\u00a0\r\n\r\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann \r\n\r\nWiesbaden, April 29, 2022.\u00a0Due to demographic developments \u2013 and fueled by the COVID 19 crisis \u2013 the labour market has become an employee market in many sectors, so companies have to fight for the best talent. This offers opportunities for career starters, but at the same time the decision for an employer should be well-considered. One important indicator is the size of the company.\r\n\r\nSmall companies: steep learning curve & participation\r\n\r\nIn a small company, you will have significantly more responsibility and thus a broader range of work from the very beginning than in a large company. On the one hand, this is because there are simply not as many individual jobs and different departments as in a large company. On the other hand, due to the flatter hierarchy and direct contact with the board of directors, the communication channels are shorter and the distribution of tasks correspondingly more generous. This guarantees a steep learning curve and also determines the salary development as well. You are more or less in constant exchange with the entire team, gain a lot of working experience and gain insights into all areas of the company. You are involved in projects as a whole and a part of the success. The regular exchange with the board of directors also enables constant feedback and ensures that you can help shape the company and its development.\r\n\r\nThe big disadvantage of a small company is that starting salaries are sometimes lower than in large companies. Stays abroad are possible, e.g. in the form of secondments, but the organization is much more time-consuming compared to larger companies. In addition, the motto \u201ccreate your own job\u201d applies in smaller companies, i.e. more personal initiative and flexibility is required. Therefore, one should also be able to adapt.\r\n\r\nBig companies: fixed structures, lots of politics\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, those who are looking for fixed structures and processes are more likely to find happiness in large companies. Here, entry-level salaries can sometimes be higher and the supposed opportunities for promotion also seem better at first glance. Stays abroad are much easier to organise by changing locations within your own company. Due to the size of the company, there is a clear, often hierarchical structure, which means that you tend to have little contact with colleagues outside your own department. The communication channels are correspondingly large.\r\n\r\nHowever, the predefined career ladder in large companies also ensures that promotions are hotly contested and competition can develop between colleagues (keyword: politics). Therefore, at second glance, the chances of promotion are not better than in small companies. One\u2019s own influence on the company is often marginal and the influence of one\u2019s own performance on a project is often difficult to identify due to the size of the project.\r\n\r\nSmall or large company: which is better?\r\n\r\nFrom our point of view, the advantages of a small company outweigh the disadvantages. Because of the greater responsibility right from the start, you are challenged to find your way around in a broader area. The learning curve is correspondingly large. However, you have to like the required flexibility. Fixed structures and work processes are more common in large companies. The final choice should therefore be well-considered.\r\n\r\nAre you looking for an exciting job in Investor Relations & ESG with a steep learning curve? Feel free to visit our homepage and\u00a0take a look at our vacancies!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board Member\r\nMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.<\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24813,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section admin_label=\"section\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Navigation\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"left\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\"]\r\n\r\n
Successfully dealing with employees' takeover fears is crucial for the success of change processes such as mergers and acquisitions, company mergers and takeovers. Employees often experience change as a potential threat to their jobs and professional roles. With targeted communication and a professional M&A strategy, fears can be reduced and trust built.\r\n\r\n Timely and transparent communication in the M&A process\r\n\r\nEven before signing in mergers and acquisitions, employees should be informed about the reasons and goals of the upcoming changes. It is essential to keep everyone involved continuously informed. Unclear information fuels insecurity, strengthens office rumors and provides space for speculation, gossip or misinformation.\r\n\r\n Actively address fears\r\n\r\nEmployee fears, such as losing their job or control over their own work area, must be taken seriously. Managers should actively ask employees about their concerns and address them in one-on-one meetings. This approach helps to defuse emotionally charged situations.\r\n\r\n Build trust through presence and dialogue with company management\r\n\r\nA visible and accessible management team is key to reducing anxiety. Personal encounters with decision-makers and direct communication show employees that their concerns are being heard and taken seriously. This helps to avoid a \u201cus against them\u201d situation.\r\n\r\n employee involvement\r\n\r\nEmployees who are actively involved in the change process during mergers and acquisitions experience less loss of control. This can be achieved through workshops, feedback rounds or project groups. This creates a sense of participation and influence. Feelings of helplessness or powerlessness, on the other hand, are avoided.\r\n\r\n Guide emotions with clear visions\r\n\r\nA clear vision as a guiding principle gives employees orientation and highlights the advantages and synergies of mergers and acquisitions. It is important that this vision is authentic and supported by concrete measures.\r\nConclusion\r\nTargeted communication in the M&A process lays the foundation for successfully dealing with fears surrounding mergers and acquisitions and company takeovers. Transparency, dialog, addressing concerns, and involving employees help to reduce uncertainties in M&A in medium-sized companies and strengthen trust in the M&A process.<\/div><\/article>How to strike the right tone: Strategies for clear and transparent communication during an M&A process<\/h2><\/div>
How to strike the right tone: Strategies for clear and transparent communication during an M&A process<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Communication in M&A projects is a complex interplay of M&A strategy, timing, empathy and target group orientation. The tone in which communication is carried out has a significant influence on the perception and acceptance of the transaction. We collected six crucial elements you need to focus on if you want to get the tone of voice right and measurably increase all relevant stakeholder's acceptance of your transaction.\r\n1. Understanding of target groups\r\nStriking the right tone starts with an understanding of the target groups. Employees, investors, customers or authorities have different needs. For example, communication with employees should be empathetic, while M&A for investors requires a more factual, fact-based approach. \r\n2. Empathy and sensitivity\r\nM&A processes are often accompanied by uncertainties and fears in view of the upcoming changes. The tone of communication must take these emotional aspects into account. Statements such as \u201cWe understand your concerns\u201d can create trust, while the further explanations should convey confidence and highlight the advantages of the transaction, without, however, concealing possible challenges. Sensitivity and balance in communication are particularly important when it comes to topics such as job cuts or restructuring.\r\n3. Clarity, precision and transparency\r\nA clear and precise tone is crucial in M&A processes to avoid misunderstandings. Particularly in internal communication, information should be conveyed in simple, target-group-oriented language so that it is also understandable for employees without specialist knowledge. Vague or evasive wording can lead to mistrust and speculation. By contrast, open communication about the challenges and opportunities of the transaction increases credibility.\r\n4. Consistency across all channels\r\nA consistent tone across all communication channels is necessary to avoid confusion and the mistrust that can arise from it. Whether in press releases, internal announcements or presentations for investors, the messages about the M&A process should be consistent. \r\n5. Proactive communication and a willingness to engage in dialog\r\nA proactive approach that anticipates questions, provides clear answers and an outlook on the next steps strengthens stakeholders' trust in the M&A process. It is important to address possible uncertainties at an early stage of mergers and acquisitions, to identify them transparently and to promote dialogue. It helps to use a comprehensible line of argument. Regular updates and offers of discussion signal that the concerns of the target groups are being taken seriously. \r\n6. Timing and situation adaptation\r\nThe \u201cright tone\u201d can change during the course of the M&A process. While discretion is required in the initiation phase, the integration after M&A requires an open and motivating language. The levels of understanding build on each other: a change in behavior without acceptance is just as pointless as a fundamental understanding of the information not automatically bringing about a change in attitude among the stakeholders.\r\nConclusion\r\nStriking the right tone in communication during mergers and acquisitions is quite an art. Open, sensitive and clear communication can build trust and credibility, reduce misunderstandings and uncertainties, and bring all parties together on the path to a common goal.<\/div><\/article>Press Release<\/h2><\/div><\/div>cometis AG appoints Ariane Hofstetter to the board of directors for ESG consulting\n \nWiesbaden, 26 May 2023 \u2013 cometis AG, a leading, owner-managed consultancy for financial communications and ESG advisory, announces the appointment of Ariane Hofstetter to the company's Executive Board as of 1 June 2023. She will be responsible for the growing ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) advisory business and its further expansion. Ms Hofstetter and cometis can look back on several years of very successful and trustful cooperation. The personnel decision is related to the strongly growing demand of medium-sized companies for analysis-based and implementation-oriented ESG consulting against the background of increasing regulation (e.g. CSRD, EU taxonomy) and a fundamentally increased need for information of all stakeholder groups.\nMichael Diegelmann, founder and Co-CEO of cometis AG, underlines the importance of this decision: \"cometis expects strong growth in the field of ESG in the coming years. The expansion of the Executive Board to three members and the appointment of Ms Hofstetter is therefore a consistent and clear signal that ESG consulting is a very high priority for our clients and for us. We already offer a wide range of ESG advisory services, including ESG strategy advisory, ESG reporting, ESG rating advisory, materiality analysis and stakeholder mapping. We will significantly expand this area in the coming years and develop it as a strong pillar alongside our traditional areas of investor relations, IPOs, M&A and financial communications.\u201d\nHofstetter is co-initiator and academic partner of the Global ESG Monitor. Coming from a market research background, her main areas of interest include behavioural economics research formats in the areas of sustainability as well as reception and learning behaviour in an increasingly digitalised world \nThese areas of focus complement and enrich cometis' service offering. Ariane Hofstetter also brings with her management experience, having been the managing director of a market research institute since 2016.\nWith the appointment of Ms Hofstetter, cometis' top management will not only become more diverse. Above all, it is the combination of practical financial communication and evidence-based sustainability research that will provide real added value for clients.\nHenryk Deter, Co-CEO and shareholder of cometis AG, adds: \"Linking financial and non-financial aspects in corporate strategy will be a key success factor for mid-sized companies in the future. With our track record of more than 20 years in comprehensive consulting for capital market-oriented companies and the recent appointment of Ms Hofstetter to the Executive Board, cometis AG has closely linked both topics. We are convinced that this combination will help our clients to make informed and fact-based decisions in their ESG activities.\u201d\nContact:\nHenryk Deter,Member of the Board,deter@dev.cometis.de,0611-205855-13\nMichael Diegelmann,Member of the Board,diegelmann@dev.cometis.de,0611-205855-12\nAbout cometis:\ncometis AG is a leading, owner-managed financial communications and ESG advisory firm based in Wiesbaden, Germany. Since its foundation in 2000, the company has supported capital market-oriented companies and organisations in the areas of financial and corporate communications, investor relations and ESG. With an experienced team of interdisciplinary experts, cometis offers tailor-made strategies and solutions for long-term relationship management with investors, analysts, media and other stakeholders. The company has extensive national and international experience and distinguishes itself through its holistic consulting approach. cometis supports clients in the implementation of financial publications, non-financial and sustainability reporting as well as in crisis situations and assists with M&A transactions and IPOs. For more information, please visit: www.cometis.de.\n\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/article>ESG aspects at annual general meetings<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The trend of placing ESG issues on AGM agendas continues. According to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) initiative, 576 ESG-related resolutions were submitted in 2022, an increase of more than 15 percent from the previous year. But ESG resolutions are unevenly distributed globally, due to country-specific legal frameworks. Why should German companies nevertheless also address the issue?\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nThis article was published as a guest article in the HV Magazin 01\/2023 by GoingPublic Media AG.\nHigher hurdles for shareholders in Germany\nWiesbaden, 17. March 2023.\nBy international comparison, the hurdles for submitting resolutions on key sustainability issues - also known as \"ESG Resolutions\" in English - are high in Germany. Pursuant to Section 122 (2) 2 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG), a minimum share of 5 percent of the capital stock or a pro rata amount of 500,000 euros is required to put items on the agenda that are eligible for a resolution. In this respect, it is not surprising that no ESG resolutions can be found in the PRI database for companies with their registered office in Germany.\nThe situation is different in the USA, for example: According to PRI data, 3 resolutions have already been submitted for upcoming AGMs for the 2023 AGM season. The author of the resolutions is Follow This, an association of \"green\" shareholders with a focus on oil companies. Targeted by Follow This resolutions so far this year are Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Conocophillips. They are to align their greenhouse gas reduction targets with the Paris climate goals.\nEven failed resolutions can make a big difference\nHowever, despite the comparatively more difficult initial situation, there have also been some prominent examples in Germany in recent years of so-called activist investors seeking to oblige major corporations to be more sustainable by putting appropriate items on their AGM agendas. At last year's AGM of RWE, the investor Encraft was able to force a vote on the spin-off of the energy company's lignite division. The corresponding motion was ultimately rejected by the AGM, but the issue received a great deal of media attention - all the leading media such as Spiegel, FAZ and Handelsblatt reported on it. And RWE, possibly also due to Encraft's action, actually announced at the end of the year that it would bring forward its planned lignite phase-out by 8 years to 2030.\nThis example is symptomatic for many other actions of investors like Encraft. Often, the resolution put on the AGM agenda is rejected, but in any case, the pressure on companies to respond to activist investors and their demands increases..\nESG resolutions bring voting advisors into the arena\nIn addition, companies need to be aware that introduced ESG resolutions bring to the fore issues that also attract the attention of a group relevant to AGMs: proxy advisors. They advise asset managers who manage the assets of asset owners and provide them with voting recommendations. In doing so, voting advisors are guided by predefined criteria set by asset managers. These criteria also increasingly include ESG aspects.\n\nTransparency is what counts\nIt is therefore essential for issuers to transparently disclose their sustainability performance. The aforementioned documents must first verifiably depict the status quo - how high is the CO2 footprint, what is the company doing against child labor, is there a gender paygap within the company - as well as describe the sustainability strategy with which the company intends to improve its sustainability performance. With the Global ESG Monitor, which cometis AG developed together with KOHORTEN Sozial- und Wirtschaftsforschung GmbH & Co. KG, the transparency of corporate sustainability reporting can be made measurable. For the Global ESG Monitor, the ESG reporting of 350 companies was evaluated using 184 criteria with the help of a specially developed analysis tool, the GEM ASSAY™. Using this methodology, companies can have their transparency score determined and, based on the Global ESG Monitor data, compare their result with companies from their industry or benchmarks. The comparison reveals the gaps that companies need to close in order to improve their reporting. This also enables them to achieve better sustainability ratings or actively approach rating agencies while correcting incorrect ratings. Improving ratings in particular is a fundamental part of the sustainability strategy, as these are often the first and only source of information for investors, asset managers and proxy advisors on the sustainability performance of issuers.\nSustainability does not only mean environmental issues\nWhile environmental issues dominate public and media perception, social and governance issues are also becoming increasingly important for investors submitting proposals at annual general meetings. Here, too, there are major differences between countries. For example, the issue of diversity has been on the agenda in the USA for much longer than in Germany, although it is also becoming increasingly important in this country. According to a study by the \"Investors for Diversity\" initiative, almost three quarters of the 30 most influential investors in Germany make demands on the diversity of the top bodies of German companies.\nNew laws strengthen governance powers of the Annual General Meeting\nAnd the competencies of shareholder meetings are also increasing in legal terms: Since the Act Implementing the Second Shareholders' Directive (ARUG II) comes into force in 2021, it has been mandatory for shareholder meetings to vote on executive board compensation and the underlying system (\"Say on Pay\"). As the variable remuneration components also increasingly include the achievement of sustainability targets, ESG aspects are also gaining in importance for the AGMs in this sense.\nConclusion\nSustainability has long since ceased to be a marketing issue and now affects companies in all areas, from their reporting and business and financing strategy to the annual general meeting. This makes it all the more important for companies to communicate their sustainability performance transparently in order to secure access to the capital market, remain compliant with the ever-increasing legal requirements - and be prepared for possible ESG resolutions and critical questions at the annual general meeting.\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n\n\n\n<\/div><\/article>PRGN\u2019s Investor Relations & ESG Agentur in Wiesbaden<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Since 2009, cometis AG has been a proud member of the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN), which unites 53 renowned companies in all major markets worldwide. Twice a year, the partner companies meet at different locations to exchange best practices or develop new opportunities for collaboration. For me, these meetings are always among the highlights of the year, precisely because of the different country- and culture-specific perspectives that the partners bring to the table.\nUltimately, the customers of the PRGN partners benefit from this knowledge transfer. The partner companies develop communication strategies tailored to their individual needs, while the local, owner-managed consulting firms guarantee close and personal customer contact. Local expertise and the active involvement of the owners guarantee first-class consulting quality.\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann\u00a0\n\nWiesbaden, March 16, 2023.\u00a0Visit our website or contact one of our member companies directly for more information about PRGN:\nAdverum - Vilnius, Lithuania\naccelent communications - Vienna, Austria\nAlexander PR - Auckland, New Zealand\nAristo Communications - Istanbul, Turkey\nAthenora Consulting - Brussels, Belgium\nBianchi Public Relations, Inc. - Detroit, Michigan (USA)\nBuchanan Public Relations - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)\nCabinet Priv\u00e9 de Conseils, S.A. - Geneva & Bern, Switzerland\nThe Castle Group - Atlanta, Georgia & Boston, Massachusetts (USA)\nCoast Communications - Stockholm, Sweden\ncometis AG - Wiesbaden, Germany\nCullen Communications - Dublin, Ireland\nCurrie - Melbourne, Australia\nEje Comunicaci\u00f3n - Mexico City, Mexico\nEvident P.R. - Amersfoort, Netherlands\nFearey - Seattle, Washington (USA)\nFree Communication - Bucharest, Romania\nGhidotti - Little Rock, Arkansas (USA)\nGlobal. - Lisbon, Portugal\nGoodwill Communications - Budapest, Hungary\nHMA Public Relations - Phoenix, Arizona (USA)\nThe Hoyt Organization, Inc. - Greater Los Angeles Area, California (USA)\nHWB Communications - Cape Town, South Africa\nIDENTIA \/ PR - Buenos Aires, Argentina\nIndustrie-Contact - Hamburg, Germany\nWE agency - Paris, France\nThree Box Strategic Communications - Dallas, Texas (USA)\nIntegrate Communications - Tokyo, Japan\nKAMIR - Tel Aviv, Israel\nKreps PR & Marketing - Fort Lauderdale, Miami & West Palm Beach, Florida (USA)\nL.C. Williams & Associates - Chicago, Illinois (USA)\nLandis Communications Inc. (LCI) - San Francisco & Silicon Valley, California (USA)\nLBS Communications Consulting Ltd - Hong Kong, China\nMedia Profile Inc. - Toronto, Ontario (Canada)\nMileage Communications - Singapore\nNettResults Middle East - Abu Dhabi & Dubai, United Arab Emirates |\u00a0Jeddah & Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia\nNovitas Communications - Denver, Colorado (USA)\nOneMulti - Warsaw, Poland\nPeritus PR - Birmingham, Alabama (USA)\nPerspective Strategies - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia\nPRGarage - Madrid, Spain\nPrichard Communications - Portland, Oregon (USA)\nRace Communications - Goi\u00e1s, Rio de Janeiro & S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil\nREED Public Relations - Nashville, Tennessee (USA)\nROOP & CO. - Cleveland, Ohio (USA)\nRumboCierto Comunicaciones - Santiago de Chile, Chile\nS&A Communications - Raleigh Durham, North Carolina (USA)\nScandinavian Communications - Copenhagen, Denmark\nSound Public Relations - Milan, Italy\nSouthard Communications - New York City, New York (USA)\nSpider - London, UK\nTwo Cents - Brussels, Belgium\nXenophon Strategies, Inc. - Washington, DC (USA)\n\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.\n<\/div><\/article>CSRD is coming! 15,000 companies affected across Germany!<\/h2><\/div><\/div>It's time to wake up - companies can no longer hit the snooze button on sustainability. The longer you put off structural ESG reporting, the further you fall behind and run the risk of losing access to the capital market, failing to comply with increasingly stringent laws, and being sidelined by your business partners.\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nKeep an overview in the ESG jungle!\nWiesbaden, 03. March 2023. CSRD, SDG, GRI, EFRAG, CDP, ESRS, ISSB, SFDR... The numerous regulations, frameworks and standards, certificates or organizations with which one is confronted around the topic of sustainability and sustainability reporting are reminiscent of the much-cited alphabet soup. Here, it is important not to throw in the towel, but to filter what is really relevant.\n\nThe legislators are pressing ahead!\nFor companies in Germany, the directive currently still in force is the European Union's Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), which was transposed into German law in 2017 by the CSR Directive Implementation Act (CSR-RUG). Under this law, companies with more than 500 employees are required to submit a non-financial statement containing information relating to environmental, social and employee issues, respect for human rights and the fight against corruption and bribery.\nIn the coming years, the reporting requirements and the number of companies they affect will be massively expanded. As a successor regulation to the NFRD, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will then gradually come into force throughout the EU. According to the current timetable, the CSRD will apply from 2025 - i.e. for reports for the financial year 2024 - to all companies that are already subject to reporting requirements within the meaning of the NFRD.\nOne year later - i.e., starting in 2026 and for the reports for fiscal year 2025 - the CSRD will also apply to all limited liability companies, credit institutions and insurance companies that meet at least two of the three characteristics:\n\nBalance sheet total: at least 20 million euros\nNet revenue: at least 40 million euros\nAverage number of employees during the fiscal year: at least 250[2]\n\nAgain one year later - i.e. from 2027 and for reports for the 2026 financial year - the reporting requirement will be extended to listed SMEs, small and non-complex credit institutions and captive (re)insurance companies. From 2029 (for annual reports as of the 2028 reporting year), the CSRD will also cover non-EU companies with EU branches or EU subsidiaries if they generate net sales of more than EUR 150 million within the EU.\n\n50,000 companies affected EU-wide - 15,000 of them in Germany!\nFinally, the CSRD will extend the reporting obligation from currently around 11,700 to around 50,000 companies in the EU; in Germany, the CSRDwill affect an estimated 15,000 companies \u2013 30 times as many as currently have to report under the CSR RUG!. In addition, reporting companies will be required to have their non-financial disclosures externally audited and to make their sustainability information available digitally.\nPay attention to the frameworks - and the right ones!\nWhile it is regulated by law which companies have to publish non-financial statements, sustainability or ESG reports in the first place, there are still no specifications as to what these reports have to look like or what they have to contain - beyond the information mentioned above. This will change with the introduction of the CSRD, as it will be accompanied by the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). These reporting standards, which will apply throughout the EU in the future, are already available in draft form and are largely based on existing and widely used frameworks.\nIt is therefore important to familiarize oneself with these frameworks today, and not to wait until the introduction of the ESRS to deal with them!\nOne of the most widely used and detailed frameworks are the reporting standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)[3]. The GRI itself states that the application of its reporting standards in sustainability reports best prepares companies for the new ESRS standards. The consolidated GRI standards currently comprise more than 700 PDF pages, and the requirements for disclosures in sustainability reports can be broadly summarized into the following topics:\n\nGRI 1: Fundamentals\nGRI 2: General disclosures\nGRI 3: Material topics\nGRI 201-207: Disclosures relating to the economic dimension\nGRI 301-308: Disclosures relating to the environmental dimension\nGRI 401-418: Disclosures concerning the social dimension\n\nNow that it is clear that reporting is required and how it should be done, many companies may still be faced with the question for whom - apart from the authorities - they actually prepare their sustainability reports. Companies should be aware that the requirements of important stakeholders go far beyond the legal obligations.\nInvestors are thirsty for data - and they want it now!\nEven more serious than the legal obligations is the pressure from the capital market, both in terms of equity financing and debt financing. If you want to secure access to any form of financing for your company in the medium term, and you have not yet established appropriate sustainability reporting structures, you are late to the party, to say the least.\nIn the period from 2014 to 2020, ESG assets under management worldwide increased by around 150% and, according to expert estimates, will account for more than one-third of all assets under management in 2025. But it's not just the numbers that paint a clear picture.\n\nThe fight against climate change is THE defining discourse of our time and will continue to shape society worldwide at least until binding measures against global warming have been adopted and show results. This position is held above all by younger generations, who are increasingly making their way into the offices of the largest asset managers or have assets of their own that they want to invest in the sustainable transformation of the economy. In addition to the desire to help shape this green transformation, risk considerations play into the selection of investments that incorporate ESG factors.\nA company that is less vulnerable to the consequences of climate change or contributes little to it, or a company that has established structures to eliminate child or forced labor along the value chain, thus represents a lower investment risk. It is less affected by high CO2 prices or possible \"shitstorms\" due to unethical behavior.\nDon\u2019t lose your clients!\nEspecially for small companies that are not yet reporting companies and will not be for another four or six years, the temptation is great to postpone dealing with the topic of sustainability. But they should be aware: they are already affected by the same factors that apply to large companies today!\nIf, for example, a car manufacturer has to report on the conditions in the extraction of raw materials or in the production of intermediate products, it has to rely on information from its suppliers. The deeper you look into the supply chain, the more often you will encounter smaller companies that have probably never collected the required data. But if a company at the top of the supply chain is unable to provide information because of this, it faces the threat of a lower sustainability rating, which in turn makes financing via the capital market more difficult. As a result, the pressure is passed along the value chain, so that small companies ultimately run the risk of losing business relationships with their most important clients.\nThus, it should be self-evident: The case for establishing the structures for effective and transparent ESG reporting as soon as possible is overwhelming - and no company, no matter how large or small, can afford to ignore it any longer.\n\nDo you need consulting on the structured setup of sustainability reporting for your company? Then cometis is the right contact for you: We will be happy to answer your questions!\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n<\/div><\/article>IR23 Spring Edition<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.\r\nRegistration for the next Spring Edition webinars and the after-work event in D\u00fcsseldorf is already open. The exact program will be announced after the event.<\/div><\/article>all about IR 2023<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.<\/div><\/article>Influencer \u2013 The new power in IR<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Influencers not only play an immensely important role in the areas of health, fitness and lifestyle, but are now also established players in the financial market. In addition to traditional corporate financial communications, private investors are increasingly using platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, as well as blogs, to find out more about a company. But why does influencer marketing work so well in the financial sector?\u00a0\nby Lukas Oftring\nWiesbaden, June 03, 2022. The year is 2022 and the communication of content in the financial sector has evolved over time. Today, it is not only analysts and experts from financial institutions who make investment recommendations and provide information about companies and their business models, but influencers are also increasingly forming the interface between private investors and the capital market and are playing an important role. In addition to social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, however, podcasts have also become a popular medium for educating oneself and seeking information about investment opportunities.\nInfluencers, who often have no professional financial background, have in some cases built up a large number of followers and thus also influence and are increasingly blurring the original boundaries between investor relations, research and sales.\nInfluencers act as catalysts\nThe influence of influencers is hardly doubted today, and the impact of recommendations for action and critiques from financial influencers has taken on unimagined effects. They serve as part of the investment advisory process. Influencers can thus influence stock prices through postings, as has recently happened increasingly on the Reddit platform, for example with the Gamestop stock, which only multiplied due to the collected activities of private investors.\nApart from such negative examples, influencers basically enable very precise target group targeting through targeted campaigns, which did not exist before. Above all, the group of under-30s, who have discovered the stock market for themselves in recent years, are looking for new ways of obtaining information and are served here in a way that is appropriate to their target group.\nFrom recommendations to warnings to tips and tricks\nFinancial influencers provide private investors with a broad basis of content: from basic explanations of stock market events to detailed company analyses and interviews with insiders to updates on the overall market, everyone can find suitable information depending on their interests and level of knowledge. Thus, access to financial education has never been easier.\nThe demand for expert knowledge and help in dealing with money is particularly strong among young people. It is precisely this expertise that investors are looking for online today in order to make an investment decision. In the process, followers can benefit from the knowledge of influencers; in contrast to conventional media, they are given a much more private approach. For investor relations departments, this opens up new ways to get in touch with investors, to talk about their company in digital formats and to be able to explain concrete facts. The emotional factor, which often falls by the wayside in conventional media, is conveyed directly to followers via podcasts and videos, buzzword authenticity.\nWould you like to catch up with the time and integrate influencers or new media formats into your investor relations strategies? Contact us! Together we will create a promising concept to present your company in a modern and personal way and to address new investor groups.\n\nLukas Oftring : ConsultantLukas Oftring gained experience working on investor relations and corporate communications projects after studying biology and ecotoxicology at the University of Bonn, RWTH Aachen and Stockholm University. He has profound knowledge in the field of sustainability due to his previous professional activities in regulatory affairs or registration of environmentally relevant chemicals.<\/div><\/article>Starting a career: small or big companies, which is better?<\/h2><\/div><\/div>As a young professional, you are often faced with the question of whether you want to work for a small or a large company. But which company size is better for starting a career?\u00a0\r\n\r\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann \r\n\r\nWiesbaden, April 29, 2022.\u00a0Due to demographic developments \u2013 and fueled by the COVID 19 crisis \u2013 the labour market has become an employee market in many sectors, so companies have to fight for the best talent. This offers opportunities for career starters, but at the same time the decision for an employer should be well-considered. One important indicator is the size of the company.\r\n\r\nSmall companies: steep learning curve & participation\r\n\r\nIn a small company, you will have significantly more responsibility and thus a broader range of work from the very beginning than in a large company. On the one hand, this is because there are simply not as many individual jobs and different departments as in a large company. On the other hand, due to the flatter hierarchy and direct contact with the board of directors, the communication channels are shorter and the distribution of tasks correspondingly more generous. This guarantees a steep learning curve and also determines the salary development as well. You are more or less in constant exchange with the entire team, gain a lot of working experience and gain insights into all areas of the company. You are involved in projects as a whole and a part of the success. The regular exchange with the board of directors also enables constant feedback and ensures that you can help shape the company and its development.\r\n\r\nThe big disadvantage of a small company is that starting salaries are sometimes lower than in large companies. Stays abroad are possible, e.g. in the form of secondments, but the organization is much more time-consuming compared to larger companies. In addition, the motto \u201ccreate your own job\u201d applies in smaller companies, i.e. more personal initiative and flexibility is required. Therefore, one should also be able to adapt.\r\n\r\nBig companies: fixed structures, lots of politics\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, those who are looking for fixed structures and processes are more likely to find happiness in large companies. Here, entry-level salaries can sometimes be higher and the supposed opportunities for promotion also seem better at first glance. Stays abroad are much easier to organise by changing locations within your own company. Due to the size of the company, there is a clear, often hierarchical structure, which means that you tend to have little contact with colleagues outside your own department. The communication channels are correspondingly large.\r\n\r\nHowever, the predefined career ladder in large companies also ensures that promotions are hotly contested and competition can develop between colleagues (keyword: politics). Therefore, at second glance, the chances of promotion are not better than in small companies. One\u2019s own influence on the company is often marginal and the influence of one\u2019s own performance on a project is often difficult to identify due to the size of the project.\r\n\r\nSmall or large company: which is better?\r\n\r\nFrom our point of view, the advantages of a small company outweigh the disadvantages. Because of the greater responsibility right from the start, you are challenged to find your way around in a broader area. The learning curve is correspondingly large. However, you have to like the required flexibility. Fixed structures and work processes are more common in large companies. The final choice should therefore be well-considered.\r\n\r\nAre you looking for an exciting job in Investor Relations & ESG with a steep learning curve? Feel free to visit our homepage and\u00a0take a look at our vacancies!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board Member\r\nMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.<\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24813,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section admin_label=\"section\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Navigation\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"left\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\"]\r\n\r\n
Communication in M&A projects is a complex interplay of M&A strategy, timing, empathy and target group orientation. The tone in which communication is carried out has a significant influence on the perception and acceptance of the transaction. We collected six crucial elements you need to focus on if you want to get the tone of voice right and measurably increase all relevant stakeholder's acceptance of your transaction.\r\n1. Understanding of target groups\r\nStriking the right tone starts with an understanding of the target groups. Employees, investors, customers or authorities have different needs. For example, communication with employees should be empathetic, while M&A for investors requires a more factual, fact-based approach. \r\n2. Empathy and sensitivity\r\nM&A processes are often accompanied by uncertainties and fears in view of the upcoming changes. The tone of communication must take these emotional aspects into account. Statements such as \u201cWe understand your concerns\u201d can create trust, while the further explanations should convey confidence and highlight the advantages of the transaction, without, however, concealing possible challenges. Sensitivity and balance in communication are particularly important when it comes to topics such as job cuts or restructuring.\r\n3. Clarity, precision and transparency\r\nA clear and precise tone is crucial in M&A processes to avoid misunderstandings. Particularly in internal communication, information should be conveyed in simple, target-group-oriented language so that it is also understandable for employees without specialist knowledge. Vague or evasive wording can lead to mistrust and speculation. By contrast, open communication about the challenges and opportunities of the transaction increases credibility.\r\n4. Consistency across all channels\r\nA consistent tone across all communication channels is necessary to avoid confusion and the mistrust that can arise from it. Whether in press releases, internal announcements or presentations for investors, the messages about the M&A process should be consistent. \r\n5. Proactive communication and a willingness to engage in dialog\r\nA proactive approach that anticipates questions, provides clear answers and an outlook on the next steps strengthens stakeholders' trust in the M&A process. It is important to address possible uncertainties at an early stage of mergers and acquisitions, to identify them transparently and to promote dialogue. It helps to use a comprehensible line of argument. Regular updates and offers of discussion signal that the concerns of the target groups are being taken seriously. \r\n6. Timing and situation adaptation\r\nThe \u201cright tone\u201d can change during the course of the M&A process. While discretion is required in the initiation phase, the integration after M&A requires an open and motivating language. The levels of understanding build on each other: a change in behavior without acceptance is just as pointless as a fundamental understanding of the information not automatically bringing about a change in attitude among the stakeholders.\r\nConclusion\r\nStriking the right tone in communication during mergers and acquisitions is quite an art. Open, sensitive and clear communication can build trust and credibility, reduce misunderstandings and uncertainties, and bring all parties together on the path to a common goal.<\/div><\/article>Press Release<\/h2><\/div>
Press Release<\/h2><\/div><\/div>cometis AG appoints Ariane Hofstetter to the board of directors for ESG consulting\n \nWiesbaden, 26 May 2023 \u2013 cometis AG, a leading, owner-managed consultancy for financial communications and ESG advisory, announces the appointment of Ariane Hofstetter to the company's Executive Board as of 1 June 2023. She will be responsible for the growing ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) advisory business and its further expansion. Ms Hofstetter and cometis can look back on several years of very successful and trustful cooperation. The personnel decision is related to the strongly growing demand of medium-sized companies for analysis-based and implementation-oriented ESG consulting against the background of increasing regulation (e.g. CSRD, EU taxonomy) and a fundamentally increased need for information of all stakeholder groups.\nMichael Diegelmann, founder and Co-CEO of cometis AG, underlines the importance of this decision: \"cometis expects strong growth in the field of ESG in the coming years. The expansion of the Executive Board to three members and the appointment of Ms Hofstetter is therefore a consistent and clear signal that ESG consulting is a very high priority for our clients and for us. We already offer a wide range of ESG advisory services, including ESG strategy advisory, ESG reporting, ESG rating advisory, materiality analysis and stakeholder mapping. We will significantly expand this area in the coming years and develop it as a strong pillar alongside our traditional areas of investor relations, IPOs, M&A and financial communications.\u201d\nHofstetter is co-initiator and academic partner of the Global ESG Monitor. Coming from a market research background, her main areas of interest include behavioural economics research formats in the areas of sustainability as well as reception and learning behaviour in an increasingly digitalised world \nThese areas of focus complement and enrich cometis' service offering. Ariane Hofstetter also brings with her management experience, having been the managing director of a market research institute since 2016.\nWith the appointment of Ms Hofstetter, cometis' top management will not only become more diverse. Above all, it is the combination of practical financial communication and evidence-based sustainability research that will provide real added value for clients.\nHenryk Deter, Co-CEO and shareholder of cometis AG, adds: \"Linking financial and non-financial aspects in corporate strategy will be a key success factor for mid-sized companies in the future. With our track record of more than 20 years in comprehensive consulting for capital market-oriented companies and the recent appointment of Ms Hofstetter to the Executive Board, cometis AG has closely linked both topics. We are convinced that this combination will help our clients to make informed and fact-based decisions in their ESG activities.\u201d\nContact:\nHenryk Deter,Member of the Board,deter@dev.cometis.de,0611-205855-13\nMichael Diegelmann,Member of the Board,diegelmann@dev.cometis.de,0611-205855-12\nAbout cometis:\ncometis AG is a leading, owner-managed financial communications and ESG advisory firm based in Wiesbaden, Germany. Since its foundation in 2000, the company has supported capital market-oriented companies and organisations in the areas of financial and corporate communications, investor relations and ESG. With an experienced team of interdisciplinary experts, cometis offers tailor-made strategies and solutions for long-term relationship management with investors, analysts, media and other stakeholders. The company has extensive national and international experience and distinguishes itself through its holistic consulting approach. cometis supports clients in the implementation of financial publications, non-financial and sustainability reporting as well as in crisis situations and assists with M&A transactions and IPOs. For more information, please visit: www.cometis.de.\n\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/article>ESG aspects at annual general meetings<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The trend of placing ESG issues on AGM agendas continues. According to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) initiative, 576 ESG-related resolutions were submitted in 2022, an increase of more than 15 percent from the previous year. But ESG resolutions are unevenly distributed globally, due to country-specific legal frameworks. Why should German companies nevertheless also address the issue?\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nThis article was published as a guest article in the HV Magazin 01\/2023 by GoingPublic Media AG.\nHigher hurdles for shareholders in Germany\nWiesbaden, 17. March 2023.\nBy international comparison, the hurdles for submitting resolutions on key sustainability issues - also known as \"ESG Resolutions\" in English - are high in Germany. Pursuant to Section 122 (2) 2 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG), a minimum share of 5 percent of the capital stock or a pro rata amount of 500,000 euros is required to put items on the agenda that are eligible for a resolution. In this respect, it is not surprising that no ESG resolutions can be found in the PRI database for companies with their registered office in Germany.\nThe situation is different in the USA, for example: According to PRI data, 3 resolutions have already been submitted for upcoming AGMs for the 2023 AGM season. The author of the resolutions is Follow This, an association of \"green\" shareholders with a focus on oil companies. Targeted by Follow This resolutions so far this year are Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Conocophillips. They are to align their greenhouse gas reduction targets with the Paris climate goals.\nEven failed resolutions can make a big difference\nHowever, despite the comparatively more difficult initial situation, there have also been some prominent examples in Germany in recent years of so-called activist investors seeking to oblige major corporations to be more sustainable by putting appropriate items on their AGM agendas. At last year's AGM of RWE, the investor Encraft was able to force a vote on the spin-off of the energy company's lignite division. The corresponding motion was ultimately rejected by the AGM, but the issue received a great deal of media attention - all the leading media such as Spiegel, FAZ and Handelsblatt reported on it. And RWE, possibly also due to Encraft's action, actually announced at the end of the year that it would bring forward its planned lignite phase-out by 8 years to 2030.\nThis example is symptomatic for many other actions of investors like Encraft. Often, the resolution put on the AGM agenda is rejected, but in any case, the pressure on companies to respond to activist investors and their demands increases..\nESG resolutions bring voting advisors into the arena\nIn addition, companies need to be aware that introduced ESG resolutions bring to the fore issues that also attract the attention of a group relevant to AGMs: proxy advisors. They advise asset managers who manage the assets of asset owners and provide them with voting recommendations. In doing so, voting advisors are guided by predefined criteria set by asset managers. These criteria also increasingly include ESG aspects.\n\nTransparency is what counts\nIt is therefore essential for issuers to transparently disclose their sustainability performance. The aforementioned documents must first verifiably depict the status quo - how high is the CO2 footprint, what is the company doing against child labor, is there a gender paygap within the company - as well as describe the sustainability strategy with which the company intends to improve its sustainability performance. With the Global ESG Monitor, which cometis AG developed together with KOHORTEN Sozial- und Wirtschaftsforschung GmbH & Co. KG, the transparency of corporate sustainability reporting can be made measurable. For the Global ESG Monitor, the ESG reporting of 350 companies was evaluated using 184 criteria with the help of a specially developed analysis tool, the GEM ASSAY™. Using this methodology, companies can have their transparency score determined and, based on the Global ESG Monitor data, compare their result with companies from their industry or benchmarks. The comparison reveals the gaps that companies need to close in order to improve their reporting. This also enables them to achieve better sustainability ratings or actively approach rating agencies while correcting incorrect ratings. Improving ratings in particular is a fundamental part of the sustainability strategy, as these are often the first and only source of information for investors, asset managers and proxy advisors on the sustainability performance of issuers.\nSustainability does not only mean environmental issues\nWhile environmental issues dominate public and media perception, social and governance issues are also becoming increasingly important for investors submitting proposals at annual general meetings. Here, too, there are major differences between countries. For example, the issue of diversity has been on the agenda in the USA for much longer than in Germany, although it is also becoming increasingly important in this country. According to a study by the \"Investors for Diversity\" initiative, almost three quarters of the 30 most influential investors in Germany make demands on the diversity of the top bodies of German companies.\nNew laws strengthen governance powers of the Annual General Meeting\nAnd the competencies of shareholder meetings are also increasing in legal terms: Since the Act Implementing the Second Shareholders' Directive (ARUG II) comes into force in 2021, it has been mandatory for shareholder meetings to vote on executive board compensation and the underlying system (\"Say on Pay\"). As the variable remuneration components also increasingly include the achievement of sustainability targets, ESG aspects are also gaining in importance for the AGMs in this sense.\nConclusion\nSustainability has long since ceased to be a marketing issue and now affects companies in all areas, from their reporting and business and financing strategy to the annual general meeting. This makes it all the more important for companies to communicate their sustainability performance transparently in order to secure access to the capital market, remain compliant with the ever-increasing legal requirements - and be prepared for possible ESG resolutions and critical questions at the annual general meeting.\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n\n\n\n<\/div><\/article>PRGN\u2019s Investor Relations & ESG Agentur in Wiesbaden<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Since 2009, cometis AG has been a proud member of the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN), which unites 53 renowned companies in all major markets worldwide. Twice a year, the partner companies meet at different locations to exchange best practices or develop new opportunities for collaboration. For me, these meetings are always among the highlights of the year, precisely because of the different country- and culture-specific perspectives that the partners bring to the table.\nUltimately, the customers of the PRGN partners benefit from this knowledge transfer. The partner companies develop communication strategies tailored to their individual needs, while the local, owner-managed consulting firms guarantee close and personal customer contact. Local expertise and the active involvement of the owners guarantee first-class consulting quality.\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann\u00a0\n\nWiesbaden, March 16, 2023.\u00a0Visit our website or contact one of our member companies directly for more information about PRGN:\nAdverum - Vilnius, Lithuania\naccelent communications - Vienna, Austria\nAlexander PR - Auckland, New Zealand\nAristo Communications - Istanbul, Turkey\nAthenora Consulting - Brussels, Belgium\nBianchi Public Relations, Inc. - Detroit, Michigan (USA)\nBuchanan Public Relations - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)\nCabinet Priv\u00e9 de Conseils, S.A. - Geneva & Bern, Switzerland\nThe Castle Group - Atlanta, Georgia & Boston, Massachusetts (USA)\nCoast Communications - Stockholm, Sweden\ncometis AG - Wiesbaden, Germany\nCullen Communications - Dublin, Ireland\nCurrie - Melbourne, Australia\nEje Comunicaci\u00f3n - Mexico City, Mexico\nEvident P.R. - Amersfoort, Netherlands\nFearey - Seattle, Washington (USA)\nFree Communication - Bucharest, Romania\nGhidotti - Little Rock, Arkansas (USA)\nGlobal. - Lisbon, Portugal\nGoodwill Communications - Budapest, Hungary\nHMA Public Relations - Phoenix, Arizona (USA)\nThe Hoyt Organization, Inc. - Greater Los Angeles Area, California (USA)\nHWB Communications - Cape Town, South Africa\nIDENTIA \/ PR - Buenos Aires, Argentina\nIndustrie-Contact - Hamburg, Germany\nWE agency - Paris, France\nThree Box Strategic Communications - Dallas, Texas (USA)\nIntegrate Communications - Tokyo, Japan\nKAMIR - Tel Aviv, Israel\nKreps PR & Marketing - Fort Lauderdale, Miami & West Palm Beach, Florida (USA)\nL.C. Williams & Associates - Chicago, Illinois (USA)\nLandis Communications Inc. (LCI) - San Francisco & Silicon Valley, California (USA)\nLBS Communications Consulting Ltd - Hong Kong, China\nMedia Profile Inc. - Toronto, Ontario (Canada)\nMileage Communications - Singapore\nNettResults Middle East - Abu Dhabi & Dubai, United Arab Emirates |\u00a0Jeddah & Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia\nNovitas Communications - Denver, Colorado (USA)\nOneMulti - Warsaw, Poland\nPeritus PR - Birmingham, Alabama (USA)\nPerspective Strategies - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia\nPRGarage - Madrid, Spain\nPrichard Communications - Portland, Oregon (USA)\nRace Communications - Goi\u00e1s, Rio de Janeiro & S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil\nREED Public Relations - Nashville, Tennessee (USA)\nROOP & CO. - Cleveland, Ohio (USA)\nRumboCierto Comunicaciones - Santiago de Chile, Chile\nS&A Communications - Raleigh Durham, North Carolina (USA)\nScandinavian Communications - Copenhagen, Denmark\nSound Public Relations - Milan, Italy\nSouthard Communications - New York City, New York (USA)\nSpider - London, UK\nTwo Cents - Brussels, Belgium\nXenophon Strategies, Inc. - Washington, DC (USA)\n\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.\n<\/div><\/article>CSRD is coming! 15,000 companies affected across Germany!<\/h2><\/div><\/div>It's time to wake up - companies can no longer hit the snooze button on sustainability. The longer you put off structural ESG reporting, the further you fall behind and run the risk of losing access to the capital market, failing to comply with increasingly stringent laws, and being sidelined by your business partners.\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nKeep an overview in the ESG jungle!\nWiesbaden, 03. March 2023. CSRD, SDG, GRI, EFRAG, CDP, ESRS, ISSB, SFDR... The numerous regulations, frameworks and standards, certificates or organizations with which one is confronted around the topic of sustainability and sustainability reporting are reminiscent of the much-cited alphabet soup. Here, it is important not to throw in the towel, but to filter what is really relevant.\n\nThe legislators are pressing ahead!\nFor companies in Germany, the directive currently still in force is the European Union's Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), which was transposed into German law in 2017 by the CSR Directive Implementation Act (CSR-RUG). Under this law, companies with more than 500 employees are required to submit a non-financial statement containing information relating to environmental, social and employee issues, respect for human rights and the fight against corruption and bribery.\nIn the coming years, the reporting requirements and the number of companies they affect will be massively expanded. As a successor regulation to the NFRD, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will then gradually come into force throughout the EU. According to the current timetable, the CSRD will apply from 2025 - i.e. for reports for the financial year 2024 - to all companies that are already subject to reporting requirements within the meaning of the NFRD.\nOne year later - i.e., starting in 2026 and for the reports for fiscal year 2025 - the CSRD will also apply to all limited liability companies, credit institutions and insurance companies that meet at least two of the three characteristics:\n\nBalance sheet total: at least 20 million euros\nNet revenue: at least 40 million euros\nAverage number of employees during the fiscal year: at least 250[2]\n\nAgain one year later - i.e. from 2027 and for reports for the 2026 financial year - the reporting requirement will be extended to listed SMEs, small and non-complex credit institutions and captive (re)insurance companies. From 2029 (for annual reports as of the 2028 reporting year), the CSRD will also cover non-EU companies with EU branches or EU subsidiaries if they generate net sales of more than EUR 150 million within the EU.\n\n50,000 companies affected EU-wide - 15,000 of them in Germany!\nFinally, the CSRD will extend the reporting obligation from currently around 11,700 to around 50,000 companies in the EU; in Germany, the CSRDwill affect an estimated 15,000 companies \u2013 30 times as many as currently have to report under the CSR RUG!. In addition, reporting companies will be required to have their non-financial disclosures externally audited and to make their sustainability information available digitally.\nPay attention to the frameworks - and the right ones!\nWhile it is regulated by law which companies have to publish non-financial statements, sustainability or ESG reports in the first place, there are still no specifications as to what these reports have to look like or what they have to contain - beyond the information mentioned above. This will change with the introduction of the CSRD, as it will be accompanied by the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). These reporting standards, which will apply throughout the EU in the future, are already available in draft form and are largely based on existing and widely used frameworks.\nIt is therefore important to familiarize oneself with these frameworks today, and not to wait until the introduction of the ESRS to deal with them!\nOne of the most widely used and detailed frameworks are the reporting standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)[3]. The GRI itself states that the application of its reporting standards in sustainability reports best prepares companies for the new ESRS standards. The consolidated GRI standards currently comprise more than 700 PDF pages, and the requirements for disclosures in sustainability reports can be broadly summarized into the following topics:\n\nGRI 1: Fundamentals\nGRI 2: General disclosures\nGRI 3: Material topics\nGRI 201-207: Disclosures relating to the economic dimension\nGRI 301-308: Disclosures relating to the environmental dimension\nGRI 401-418: Disclosures concerning the social dimension\n\nNow that it is clear that reporting is required and how it should be done, many companies may still be faced with the question for whom - apart from the authorities - they actually prepare their sustainability reports. Companies should be aware that the requirements of important stakeholders go far beyond the legal obligations.\nInvestors are thirsty for data - and they want it now!\nEven more serious than the legal obligations is the pressure from the capital market, both in terms of equity financing and debt financing. If you want to secure access to any form of financing for your company in the medium term, and you have not yet established appropriate sustainability reporting structures, you are late to the party, to say the least.\nIn the period from 2014 to 2020, ESG assets under management worldwide increased by around 150% and, according to expert estimates, will account for more than one-third of all assets under management in 2025. But it's not just the numbers that paint a clear picture.\n\nThe fight against climate change is THE defining discourse of our time and will continue to shape society worldwide at least until binding measures against global warming have been adopted and show results. This position is held above all by younger generations, who are increasingly making their way into the offices of the largest asset managers or have assets of their own that they want to invest in the sustainable transformation of the economy. In addition to the desire to help shape this green transformation, risk considerations play into the selection of investments that incorporate ESG factors.\nA company that is less vulnerable to the consequences of climate change or contributes little to it, or a company that has established structures to eliminate child or forced labor along the value chain, thus represents a lower investment risk. It is less affected by high CO2 prices or possible \"shitstorms\" due to unethical behavior.\nDon\u2019t lose your clients!\nEspecially for small companies that are not yet reporting companies and will not be for another four or six years, the temptation is great to postpone dealing with the topic of sustainability. But they should be aware: they are already affected by the same factors that apply to large companies today!\nIf, for example, a car manufacturer has to report on the conditions in the extraction of raw materials or in the production of intermediate products, it has to rely on information from its suppliers. The deeper you look into the supply chain, the more often you will encounter smaller companies that have probably never collected the required data. But if a company at the top of the supply chain is unable to provide information because of this, it faces the threat of a lower sustainability rating, which in turn makes financing via the capital market more difficult. As a result, the pressure is passed along the value chain, so that small companies ultimately run the risk of losing business relationships with their most important clients.\nThus, it should be self-evident: The case for establishing the structures for effective and transparent ESG reporting as soon as possible is overwhelming - and no company, no matter how large or small, can afford to ignore it any longer.\n\nDo you need consulting on the structured setup of sustainability reporting for your company? Then cometis is the right contact for you: We will be happy to answer your questions!\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n<\/div><\/article>IR23 Spring Edition<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.\r\nRegistration for the next Spring Edition webinars and the after-work event in D\u00fcsseldorf is already open. The exact program will be announced after the event.<\/div><\/article>all about IR 2023<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.<\/div><\/article>Influencer \u2013 The new power in IR<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Influencers not only play an immensely important role in the areas of health, fitness and lifestyle, but are now also established players in the financial market. In addition to traditional corporate financial communications, private investors are increasingly using platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, as well as blogs, to find out more about a company. But why does influencer marketing work so well in the financial sector?\u00a0\nby Lukas Oftring\nWiesbaden, June 03, 2022. The year is 2022 and the communication of content in the financial sector has evolved over time. Today, it is not only analysts and experts from financial institutions who make investment recommendations and provide information about companies and their business models, but influencers are also increasingly forming the interface between private investors and the capital market and are playing an important role. In addition to social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, however, podcasts have also become a popular medium for educating oneself and seeking information about investment opportunities.\nInfluencers, who often have no professional financial background, have in some cases built up a large number of followers and thus also influence and are increasingly blurring the original boundaries between investor relations, research and sales.\nInfluencers act as catalysts\nThe influence of influencers is hardly doubted today, and the impact of recommendations for action and critiques from financial influencers has taken on unimagined effects. They serve as part of the investment advisory process. Influencers can thus influence stock prices through postings, as has recently happened increasingly on the Reddit platform, for example with the Gamestop stock, which only multiplied due to the collected activities of private investors.\nApart from such negative examples, influencers basically enable very precise target group targeting through targeted campaigns, which did not exist before. Above all, the group of under-30s, who have discovered the stock market for themselves in recent years, are looking for new ways of obtaining information and are served here in a way that is appropriate to their target group.\nFrom recommendations to warnings to tips and tricks\nFinancial influencers provide private investors with a broad basis of content: from basic explanations of stock market events to detailed company analyses and interviews with insiders to updates on the overall market, everyone can find suitable information depending on their interests and level of knowledge. Thus, access to financial education has never been easier.\nThe demand for expert knowledge and help in dealing with money is particularly strong among young people. It is precisely this expertise that investors are looking for online today in order to make an investment decision. In the process, followers can benefit from the knowledge of influencers; in contrast to conventional media, they are given a much more private approach. For investor relations departments, this opens up new ways to get in touch with investors, to talk about their company in digital formats and to be able to explain concrete facts. The emotional factor, which often falls by the wayside in conventional media, is conveyed directly to followers via podcasts and videos, buzzword authenticity.\nWould you like to catch up with the time and integrate influencers or new media formats into your investor relations strategies? Contact us! Together we will create a promising concept to present your company in a modern and personal way and to address new investor groups.\n\nLukas Oftring : ConsultantLukas Oftring gained experience working on investor relations and corporate communications projects after studying biology and ecotoxicology at the University of Bonn, RWTH Aachen and Stockholm University. He has profound knowledge in the field of sustainability due to his previous professional activities in regulatory affairs or registration of environmentally relevant chemicals.<\/div><\/article>Starting a career: small or big companies, which is better?<\/h2><\/div><\/div>As a young professional, you are often faced with the question of whether you want to work for a small or a large company. But which company size is better for starting a career?\u00a0\r\n\r\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann \r\n\r\nWiesbaden, April 29, 2022.\u00a0Due to demographic developments \u2013 and fueled by the COVID 19 crisis \u2013 the labour market has become an employee market in many sectors, so companies have to fight for the best talent. This offers opportunities for career starters, but at the same time the decision for an employer should be well-considered. One important indicator is the size of the company.\r\n\r\nSmall companies: steep learning curve & participation\r\n\r\nIn a small company, you will have significantly more responsibility and thus a broader range of work from the very beginning than in a large company. On the one hand, this is because there are simply not as many individual jobs and different departments as in a large company. On the other hand, due to the flatter hierarchy and direct contact with the board of directors, the communication channels are shorter and the distribution of tasks correspondingly more generous. This guarantees a steep learning curve and also determines the salary development as well. You are more or less in constant exchange with the entire team, gain a lot of working experience and gain insights into all areas of the company. You are involved in projects as a whole and a part of the success. The regular exchange with the board of directors also enables constant feedback and ensures that you can help shape the company and its development.\r\n\r\nThe big disadvantage of a small company is that starting salaries are sometimes lower than in large companies. Stays abroad are possible, e.g. in the form of secondments, but the organization is much more time-consuming compared to larger companies. In addition, the motto \u201ccreate your own job\u201d applies in smaller companies, i.e. more personal initiative and flexibility is required. Therefore, one should also be able to adapt.\r\n\r\nBig companies: fixed structures, lots of politics\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, those who are looking for fixed structures and processes are more likely to find happiness in large companies. Here, entry-level salaries can sometimes be higher and the supposed opportunities for promotion also seem better at first glance. Stays abroad are much easier to organise by changing locations within your own company. Due to the size of the company, there is a clear, often hierarchical structure, which means that you tend to have little contact with colleagues outside your own department. The communication channels are correspondingly large.\r\n\r\nHowever, the predefined career ladder in large companies also ensures that promotions are hotly contested and competition can develop between colleagues (keyword: politics). Therefore, at second glance, the chances of promotion are not better than in small companies. One\u2019s own influence on the company is often marginal and the influence of one\u2019s own performance on a project is often difficult to identify due to the size of the project.\r\n\r\nSmall or large company: which is better?\r\n\r\nFrom our point of view, the advantages of a small company outweigh the disadvantages. Because of the greater responsibility right from the start, you are challenged to find your way around in a broader area. The learning curve is correspondingly large. However, you have to like the required flexibility. Fixed structures and work processes are more common in large companies. The final choice should therefore be well-considered.\r\n\r\nAre you looking for an exciting job in Investor Relations & ESG with a steep learning curve? Feel free to visit our homepage and\u00a0take a look at our vacancies!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board Member\r\nMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.<\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24813,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section admin_label=\"section\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Navigation\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"left\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\"]\r\n\r\n
cometis AG appoints Ariane Hofstetter to the board of directors for ESG consulting\n \nWiesbaden, 26 May 2023 \u2013 cometis AG, a leading, owner-managed consultancy for financial communications and ESG advisory, announces the appointment of Ariane Hofstetter to the company's Executive Board as of 1 June 2023. She will be responsible for the growing ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) advisory business and its further expansion. Ms Hofstetter and cometis can look back on several years of very successful and trustful cooperation. The personnel decision is related to the strongly growing demand of medium-sized companies for analysis-based and implementation-oriented ESG consulting against the background of increasing regulation (e.g. CSRD, EU taxonomy) and a fundamentally increased need for information of all stakeholder groups.\nMichael Diegelmann, founder and Co-CEO of cometis AG, underlines the importance of this decision: \"cometis expects strong growth in the field of ESG in the coming years. The expansion of the Executive Board to three members and the appointment of Ms Hofstetter is therefore a consistent and clear signal that ESG consulting is a very high priority for our clients and for us. We already offer a wide range of ESG advisory services, including ESG strategy advisory, ESG reporting, ESG rating advisory, materiality analysis and stakeholder mapping. We will significantly expand this area in the coming years and develop it as a strong pillar alongside our traditional areas of investor relations, IPOs, M&A and financial communications.\u201d\nHofstetter is co-initiator and academic partner of the Global ESG Monitor. Coming from a market research background, her main areas of interest include behavioural economics research formats in the areas of sustainability as well as reception and learning behaviour in an increasingly digitalised world \nThese areas of focus complement and enrich cometis' service offering. Ariane Hofstetter also brings with her management experience, having been the managing director of a market research institute since 2016.\nWith the appointment of Ms Hofstetter, cometis' top management will not only become more diverse. Above all, it is the combination of practical financial communication and evidence-based sustainability research that will provide real added value for clients.\nHenryk Deter, Co-CEO and shareholder of cometis AG, adds: \"Linking financial and non-financial aspects in corporate strategy will be a key success factor for mid-sized companies in the future. With our track record of more than 20 years in comprehensive consulting for capital market-oriented companies and the recent appointment of Ms Hofstetter to the Executive Board, cometis AG has closely linked both topics. We are convinced that this combination will help our clients to make informed and fact-based decisions in their ESG activities.\u201d\nContact:\nHenryk Deter,Member of the Board,deter@dev.cometis.de,0611-205855-13\nMichael Diegelmann,Member of the Board,diegelmann@dev.cometis.de,0611-205855-12\nAbout cometis:\ncometis AG is a leading, owner-managed financial communications and ESG advisory firm based in Wiesbaden, Germany. Since its foundation in 2000, the company has supported capital market-oriented companies and organisations in the areas of financial and corporate communications, investor relations and ESG. With an experienced team of interdisciplinary experts, cometis offers tailor-made strategies and solutions for long-term relationship management with investors, analysts, media and other stakeholders. The company has extensive national and international experience and distinguishes itself through its holistic consulting approach. cometis supports clients in the implementation of financial publications, non-financial and sustainability reporting as well as in crisis situations and assists with M&A transactions and IPOs. For more information, please visit: www.cometis.de.\n\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/article>ESG aspects at annual general meetings<\/h2><\/div>
ESG aspects at annual general meetings<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The trend of placing ESG issues on AGM agendas continues. According to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) initiative, 576 ESG-related resolutions were submitted in 2022, an increase of more than 15 percent from the previous year. But ESG resolutions are unevenly distributed globally, due to country-specific legal frameworks. Why should German companies nevertheless also address the issue?\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nThis article was published as a guest article in the HV Magazin 01\/2023 by GoingPublic Media AG.\nHigher hurdles for shareholders in Germany\nWiesbaden, 17. March 2023.\nBy international comparison, the hurdles for submitting resolutions on key sustainability issues - also known as \"ESG Resolutions\" in English - are high in Germany. Pursuant to Section 122 (2) 2 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG), a minimum share of 5 percent of the capital stock or a pro rata amount of 500,000 euros is required to put items on the agenda that are eligible for a resolution. In this respect, it is not surprising that no ESG resolutions can be found in the PRI database for companies with their registered office in Germany.\nThe situation is different in the USA, for example: According to PRI data, 3 resolutions have already been submitted for upcoming AGMs for the 2023 AGM season. The author of the resolutions is Follow This, an association of \"green\" shareholders with a focus on oil companies. Targeted by Follow This resolutions so far this year are Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Conocophillips. They are to align their greenhouse gas reduction targets with the Paris climate goals.\nEven failed resolutions can make a big difference\nHowever, despite the comparatively more difficult initial situation, there have also been some prominent examples in Germany in recent years of so-called activist investors seeking to oblige major corporations to be more sustainable by putting appropriate items on their AGM agendas. At last year's AGM of RWE, the investor Encraft was able to force a vote on the spin-off of the energy company's lignite division. The corresponding motion was ultimately rejected by the AGM, but the issue received a great deal of media attention - all the leading media such as Spiegel, FAZ and Handelsblatt reported on it. And RWE, possibly also due to Encraft's action, actually announced at the end of the year that it would bring forward its planned lignite phase-out by 8 years to 2030.\nThis example is symptomatic for many other actions of investors like Encraft. Often, the resolution put on the AGM agenda is rejected, but in any case, the pressure on companies to respond to activist investors and their demands increases..\nESG resolutions bring voting advisors into the arena\nIn addition, companies need to be aware that introduced ESG resolutions bring to the fore issues that also attract the attention of a group relevant to AGMs: proxy advisors. They advise asset managers who manage the assets of asset owners and provide them with voting recommendations. In doing so, voting advisors are guided by predefined criteria set by asset managers. These criteria also increasingly include ESG aspects.\n\nTransparency is what counts\nIt is therefore essential for issuers to transparently disclose their sustainability performance. The aforementioned documents must first verifiably depict the status quo - how high is the CO2 footprint, what is the company doing against child labor, is there a gender paygap within the company - as well as describe the sustainability strategy with which the company intends to improve its sustainability performance. With the Global ESG Monitor, which cometis AG developed together with KOHORTEN Sozial- und Wirtschaftsforschung GmbH & Co. KG, the transparency of corporate sustainability reporting can be made measurable. For the Global ESG Monitor, the ESG reporting of 350 companies was evaluated using 184 criteria with the help of a specially developed analysis tool, the GEM ASSAY™. Using this methodology, companies can have their transparency score determined and, based on the Global ESG Monitor data, compare their result with companies from their industry or benchmarks. The comparison reveals the gaps that companies need to close in order to improve their reporting. This also enables them to achieve better sustainability ratings or actively approach rating agencies while correcting incorrect ratings. Improving ratings in particular is a fundamental part of the sustainability strategy, as these are often the first and only source of information for investors, asset managers and proxy advisors on the sustainability performance of issuers.\nSustainability does not only mean environmental issues\nWhile environmental issues dominate public and media perception, social and governance issues are also becoming increasingly important for investors submitting proposals at annual general meetings. Here, too, there are major differences between countries. For example, the issue of diversity has been on the agenda in the USA for much longer than in Germany, although it is also becoming increasingly important in this country. According to a study by the \"Investors for Diversity\" initiative, almost three quarters of the 30 most influential investors in Germany make demands on the diversity of the top bodies of German companies.\nNew laws strengthen governance powers of the Annual General Meeting\nAnd the competencies of shareholder meetings are also increasing in legal terms: Since the Act Implementing the Second Shareholders' Directive (ARUG II) comes into force in 2021, it has been mandatory for shareholder meetings to vote on executive board compensation and the underlying system (\"Say on Pay\"). As the variable remuneration components also increasingly include the achievement of sustainability targets, ESG aspects are also gaining in importance for the AGMs in this sense.\nConclusion\nSustainability has long since ceased to be a marketing issue and now affects companies in all areas, from their reporting and business and financing strategy to the annual general meeting. This makes it all the more important for companies to communicate their sustainability performance transparently in order to secure access to the capital market, remain compliant with the ever-increasing legal requirements - and be prepared for possible ESG resolutions and critical questions at the annual general meeting.\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n\n\n\n<\/div><\/article>PRGN\u2019s Investor Relations & ESG Agentur in Wiesbaden<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Since 2009, cometis AG has been a proud member of the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN), which unites 53 renowned companies in all major markets worldwide. Twice a year, the partner companies meet at different locations to exchange best practices or develop new opportunities for collaboration. For me, these meetings are always among the highlights of the year, precisely because of the different country- and culture-specific perspectives that the partners bring to the table.\nUltimately, the customers of the PRGN partners benefit from this knowledge transfer. The partner companies develop communication strategies tailored to their individual needs, while the local, owner-managed consulting firms guarantee close and personal customer contact. Local expertise and the active involvement of the owners guarantee first-class consulting quality.\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann\u00a0\n\nWiesbaden, March 16, 2023.\u00a0Visit our website or contact one of our member companies directly for more information about PRGN:\nAdverum - Vilnius, Lithuania\naccelent communications - Vienna, Austria\nAlexander PR - Auckland, New Zealand\nAristo Communications - Istanbul, Turkey\nAthenora Consulting - Brussels, Belgium\nBianchi Public Relations, Inc. - Detroit, Michigan (USA)\nBuchanan Public Relations - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)\nCabinet Priv\u00e9 de Conseils, S.A. - Geneva & Bern, Switzerland\nThe Castle Group - Atlanta, Georgia & Boston, Massachusetts (USA)\nCoast Communications - Stockholm, Sweden\ncometis AG - Wiesbaden, Germany\nCullen Communications - Dublin, Ireland\nCurrie - Melbourne, Australia\nEje Comunicaci\u00f3n - Mexico City, Mexico\nEvident P.R. - Amersfoort, Netherlands\nFearey - Seattle, Washington (USA)\nFree Communication - Bucharest, Romania\nGhidotti - Little Rock, Arkansas (USA)\nGlobal. - Lisbon, Portugal\nGoodwill Communications - Budapest, Hungary\nHMA Public Relations - Phoenix, Arizona (USA)\nThe Hoyt Organization, Inc. - Greater Los Angeles Area, California (USA)\nHWB Communications - Cape Town, South Africa\nIDENTIA \/ PR - Buenos Aires, Argentina\nIndustrie-Contact - Hamburg, Germany\nWE agency - Paris, France\nThree Box Strategic Communications - Dallas, Texas (USA)\nIntegrate Communications - Tokyo, Japan\nKAMIR - Tel Aviv, Israel\nKreps PR & Marketing - Fort Lauderdale, Miami & West Palm Beach, Florida (USA)\nL.C. Williams & Associates - Chicago, Illinois (USA)\nLandis Communications Inc. (LCI) - San Francisco & Silicon Valley, California (USA)\nLBS Communications Consulting Ltd - Hong Kong, China\nMedia Profile Inc. - Toronto, Ontario (Canada)\nMileage Communications - Singapore\nNettResults Middle East - Abu Dhabi & Dubai, United Arab Emirates |\u00a0Jeddah & Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia\nNovitas Communications - Denver, Colorado (USA)\nOneMulti - Warsaw, Poland\nPeritus PR - Birmingham, Alabama (USA)\nPerspective Strategies - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia\nPRGarage - Madrid, Spain\nPrichard Communications - Portland, Oregon (USA)\nRace Communications - Goi\u00e1s, Rio de Janeiro & S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil\nREED Public Relations - Nashville, Tennessee (USA)\nROOP & CO. - Cleveland, Ohio (USA)\nRumboCierto Comunicaciones - Santiago de Chile, Chile\nS&A Communications - Raleigh Durham, North Carolina (USA)\nScandinavian Communications - Copenhagen, Denmark\nSound Public Relations - Milan, Italy\nSouthard Communications - New York City, New York (USA)\nSpider - London, UK\nTwo Cents - Brussels, Belgium\nXenophon Strategies, Inc. - Washington, DC (USA)\n\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.\n<\/div><\/article>CSRD is coming! 15,000 companies affected across Germany!<\/h2><\/div><\/div>It's time to wake up - companies can no longer hit the snooze button on sustainability. The longer you put off structural ESG reporting, the further you fall behind and run the risk of losing access to the capital market, failing to comply with increasingly stringent laws, and being sidelined by your business partners.\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nKeep an overview in the ESG jungle!\nWiesbaden, 03. March 2023. CSRD, SDG, GRI, EFRAG, CDP, ESRS, ISSB, SFDR... The numerous regulations, frameworks and standards, certificates or organizations with which one is confronted around the topic of sustainability and sustainability reporting are reminiscent of the much-cited alphabet soup. Here, it is important not to throw in the towel, but to filter what is really relevant.\n\nThe legislators are pressing ahead!\nFor companies in Germany, the directive currently still in force is the European Union's Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), which was transposed into German law in 2017 by the CSR Directive Implementation Act (CSR-RUG). Under this law, companies with more than 500 employees are required to submit a non-financial statement containing information relating to environmental, social and employee issues, respect for human rights and the fight against corruption and bribery.\nIn the coming years, the reporting requirements and the number of companies they affect will be massively expanded. As a successor regulation to the NFRD, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will then gradually come into force throughout the EU. According to the current timetable, the CSRD will apply from 2025 - i.e. for reports for the financial year 2024 - to all companies that are already subject to reporting requirements within the meaning of the NFRD.\nOne year later - i.e., starting in 2026 and for the reports for fiscal year 2025 - the CSRD will also apply to all limited liability companies, credit institutions and insurance companies that meet at least two of the three characteristics:\n\nBalance sheet total: at least 20 million euros\nNet revenue: at least 40 million euros\nAverage number of employees during the fiscal year: at least 250[2]\n\nAgain one year later - i.e. from 2027 and for reports for the 2026 financial year - the reporting requirement will be extended to listed SMEs, small and non-complex credit institutions and captive (re)insurance companies. From 2029 (for annual reports as of the 2028 reporting year), the CSRD will also cover non-EU companies with EU branches or EU subsidiaries if they generate net sales of more than EUR 150 million within the EU.\n\n50,000 companies affected EU-wide - 15,000 of them in Germany!\nFinally, the CSRD will extend the reporting obligation from currently around 11,700 to around 50,000 companies in the EU; in Germany, the CSRDwill affect an estimated 15,000 companies \u2013 30 times as many as currently have to report under the CSR RUG!. In addition, reporting companies will be required to have their non-financial disclosures externally audited and to make their sustainability information available digitally.\nPay attention to the frameworks - and the right ones!\nWhile it is regulated by law which companies have to publish non-financial statements, sustainability or ESG reports in the first place, there are still no specifications as to what these reports have to look like or what they have to contain - beyond the information mentioned above. This will change with the introduction of the CSRD, as it will be accompanied by the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). These reporting standards, which will apply throughout the EU in the future, are already available in draft form and are largely based on existing and widely used frameworks.\nIt is therefore important to familiarize oneself with these frameworks today, and not to wait until the introduction of the ESRS to deal with them!\nOne of the most widely used and detailed frameworks are the reporting standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)[3]. The GRI itself states that the application of its reporting standards in sustainability reports best prepares companies for the new ESRS standards. The consolidated GRI standards currently comprise more than 700 PDF pages, and the requirements for disclosures in sustainability reports can be broadly summarized into the following topics:\n\nGRI 1: Fundamentals\nGRI 2: General disclosures\nGRI 3: Material topics\nGRI 201-207: Disclosures relating to the economic dimension\nGRI 301-308: Disclosures relating to the environmental dimension\nGRI 401-418: Disclosures concerning the social dimension\n\nNow that it is clear that reporting is required and how it should be done, many companies may still be faced with the question for whom - apart from the authorities - they actually prepare their sustainability reports. Companies should be aware that the requirements of important stakeholders go far beyond the legal obligations.\nInvestors are thirsty for data - and they want it now!\nEven more serious than the legal obligations is the pressure from the capital market, both in terms of equity financing and debt financing. If you want to secure access to any form of financing for your company in the medium term, and you have not yet established appropriate sustainability reporting structures, you are late to the party, to say the least.\nIn the period from 2014 to 2020, ESG assets under management worldwide increased by around 150% and, according to expert estimates, will account for more than one-third of all assets under management in 2025. But it's not just the numbers that paint a clear picture.\n\nThe fight against climate change is THE defining discourse of our time and will continue to shape society worldwide at least until binding measures against global warming have been adopted and show results. This position is held above all by younger generations, who are increasingly making their way into the offices of the largest asset managers or have assets of their own that they want to invest in the sustainable transformation of the economy. In addition to the desire to help shape this green transformation, risk considerations play into the selection of investments that incorporate ESG factors.\nA company that is less vulnerable to the consequences of climate change or contributes little to it, or a company that has established structures to eliminate child or forced labor along the value chain, thus represents a lower investment risk. It is less affected by high CO2 prices or possible \"shitstorms\" due to unethical behavior.\nDon\u2019t lose your clients!\nEspecially for small companies that are not yet reporting companies and will not be for another four or six years, the temptation is great to postpone dealing with the topic of sustainability. But they should be aware: they are already affected by the same factors that apply to large companies today!\nIf, for example, a car manufacturer has to report on the conditions in the extraction of raw materials or in the production of intermediate products, it has to rely on information from its suppliers. The deeper you look into the supply chain, the more often you will encounter smaller companies that have probably never collected the required data. But if a company at the top of the supply chain is unable to provide information because of this, it faces the threat of a lower sustainability rating, which in turn makes financing via the capital market more difficult. As a result, the pressure is passed along the value chain, so that small companies ultimately run the risk of losing business relationships with their most important clients.\nThus, it should be self-evident: The case for establishing the structures for effective and transparent ESG reporting as soon as possible is overwhelming - and no company, no matter how large or small, can afford to ignore it any longer.\n\nDo you need consulting on the structured setup of sustainability reporting for your company? Then cometis is the right contact for you: We will be happy to answer your questions!\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n<\/div><\/article>IR23 Spring Edition<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.\r\nRegistration for the next Spring Edition webinars and the after-work event in D\u00fcsseldorf is already open. The exact program will be announced after the event.<\/div><\/article>all about IR 2023<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.<\/div><\/article>Influencer \u2013 The new power in IR<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Influencers not only play an immensely important role in the areas of health, fitness and lifestyle, but are now also established players in the financial market. In addition to traditional corporate financial communications, private investors are increasingly using platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, as well as blogs, to find out more about a company. But why does influencer marketing work so well in the financial sector?\u00a0\nby Lukas Oftring\nWiesbaden, June 03, 2022. The year is 2022 and the communication of content in the financial sector has evolved over time. Today, it is not only analysts and experts from financial institutions who make investment recommendations and provide information about companies and their business models, but influencers are also increasingly forming the interface between private investors and the capital market and are playing an important role. In addition to social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, however, podcasts have also become a popular medium for educating oneself and seeking information about investment opportunities.\nInfluencers, who often have no professional financial background, have in some cases built up a large number of followers and thus also influence and are increasingly blurring the original boundaries between investor relations, research and sales.\nInfluencers act as catalysts\nThe influence of influencers is hardly doubted today, and the impact of recommendations for action and critiques from financial influencers has taken on unimagined effects. They serve as part of the investment advisory process. Influencers can thus influence stock prices through postings, as has recently happened increasingly on the Reddit platform, for example with the Gamestop stock, which only multiplied due to the collected activities of private investors.\nApart from such negative examples, influencers basically enable very precise target group targeting through targeted campaigns, which did not exist before. Above all, the group of under-30s, who have discovered the stock market for themselves in recent years, are looking for new ways of obtaining information and are served here in a way that is appropriate to their target group.\nFrom recommendations to warnings to tips and tricks\nFinancial influencers provide private investors with a broad basis of content: from basic explanations of stock market events to detailed company analyses and interviews with insiders to updates on the overall market, everyone can find suitable information depending on their interests and level of knowledge. Thus, access to financial education has never been easier.\nThe demand for expert knowledge and help in dealing with money is particularly strong among young people. It is precisely this expertise that investors are looking for online today in order to make an investment decision. In the process, followers can benefit from the knowledge of influencers; in contrast to conventional media, they are given a much more private approach. For investor relations departments, this opens up new ways to get in touch with investors, to talk about their company in digital formats and to be able to explain concrete facts. The emotional factor, which often falls by the wayside in conventional media, is conveyed directly to followers via podcasts and videos, buzzword authenticity.\nWould you like to catch up with the time and integrate influencers or new media formats into your investor relations strategies? Contact us! Together we will create a promising concept to present your company in a modern and personal way and to address new investor groups.\n\nLukas Oftring : ConsultantLukas Oftring gained experience working on investor relations and corporate communications projects after studying biology and ecotoxicology at the University of Bonn, RWTH Aachen and Stockholm University. He has profound knowledge in the field of sustainability due to his previous professional activities in regulatory affairs or registration of environmentally relevant chemicals.<\/div><\/article>Starting a career: small or big companies, which is better?<\/h2><\/div><\/div>As a young professional, you are often faced with the question of whether you want to work for a small or a large company. But which company size is better for starting a career?\u00a0\r\n\r\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann \r\n\r\nWiesbaden, April 29, 2022.\u00a0Due to demographic developments \u2013 and fueled by the COVID 19 crisis \u2013 the labour market has become an employee market in many sectors, so companies have to fight for the best talent. This offers opportunities for career starters, but at the same time the decision for an employer should be well-considered. One important indicator is the size of the company.\r\n\r\nSmall companies: steep learning curve & participation\r\n\r\nIn a small company, you will have significantly more responsibility and thus a broader range of work from the very beginning than in a large company. On the one hand, this is because there are simply not as many individual jobs and different departments as in a large company. On the other hand, due to the flatter hierarchy and direct contact with the board of directors, the communication channels are shorter and the distribution of tasks correspondingly more generous. This guarantees a steep learning curve and also determines the salary development as well. You are more or less in constant exchange with the entire team, gain a lot of working experience and gain insights into all areas of the company. You are involved in projects as a whole and a part of the success. The regular exchange with the board of directors also enables constant feedback and ensures that you can help shape the company and its development.\r\n\r\nThe big disadvantage of a small company is that starting salaries are sometimes lower than in large companies. Stays abroad are possible, e.g. in the form of secondments, but the organization is much more time-consuming compared to larger companies. In addition, the motto \u201ccreate your own job\u201d applies in smaller companies, i.e. more personal initiative and flexibility is required. Therefore, one should also be able to adapt.\r\n\r\nBig companies: fixed structures, lots of politics\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, those who are looking for fixed structures and processes are more likely to find happiness in large companies. Here, entry-level salaries can sometimes be higher and the supposed opportunities for promotion also seem better at first glance. Stays abroad are much easier to organise by changing locations within your own company. Due to the size of the company, there is a clear, often hierarchical structure, which means that you tend to have little contact with colleagues outside your own department. The communication channels are correspondingly large.\r\n\r\nHowever, the predefined career ladder in large companies also ensures that promotions are hotly contested and competition can develop between colleagues (keyword: politics). Therefore, at second glance, the chances of promotion are not better than in small companies. One\u2019s own influence on the company is often marginal and the influence of one\u2019s own performance on a project is often difficult to identify due to the size of the project.\r\n\r\nSmall or large company: which is better?\r\n\r\nFrom our point of view, the advantages of a small company outweigh the disadvantages. Because of the greater responsibility right from the start, you are challenged to find your way around in a broader area. The learning curve is correspondingly large. However, you have to like the required flexibility. Fixed structures and work processes are more common in large companies. The final choice should therefore be well-considered.\r\n\r\nAre you looking for an exciting job in Investor Relations & ESG with a steep learning curve? Feel free to visit our homepage and\u00a0take a look at our vacancies!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board Member\r\nMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.<\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24813,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section admin_label=\"section\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Navigation\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"left\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\"]\r\n\r\n
The trend of placing ESG issues on AGM agendas continues. According to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) initiative, 576 ESG-related resolutions were submitted in 2022, an increase of more than 15 percent from the previous year. But ESG resolutions are unevenly distributed globally, due to country-specific legal frameworks. Why should German companies nevertheless also address the issue?\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nThis article was published as a guest article in the HV Magazin 01\/2023 by GoingPublic Media AG.\nHigher hurdles for shareholders in Germany\nWiesbaden, 17. March 2023.\nBy international comparison, the hurdles for submitting resolutions on key sustainability issues - also known as \"ESG Resolutions\" in English - are high in Germany. Pursuant to Section 122 (2) 2 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG), a minimum share of 5 percent of the capital stock or a pro rata amount of 500,000 euros is required to put items on the agenda that are eligible for a resolution. In this respect, it is not surprising that no ESG resolutions can be found in the PRI database for companies with their registered office in Germany.\nThe situation is different in the USA, for example: According to PRI data, 3 resolutions have already been submitted for upcoming AGMs for the 2023 AGM season. The author of the resolutions is Follow This, an association of \"green\" shareholders with a focus on oil companies. Targeted by Follow This resolutions so far this year are Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Conocophillips. They are to align their greenhouse gas reduction targets with the Paris climate goals.\nEven failed resolutions can make a big difference\nHowever, despite the comparatively more difficult initial situation, there have also been some prominent examples in Germany in recent years of so-called activist investors seeking to oblige major corporations to be more sustainable by putting appropriate items on their AGM agendas. At last year's AGM of RWE, the investor Encraft was able to force a vote on the spin-off of the energy company's lignite division. The corresponding motion was ultimately rejected by the AGM, but the issue received a great deal of media attention - all the leading media such as Spiegel, FAZ and Handelsblatt reported on it. And RWE, possibly also due to Encraft's action, actually announced at the end of the year that it would bring forward its planned lignite phase-out by 8 years to 2030.\nThis example is symptomatic for many other actions of investors like Encraft. Often, the resolution put on the AGM agenda is rejected, but in any case, the pressure on companies to respond to activist investors and their demands increases..\nESG resolutions bring voting advisors into the arena\nIn addition, companies need to be aware that introduced ESG resolutions bring to the fore issues that also attract the attention of a group relevant to AGMs: proxy advisors. They advise asset managers who manage the assets of asset owners and provide them with voting recommendations. In doing so, voting advisors are guided by predefined criteria set by asset managers. These criteria also increasingly include ESG aspects.\n\nTransparency is what counts\nIt is therefore essential for issuers to transparently disclose their sustainability performance. The aforementioned documents must first verifiably depict the status quo - how high is the CO2 footprint, what is the company doing against child labor, is there a gender paygap within the company - as well as describe the sustainability strategy with which the company intends to improve its sustainability performance. With the Global ESG Monitor, which cometis AG developed together with KOHORTEN Sozial- und Wirtschaftsforschung GmbH & Co. KG, the transparency of corporate sustainability reporting can be made measurable. For the Global ESG Monitor, the ESG reporting of 350 companies was evaluated using 184 criteria with the help of a specially developed analysis tool, the GEM ASSAY™. Using this methodology, companies can have their transparency score determined and, based on the Global ESG Monitor data, compare their result with companies from their industry or benchmarks. The comparison reveals the gaps that companies need to close in order to improve their reporting. This also enables them to achieve better sustainability ratings or actively approach rating agencies while correcting incorrect ratings. Improving ratings in particular is a fundamental part of the sustainability strategy, as these are often the first and only source of information for investors, asset managers and proxy advisors on the sustainability performance of issuers.\nSustainability does not only mean environmental issues\nWhile environmental issues dominate public and media perception, social and governance issues are also becoming increasingly important for investors submitting proposals at annual general meetings. Here, too, there are major differences between countries. For example, the issue of diversity has been on the agenda in the USA for much longer than in Germany, although it is also becoming increasingly important in this country. According to a study by the \"Investors for Diversity\" initiative, almost three quarters of the 30 most influential investors in Germany make demands on the diversity of the top bodies of German companies.\nNew laws strengthen governance powers of the Annual General Meeting\nAnd the competencies of shareholder meetings are also increasing in legal terms: Since the Act Implementing the Second Shareholders' Directive (ARUG II) comes into force in 2021, it has been mandatory for shareholder meetings to vote on executive board compensation and the underlying system (\"Say on Pay\"). As the variable remuneration components also increasingly include the achievement of sustainability targets, ESG aspects are also gaining in importance for the AGMs in this sense.\nConclusion\nSustainability has long since ceased to be a marketing issue and now affects companies in all areas, from their reporting and business and financing strategy to the annual general meeting. This makes it all the more important for companies to communicate their sustainability performance transparently in order to secure access to the capital market, remain compliant with the ever-increasing legal requirements - and be prepared for possible ESG resolutions and critical questions at the annual general meeting.\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n\n\n\n<\/div><\/article>PRGN\u2019s Investor Relations & ESG Agentur in Wiesbaden<\/h2><\/div>
PRGN\u2019s Investor Relations & ESG Agentur in Wiesbaden<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Since 2009, cometis AG has been a proud member of the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN), which unites 53 renowned companies in all major markets worldwide. Twice a year, the partner companies meet at different locations to exchange best practices or develop new opportunities for collaboration. For me, these meetings are always among the highlights of the year, precisely because of the different country- and culture-specific perspectives that the partners bring to the table.\nUltimately, the customers of the PRGN partners benefit from this knowledge transfer. The partner companies develop communication strategies tailored to their individual needs, while the local, owner-managed consulting firms guarantee close and personal customer contact. Local expertise and the active involvement of the owners guarantee first-class consulting quality.\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann\u00a0\n\nWiesbaden, March 16, 2023.\u00a0Visit our website or contact one of our member companies directly for more information about PRGN:\nAdverum - Vilnius, Lithuania\naccelent communications - Vienna, Austria\nAlexander PR - Auckland, New Zealand\nAristo Communications - Istanbul, Turkey\nAthenora Consulting - Brussels, Belgium\nBianchi Public Relations, Inc. - Detroit, Michigan (USA)\nBuchanan Public Relations - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)\nCabinet Priv\u00e9 de Conseils, S.A. - Geneva & Bern, Switzerland\nThe Castle Group - Atlanta, Georgia & Boston, Massachusetts (USA)\nCoast Communications - Stockholm, Sweden\ncometis AG - Wiesbaden, Germany\nCullen Communications - Dublin, Ireland\nCurrie - Melbourne, Australia\nEje Comunicaci\u00f3n - Mexico City, Mexico\nEvident P.R. - Amersfoort, Netherlands\nFearey - Seattle, Washington (USA)\nFree Communication - Bucharest, Romania\nGhidotti - Little Rock, Arkansas (USA)\nGlobal. - Lisbon, Portugal\nGoodwill Communications - Budapest, Hungary\nHMA Public Relations - Phoenix, Arizona (USA)\nThe Hoyt Organization, Inc. - Greater Los Angeles Area, California (USA)\nHWB Communications - Cape Town, South Africa\nIDENTIA \/ PR - Buenos Aires, Argentina\nIndustrie-Contact - Hamburg, Germany\nWE agency - Paris, France\nThree Box Strategic Communications - Dallas, Texas (USA)\nIntegrate Communications - Tokyo, Japan\nKAMIR - Tel Aviv, Israel\nKreps PR & Marketing - Fort Lauderdale, Miami & West Palm Beach, Florida (USA)\nL.C. Williams & Associates - Chicago, Illinois (USA)\nLandis Communications Inc. (LCI) - San Francisco & Silicon Valley, California (USA)\nLBS Communications Consulting Ltd - Hong Kong, China\nMedia Profile Inc. - Toronto, Ontario (Canada)\nMileage Communications - Singapore\nNettResults Middle East - Abu Dhabi & Dubai, United Arab Emirates |\u00a0Jeddah & Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia\nNovitas Communications - Denver, Colorado (USA)\nOneMulti - Warsaw, Poland\nPeritus PR - Birmingham, Alabama (USA)\nPerspective Strategies - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia\nPRGarage - Madrid, Spain\nPrichard Communications - Portland, Oregon (USA)\nRace Communications - Goi\u00e1s, Rio de Janeiro & S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil\nREED Public Relations - Nashville, Tennessee (USA)\nROOP & CO. - Cleveland, Ohio (USA)\nRumboCierto Comunicaciones - Santiago de Chile, Chile\nS&A Communications - Raleigh Durham, North Carolina (USA)\nScandinavian Communications - Copenhagen, Denmark\nSound Public Relations - Milan, Italy\nSouthard Communications - New York City, New York (USA)\nSpider - London, UK\nTwo Cents - Brussels, Belgium\nXenophon Strategies, Inc. - Washington, DC (USA)\n\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.\n<\/div><\/article>CSRD is coming! 15,000 companies affected across Germany!<\/h2><\/div><\/div>It's time to wake up - companies can no longer hit the snooze button on sustainability. The longer you put off structural ESG reporting, the further you fall behind and run the risk of losing access to the capital market, failing to comply with increasingly stringent laws, and being sidelined by your business partners.\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nKeep an overview in the ESG jungle!\nWiesbaden, 03. March 2023. CSRD, SDG, GRI, EFRAG, CDP, ESRS, ISSB, SFDR... The numerous regulations, frameworks and standards, certificates or organizations with which one is confronted around the topic of sustainability and sustainability reporting are reminiscent of the much-cited alphabet soup. Here, it is important not to throw in the towel, but to filter what is really relevant.\n\nThe legislators are pressing ahead!\nFor companies in Germany, the directive currently still in force is the European Union's Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), which was transposed into German law in 2017 by the CSR Directive Implementation Act (CSR-RUG). Under this law, companies with more than 500 employees are required to submit a non-financial statement containing information relating to environmental, social and employee issues, respect for human rights and the fight against corruption and bribery.\nIn the coming years, the reporting requirements and the number of companies they affect will be massively expanded. As a successor regulation to the NFRD, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will then gradually come into force throughout the EU. According to the current timetable, the CSRD will apply from 2025 - i.e. for reports for the financial year 2024 - to all companies that are already subject to reporting requirements within the meaning of the NFRD.\nOne year later - i.e., starting in 2026 and for the reports for fiscal year 2025 - the CSRD will also apply to all limited liability companies, credit institutions and insurance companies that meet at least two of the three characteristics:\n\nBalance sheet total: at least 20 million euros\nNet revenue: at least 40 million euros\nAverage number of employees during the fiscal year: at least 250[2]\n\nAgain one year later - i.e. from 2027 and for reports for the 2026 financial year - the reporting requirement will be extended to listed SMEs, small and non-complex credit institutions and captive (re)insurance companies. From 2029 (for annual reports as of the 2028 reporting year), the CSRD will also cover non-EU companies with EU branches or EU subsidiaries if they generate net sales of more than EUR 150 million within the EU.\n\n50,000 companies affected EU-wide - 15,000 of them in Germany!\nFinally, the CSRD will extend the reporting obligation from currently around 11,700 to around 50,000 companies in the EU; in Germany, the CSRDwill affect an estimated 15,000 companies \u2013 30 times as many as currently have to report under the CSR RUG!. In addition, reporting companies will be required to have their non-financial disclosures externally audited and to make their sustainability information available digitally.\nPay attention to the frameworks - and the right ones!\nWhile it is regulated by law which companies have to publish non-financial statements, sustainability or ESG reports in the first place, there are still no specifications as to what these reports have to look like or what they have to contain - beyond the information mentioned above. This will change with the introduction of the CSRD, as it will be accompanied by the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). These reporting standards, which will apply throughout the EU in the future, are already available in draft form and are largely based on existing and widely used frameworks.\nIt is therefore important to familiarize oneself with these frameworks today, and not to wait until the introduction of the ESRS to deal with them!\nOne of the most widely used and detailed frameworks are the reporting standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)[3]. The GRI itself states that the application of its reporting standards in sustainability reports best prepares companies for the new ESRS standards. The consolidated GRI standards currently comprise more than 700 PDF pages, and the requirements for disclosures in sustainability reports can be broadly summarized into the following topics:\n\nGRI 1: Fundamentals\nGRI 2: General disclosures\nGRI 3: Material topics\nGRI 201-207: Disclosures relating to the economic dimension\nGRI 301-308: Disclosures relating to the environmental dimension\nGRI 401-418: Disclosures concerning the social dimension\n\nNow that it is clear that reporting is required and how it should be done, many companies may still be faced with the question for whom - apart from the authorities - they actually prepare their sustainability reports. Companies should be aware that the requirements of important stakeholders go far beyond the legal obligations.\nInvestors are thirsty for data - and they want it now!\nEven more serious than the legal obligations is the pressure from the capital market, both in terms of equity financing and debt financing. If you want to secure access to any form of financing for your company in the medium term, and you have not yet established appropriate sustainability reporting structures, you are late to the party, to say the least.\nIn the period from 2014 to 2020, ESG assets under management worldwide increased by around 150% and, according to expert estimates, will account for more than one-third of all assets under management in 2025. But it's not just the numbers that paint a clear picture.\n\nThe fight against climate change is THE defining discourse of our time and will continue to shape society worldwide at least until binding measures against global warming have been adopted and show results. This position is held above all by younger generations, who are increasingly making their way into the offices of the largest asset managers or have assets of their own that they want to invest in the sustainable transformation of the economy. In addition to the desire to help shape this green transformation, risk considerations play into the selection of investments that incorporate ESG factors.\nA company that is less vulnerable to the consequences of climate change or contributes little to it, or a company that has established structures to eliminate child or forced labor along the value chain, thus represents a lower investment risk. It is less affected by high CO2 prices or possible \"shitstorms\" due to unethical behavior.\nDon\u2019t lose your clients!\nEspecially for small companies that are not yet reporting companies and will not be for another four or six years, the temptation is great to postpone dealing with the topic of sustainability. But they should be aware: they are already affected by the same factors that apply to large companies today!\nIf, for example, a car manufacturer has to report on the conditions in the extraction of raw materials or in the production of intermediate products, it has to rely on information from its suppliers. The deeper you look into the supply chain, the more often you will encounter smaller companies that have probably never collected the required data. But if a company at the top of the supply chain is unable to provide information because of this, it faces the threat of a lower sustainability rating, which in turn makes financing via the capital market more difficult. As a result, the pressure is passed along the value chain, so that small companies ultimately run the risk of losing business relationships with their most important clients.\nThus, it should be self-evident: The case for establishing the structures for effective and transparent ESG reporting as soon as possible is overwhelming - and no company, no matter how large or small, can afford to ignore it any longer.\n\nDo you need consulting on the structured setup of sustainability reporting for your company? Then cometis is the right contact for you: We will be happy to answer your questions!\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n<\/div><\/article>IR23 Spring Edition<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.\r\nRegistration for the next Spring Edition webinars and the after-work event in D\u00fcsseldorf is already open. The exact program will be announced after the event.<\/div><\/article>all about IR 2023<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.<\/div><\/article>Influencer \u2013 The new power in IR<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Influencers not only play an immensely important role in the areas of health, fitness and lifestyle, but are now also established players in the financial market. In addition to traditional corporate financial communications, private investors are increasingly using platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, as well as blogs, to find out more about a company. But why does influencer marketing work so well in the financial sector?\u00a0\nby Lukas Oftring\nWiesbaden, June 03, 2022. The year is 2022 and the communication of content in the financial sector has evolved over time. Today, it is not only analysts and experts from financial institutions who make investment recommendations and provide information about companies and their business models, but influencers are also increasingly forming the interface between private investors and the capital market and are playing an important role. In addition to social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, however, podcasts have also become a popular medium for educating oneself and seeking information about investment opportunities.\nInfluencers, who often have no professional financial background, have in some cases built up a large number of followers and thus also influence and are increasingly blurring the original boundaries between investor relations, research and sales.\nInfluencers act as catalysts\nThe influence of influencers is hardly doubted today, and the impact of recommendations for action and critiques from financial influencers has taken on unimagined effects. They serve as part of the investment advisory process. Influencers can thus influence stock prices through postings, as has recently happened increasingly on the Reddit platform, for example with the Gamestop stock, which only multiplied due to the collected activities of private investors.\nApart from such negative examples, influencers basically enable very precise target group targeting through targeted campaigns, which did not exist before. Above all, the group of under-30s, who have discovered the stock market for themselves in recent years, are looking for new ways of obtaining information and are served here in a way that is appropriate to their target group.\nFrom recommendations to warnings to tips and tricks\nFinancial influencers provide private investors with a broad basis of content: from basic explanations of stock market events to detailed company analyses and interviews with insiders to updates on the overall market, everyone can find suitable information depending on their interests and level of knowledge. Thus, access to financial education has never been easier.\nThe demand for expert knowledge and help in dealing with money is particularly strong among young people. It is precisely this expertise that investors are looking for online today in order to make an investment decision. In the process, followers can benefit from the knowledge of influencers; in contrast to conventional media, they are given a much more private approach. For investor relations departments, this opens up new ways to get in touch with investors, to talk about their company in digital formats and to be able to explain concrete facts. The emotional factor, which often falls by the wayside in conventional media, is conveyed directly to followers via podcasts and videos, buzzword authenticity.\nWould you like to catch up with the time and integrate influencers or new media formats into your investor relations strategies? Contact us! Together we will create a promising concept to present your company in a modern and personal way and to address new investor groups.\n\nLukas Oftring : ConsultantLukas Oftring gained experience working on investor relations and corporate communications projects after studying biology and ecotoxicology at the University of Bonn, RWTH Aachen and Stockholm University. He has profound knowledge in the field of sustainability due to his previous professional activities in regulatory affairs or registration of environmentally relevant chemicals.<\/div><\/article>Starting a career: small or big companies, which is better?<\/h2><\/div><\/div>As a young professional, you are often faced with the question of whether you want to work for a small or a large company. But which company size is better for starting a career?\u00a0\r\n\r\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann \r\n\r\nWiesbaden, April 29, 2022.\u00a0Due to demographic developments \u2013 and fueled by the COVID 19 crisis \u2013 the labour market has become an employee market in many sectors, so companies have to fight for the best talent. This offers opportunities for career starters, but at the same time the decision for an employer should be well-considered. One important indicator is the size of the company.\r\n\r\nSmall companies: steep learning curve & participation\r\n\r\nIn a small company, you will have significantly more responsibility and thus a broader range of work from the very beginning than in a large company. On the one hand, this is because there are simply not as many individual jobs and different departments as in a large company. On the other hand, due to the flatter hierarchy and direct contact with the board of directors, the communication channels are shorter and the distribution of tasks correspondingly more generous. This guarantees a steep learning curve and also determines the salary development as well. You are more or less in constant exchange with the entire team, gain a lot of working experience and gain insights into all areas of the company. You are involved in projects as a whole and a part of the success. The regular exchange with the board of directors also enables constant feedback and ensures that you can help shape the company and its development.\r\n\r\nThe big disadvantage of a small company is that starting salaries are sometimes lower than in large companies. Stays abroad are possible, e.g. in the form of secondments, but the organization is much more time-consuming compared to larger companies. In addition, the motto \u201ccreate your own job\u201d applies in smaller companies, i.e. more personal initiative and flexibility is required. Therefore, one should also be able to adapt.\r\n\r\nBig companies: fixed structures, lots of politics\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, those who are looking for fixed structures and processes are more likely to find happiness in large companies. Here, entry-level salaries can sometimes be higher and the supposed opportunities for promotion also seem better at first glance. Stays abroad are much easier to organise by changing locations within your own company. Due to the size of the company, there is a clear, often hierarchical structure, which means that you tend to have little contact with colleagues outside your own department. The communication channels are correspondingly large.\r\n\r\nHowever, the predefined career ladder in large companies also ensures that promotions are hotly contested and competition can develop between colleagues (keyword: politics). Therefore, at second glance, the chances of promotion are not better than in small companies. One\u2019s own influence on the company is often marginal and the influence of one\u2019s own performance on a project is often difficult to identify due to the size of the project.\r\n\r\nSmall or large company: which is better?\r\n\r\nFrom our point of view, the advantages of a small company outweigh the disadvantages. Because of the greater responsibility right from the start, you are challenged to find your way around in a broader area. The learning curve is correspondingly large. However, you have to like the required flexibility. Fixed structures and work processes are more common in large companies. The final choice should therefore be well-considered.\r\n\r\nAre you looking for an exciting job in Investor Relations & ESG with a steep learning curve? Feel free to visit our homepage and\u00a0take a look at our vacancies!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board Member\r\nMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.<\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24813,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section admin_label=\"section\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Navigation\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"left\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\"]\r\n\r\n
Since 2009, cometis AG has been a proud member of the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN), which unites 53 renowned companies in all major markets worldwide. Twice a year, the partner companies meet at different locations to exchange best practices or develop new opportunities for collaboration. For me, these meetings are always among the highlights of the year, precisely because of the different country- and culture-specific perspectives that the partners bring to the table.\nUltimately, the customers of the PRGN partners benefit from this knowledge transfer. The partner companies develop communication strategies tailored to their individual needs, while the local, owner-managed consulting firms guarantee close and personal customer contact. Local expertise and the active involvement of the owners guarantee first-class consulting quality.\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann\u00a0\n\nWiesbaden, March 16, 2023.\u00a0Visit our website or contact one of our member companies directly for more information about PRGN:\nAdverum - Vilnius, Lithuania\naccelent communications - Vienna, Austria\nAlexander PR - Auckland, New Zealand\nAristo Communications - Istanbul, Turkey\nAthenora Consulting - Brussels, Belgium\nBianchi Public Relations, Inc. - Detroit, Michigan (USA)\nBuchanan Public Relations - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)\nCabinet Priv\u00e9 de Conseils, S.A. - Geneva & Bern, Switzerland\nThe Castle Group - Atlanta, Georgia & Boston, Massachusetts (USA)\nCoast Communications - Stockholm, Sweden\ncometis AG - Wiesbaden, Germany\nCullen Communications - Dublin, Ireland\nCurrie - Melbourne, Australia\nEje Comunicaci\u00f3n - Mexico City, Mexico\nEvident P.R. - Amersfoort, Netherlands\nFearey - Seattle, Washington (USA)\nFree Communication - Bucharest, Romania\nGhidotti - Little Rock, Arkansas (USA)\nGlobal. - Lisbon, Portugal\nGoodwill Communications - Budapest, Hungary\nHMA Public Relations - Phoenix, Arizona (USA)\nThe Hoyt Organization, Inc. - Greater Los Angeles Area, California (USA)\nHWB Communications - Cape Town, South Africa\nIDENTIA \/ PR - Buenos Aires, Argentina\nIndustrie-Contact - Hamburg, Germany\nWE agency - Paris, France\nThree Box Strategic Communications - Dallas, Texas (USA)\nIntegrate Communications - Tokyo, Japan\nKAMIR - Tel Aviv, Israel\nKreps PR & Marketing - Fort Lauderdale, Miami & West Palm Beach, Florida (USA)\nL.C. Williams & Associates - Chicago, Illinois (USA)\nLandis Communications Inc. (LCI) - San Francisco & Silicon Valley, California (USA)\nLBS Communications Consulting Ltd - Hong Kong, China\nMedia Profile Inc. - Toronto, Ontario (Canada)\nMileage Communications - Singapore\nNettResults Middle East - Abu Dhabi & Dubai, United Arab Emirates |\u00a0Jeddah & Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia\nNovitas Communications - Denver, Colorado (USA)\nOneMulti - Warsaw, Poland\nPeritus PR - Birmingham, Alabama (USA)\nPerspective Strategies - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia\nPRGarage - Madrid, Spain\nPrichard Communications - Portland, Oregon (USA)\nRace Communications - Goi\u00e1s, Rio de Janeiro & S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil\nREED Public Relations - Nashville, Tennessee (USA)\nROOP & CO. - Cleveland, Ohio (USA)\nRumboCierto Comunicaciones - Santiago de Chile, Chile\nS&A Communications - Raleigh Durham, North Carolina (USA)\nScandinavian Communications - Copenhagen, Denmark\nSound Public Relations - Milan, Italy\nSouthard Communications - New York City, New York (USA)\nSpider - London, UK\nTwo Cents - Brussels, Belgium\nXenophon Strategies, Inc. - Washington, DC (USA)\n\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.\n<\/div><\/article>CSRD is coming! 15,000 companies affected across Germany!<\/h2><\/div>
CSRD is coming! 15,000 companies affected across Germany!<\/h2><\/div><\/div>It's time to wake up - companies can no longer hit the snooze button on sustainability. The longer you put off structural ESG reporting, the further you fall behind and run the risk of losing access to the capital market, failing to comply with increasingly stringent laws, and being sidelined by your business partners.\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nKeep an overview in the ESG jungle!\nWiesbaden, 03. March 2023. CSRD, SDG, GRI, EFRAG, CDP, ESRS, ISSB, SFDR... The numerous regulations, frameworks and standards, certificates or organizations with which one is confronted around the topic of sustainability and sustainability reporting are reminiscent of the much-cited alphabet soup. Here, it is important not to throw in the towel, but to filter what is really relevant.\n\nThe legislators are pressing ahead!\nFor companies in Germany, the directive currently still in force is the European Union's Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), which was transposed into German law in 2017 by the CSR Directive Implementation Act (CSR-RUG). Under this law, companies with more than 500 employees are required to submit a non-financial statement containing information relating to environmental, social and employee issues, respect for human rights and the fight against corruption and bribery.\nIn the coming years, the reporting requirements and the number of companies they affect will be massively expanded. As a successor regulation to the NFRD, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will then gradually come into force throughout the EU. According to the current timetable, the CSRD will apply from 2025 - i.e. for reports for the financial year 2024 - to all companies that are already subject to reporting requirements within the meaning of the NFRD.\nOne year later - i.e., starting in 2026 and for the reports for fiscal year 2025 - the CSRD will also apply to all limited liability companies, credit institutions and insurance companies that meet at least two of the three characteristics:\n\nBalance sheet total: at least 20 million euros\nNet revenue: at least 40 million euros\nAverage number of employees during the fiscal year: at least 250[2]\n\nAgain one year later - i.e. from 2027 and for reports for the 2026 financial year - the reporting requirement will be extended to listed SMEs, small and non-complex credit institutions and captive (re)insurance companies. From 2029 (for annual reports as of the 2028 reporting year), the CSRD will also cover non-EU companies with EU branches or EU subsidiaries if they generate net sales of more than EUR 150 million within the EU.\n\n50,000 companies affected EU-wide - 15,000 of them in Germany!\nFinally, the CSRD will extend the reporting obligation from currently around 11,700 to around 50,000 companies in the EU; in Germany, the CSRDwill affect an estimated 15,000 companies \u2013 30 times as many as currently have to report under the CSR RUG!. In addition, reporting companies will be required to have their non-financial disclosures externally audited and to make their sustainability information available digitally.\nPay attention to the frameworks - and the right ones!\nWhile it is regulated by law which companies have to publish non-financial statements, sustainability or ESG reports in the first place, there are still no specifications as to what these reports have to look like or what they have to contain - beyond the information mentioned above. This will change with the introduction of the CSRD, as it will be accompanied by the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). These reporting standards, which will apply throughout the EU in the future, are already available in draft form and are largely based on existing and widely used frameworks.\nIt is therefore important to familiarize oneself with these frameworks today, and not to wait until the introduction of the ESRS to deal with them!\nOne of the most widely used and detailed frameworks are the reporting standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)[3]. The GRI itself states that the application of its reporting standards in sustainability reports best prepares companies for the new ESRS standards. The consolidated GRI standards currently comprise more than 700 PDF pages, and the requirements for disclosures in sustainability reports can be broadly summarized into the following topics:\n\nGRI 1: Fundamentals\nGRI 2: General disclosures\nGRI 3: Material topics\nGRI 201-207: Disclosures relating to the economic dimension\nGRI 301-308: Disclosures relating to the environmental dimension\nGRI 401-418: Disclosures concerning the social dimension\n\nNow that it is clear that reporting is required and how it should be done, many companies may still be faced with the question for whom - apart from the authorities - they actually prepare their sustainability reports. Companies should be aware that the requirements of important stakeholders go far beyond the legal obligations.\nInvestors are thirsty for data - and they want it now!\nEven more serious than the legal obligations is the pressure from the capital market, both in terms of equity financing and debt financing. If you want to secure access to any form of financing for your company in the medium term, and you have not yet established appropriate sustainability reporting structures, you are late to the party, to say the least.\nIn the period from 2014 to 2020, ESG assets under management worldwide increased by around 150% and, according to expert estimates, will account for more than one-third of all assets under management in 2025. But it's not just the numbers that paint a clear picture.\n\nThe fight against climate change is THE defining discourse of our time and will continue to shape society worldwide at least until binding measures against global warming have been adopted and show results. This position is held above all by younger generations, who are increasingly making their way into the offices of the largest asset managers or have assets of their own that they want to invest in the sustainable transformation of the economy. In addition to the desire to help shape this green transformation, risk considerations play into the selection of investments that incorporate ESG factors.\nA company that is less vulnerable to the consequences of climate change or contributes little to it, or a company that has established structures to eliminate child or forced labor along the value chain, thus represents a lower investment risk. It is less affected by high CO2 prices or possible \"shitstorms\" due to unethical behavior.\nDon\u2019t lose your clients!\nEspecially for small companies that are not yet reporting companies and will not be for another four or six years, the temptation is great to postpone dealing with the topic of sustainability. But they should be aware: they are already affected by the same factors that apply to large companies today!\nIf, for example, a car manufacturer has to report on the conditions in the extraction of raw materials or in the production of intermediate products, it has to rely on information from its suppliers. The deeper you look into the supply chain, the more often you will encounter smaller companies that have probably never collected the required data. But if a company at the top of the supply chain is unable to provide information because of this, it faces the threat of a lower sustainability rating, which in turn makes financing via the capital market more difficult. As a result, the pressure is passed along the value chain, so that small companies ultimately run the risk of losing business relationships with their most important clients.\nThus, it should be self-evident: The case for establishing the structures for effective and transparent ESG reporting as soon as possible is overwhelming - and no company, no matter how large or small, can afford to ignore it any longer.\n\nDo you need consulting on the structured setup of sustainability reporting for your company? Then cometis is the right contact for you: We will be happy to answer your questions!\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n<\/div><\/article>IR23 Spring Edition<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.\r\nRegistration for the next Spring Edition webinars and the after-work event in D\u00fcsseldorf is already open. The exact program will be announced after the event.<\/div><\/article>all about IR 2023<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.<\/div><\/article>Influencer \u2013 The new power in IR<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Influencers not only play an immensely important role in the areas of health, fitness and lifestyle, but are now also established players in the financial market. In addition to traditional corporate financial communications, private investors are increasingly using platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, as well as blogs, to find out more about a company. But why does influencer marketing work so well in the financial sector?\u00a0\nby Lukas Oftring\nWiesbaden, June 03, 2022. The year is 2022 and the communication of content in the financial sector has evolved over time. Today, it is not only analysts and experts from financial institutions who make investment recommendations and provide information about companies and their business models, but influencers are also increasingly forming the interface between private investors and the capital market and are playing an important role. In addition to social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, however, podcasts have also become a popular medium for educating oneself and seeking information about investment opportunities.\nInfluencers, who often have no professional financial background, have in some cases built up a large number of followers and thus also influence and are increasingly blurring the original boundaries between investor relations, research and sales.\nInfluencers act as catalysts\nThe influence of influencers is hardly doubted today, and the impact of recommendations for action and critiques from financial influencers has taken on unimagined effects. They serve as part of the investment advisory process. Influencers can thus influence stock prices through postings, as has recently happened increasingly on the Reddit platform, for example with the Gamestop stock, which only multiplied due to the collected activities of private investors.\nApart from such negative examples, influencers basically enable very precise target group targeting through targeted campaigns, which did not exist before. Above all, the group of under-30s, who have discovered the stock market for themselves in recent years, are looking for new ways of obtaining information and are served here in a way that is appropriate to their target group.\nFrom recommendations to warnings to tips and tricks\nFinancial influencers provide private investors with a broad basis of content: from basic explanations of stock market events to detailed company analyses and interviews with insiders to updates on the overall market, everyone can find suitable information depending on their interests and level of knowledge. Thus, access to financial education has never been easier.\nThe demand for expert knowledge and help in dealing with money is particularly strong among young people. It is precisely this expertise that investors are looking for online today in order to make an investment decision. In the process, followers can benefit from the knowledge of influencers; in contrast to conventional media, they are given a much more private approach. For investor relations departments, this opens up new ways to get in touch with investors, to talk about their company in digital formats and to be able to explain concrete facts. The emotional factor, which often falls by the wayside in conventional media, is conveyed directly to followers via podcasts and videos, buzzword authenticity.\nWould you like to catch up with the time and integrate influencers or new media formats into your investor relations strategies? Contact us! Together we will create a promising concept to present your company in a modern and personal way and to address new investor groups.\n\nLukas Oftring : ConsultantLukas Oftring gained experience working on investor relations and corporate communications projects after studying biology and ecotoxicology at the University of Bonn, RWTH Aachen and Stockholm University. He has profound knowledge in the field of sustainability due to his previous professional activities in regulatory affairs or registration of environmentally relevant chemicals.<\/div><\/article>Starting a career: small or big companies, which is better?<\/h2><\/div><\/div>As a young professional, you are often faced with the question of whether you want to work for a small or a large company. But which company size is better for starting a career?\u00a0\r\n\r\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann \r\n\r\nWiesbaden, April 29, 2022.\u00a0Due to demographic developments \u2013 and fueled by the COVID 19 crisis \u2013 the labour market has become an employee market in many sectors, so companies have to fight for the best talent. This offers opportunities for career starters, but at the same time the decision for an employer should be well-considered. One important indicator is the size of the company.\r\n\r\nSmall companies: steep learning curve & participation\r\n\r\nIn a small company, you will have significantly more responsibility and thus a broader range of work from the very beginning than in a large company. On the one hand, this is because there are simply not as many individual jobs and different departments as in a large company. On the other hand, due to the flatter hierarchy and direct contact with the board of directors, the communication channels are shorter and the distribution of tasks correspondingly more generous. This guarantees a steep learning curve and also determines the salary development as well. You are more or less in constant exchange with the entire team, gain a lot of working experience and gain insights into all areas of the company. You are involved in projects as a whole and a part of the success. The regular exchange with the board of directors also enables constant feedback and ensures that you can help shape the company and its development.\r\n\r\nThe big disadvantage of a small company is that starting salaries are sometimes lower than in large companies. Stays abroad are possible, e.g. in the form of secondments, but the organization is much more time-consuming compared to larger companies. In addition, the motto \u201ccreate your own job\u201d applies in smaller companies, i.e. more personal initiative and flexibility is required. Therefore, one should also be able to adapt.\r\n\r\nBig companies: fixed structures, lots of politics\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, those who are looking for fixed structures and processes are more likely to find happiness in large companies. Here, entry-level salaries can sometimes be higher and the supposed opportunities for promotion also seem better at first glance. Stays abroad are much easier to organise by changing locations within your own company. Due to the size of the company, there is a clear, often hierarchical structure, which means that you tend to have little contact with colleagues outside your own department. The communication channels are correspondingly large.\r\n\r\nHowever, the predefined career ladder in large companies also ensures that promotions are hotly contested and competition can develop between colleagues (keyword: politics). Therefore, at second glance, the chances of promotion are not better than in small companies. One\u2019s own influence on the company is often marginal and the influence of one\u2019s own performance on a project is often difficult to identify due to the size of the project.\r\n\r\nSmall or large company: which is better?\r\n\r\nFrom our point of view, the advantages of a small company outweigh the disadvantages. Because of the greater responsibility right from the start, you are challenged to find your way around in a broader area. The learning curve is correspondingly large. However, you have to like the required flexibility. Fixed structures and work processes are more common in large companies. The final choice should therefore be well-considered.\r\n\r\nAre you looking for an exciting job in Investor Relations & ESG with a steep learning curve? Feel free to visit our homepage and\u00a0take a look at our vacancies!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board Member\r\nMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.<\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24813,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section admin_label=\"section\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Navigation\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"left\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\"]\r\n\r\n
It's time to wake up - companies can no longer hit the snooze button on sustainability. The longer you put off structural ESG reporting, the further you fall behind and run the risk of losing access to the capital market, failing to comply with increasingly stringent laws, and being sidelined by your business partners.\nby Michael Diegelmann\n\nKeep an overview in the ESG jungle!\nWiesbaden, 03. March 2023. CSRD, SDG, GRI, EFRAG, CDP, ESRS, ISSB, SFDR... The numerous regulations, frameworks and standards, certificates or organizations with which one is confronted around the topic of sustainability and sustainability reporting are reminiscent of the much-cited alphabet soup. Here, it is important not to throw in the towel, but to filter what is really relevant.\n\nThe legislators are pressing ahead!\nFor companies in Germany, the directive currently still in force is the European Union's Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), which was transposed into German law in 2017 by the CSR Directive Implementation Act (CSR-RUG). Under this law, companies with more than 500 employees are required to submit a non-financial statement containing information relating to environmental, social and employee issues, respect for human rights and the fight against corruption and bribery.\nIn the coming years, the reporting requirements and the number of companies they affect will be massively expanded. As a successor regulation to the NFRD, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will then gradually come into force throughout the EU. According to the current timetable, the CSRD will apply from 2025 - i.e. for reports for the financial year 2024 - to all companies that are already subject to reporting requirements within the meaning of the NFRD.\nOne year later - i.e., starting in 2026 and for the reports for fiscal year 2025 - the CSRD will also apply to all limited liability companies, credit institutions and insurance companies that meet at least two of the three characteristics:\n\nBalance sheet total: at least 20 million euros\nNet revenue: at least 40 million euros\nAverage number of employees during the fiscal year: at least 250[2]\n\nAgain one year later - i.e. from 2027 and for reports for the 2026 financial year - the reporting requirement will be extended to listed SMEs, small and non-complex credit institutions and captive (re)insurance companies. From 2029 (for annual reports as of the 2028 reporting year), the CSRD will also cover non-EU companies with EU branches or EU subsidiaries if they generate net sales of more than EUR 150 million within the EU.\n\n50,000 companies affected EU-wide - 15,000 of them in Germany!\nFinally, the CSRD will extend the reporting obligation from currently around 11,700 to around 50,000 companies in the EU; in Germany, the CSRDwill affect an estimated 15,000 companies \u2013 30 times as many as currently have to report under the CSR RUG!. In addition, reporting companies will be required to have their non-financial disclosures externally audited and to make their sustainability information available digitally.\nPay attention to the frameworks - and the right ones!\nWhile it is regulated by law which companies have to publish non-financial statements, sustainability or ESG reports in the first place, there are still no specifications as to what these reports have to look like or what they have to contain - beyond the information mentioned above. This will change with the introduction of the CSRD, as it will be accompanied by the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). These reporting standards, which will apply throughout the EU in the future, are already available in draft form and are largely based on existing and widely used frameworks.\nIt is therefore important to familiarize oneself with these frameworks today, and not to wait until the introduction of the ESRS to deal with them!\nOne of the most widely used and detailed frameworks are the reporting standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)[3]. The GRI itself states that the application of its reporting standards in sustainability reports best prepares companies for the new ESRS standards. The consolidated GRI standards currently comprise more than 700 PDF pages, and the requirements for disclosures in sustainability reports can be broadly summarized into the following topics:\n\nGRI 1: Fundamentals\nGRI 2: General disclosures\nGRI 3: Material topics\nGRI 201-207: Disclosures relating to the economic dimension\nGRI 301-308: Disclosures relating to the environmental dimension\nGRI 401-418: Disclosures concerning the social dimension\n\nNow that it is clear that reporting is required and how it should be done, many companies may still be faced with the question for whom - apart from the authorities - they actually prepare their sustainability reports. Companies should be aware that the requirements of important stakeholders go far beyond the legal obligations.\nInvestors are thirsty for data - and they want it now!\nEven more serious than the legal obligations is the pressure from the capital market, both in terms of equity financing and debt financing. If you want to secure access to any form of financing for your company in the medium term, and you have not yet established appropriate sustainability reporting structures, you are late to the party, to say the least.\nIn the period from 2014 to 2020, ESG assets under management worldwide increased by around 150% and, according to expert estimates, will account for more than one-third of all assets under management in 2025. But it's not just the numbers that paint a clear picture.\n\nThe fight against climate change is THE defining discourse of our time and will continue to shape society worldwide at least until binding measures against global warming have been adopted and show results. This position is held above all by younger generations, who are increasingly making their way into the offices of the largest asset managers or have assets of their own that they want to invest in the sustainable transformation of the economy. In addition to the desire to help shape this green transformation, risk considerations play into the selection of investments that incorporate ESG factors.\nA company that is less vulnerable to the consequences of climate change or contributes little to it, or a company that has established structures to eliminate child or forced labor along the value chain, thus represents a lower investment risk. It is less affected by high CO2 prices or possible \"shitstorms\" due to unethical behavior.\nDon\u2019t lose your clients!\nEspecially for small companies that are not yet reporting companies and will not be for another four or six years, the temptation is great to postpone dealing with the topic of sustainability. But they should be aware: they are already affected by the same factors that apply to large companies today!\nIf, for example, a car manufacturer has to report on the conditions in the extraction of raw materials or in the production of intermediate products, it has to rely on information from its suppliers. The deeper you look into the supply chain, the more often you will encounter smaller companies that have probably never collected the required data. But if a company at the top of the supply chain is unable to provide information because of this, it faces the threat of a lower sustainability rating, which in turn makes financing via the capital market more difficult. As a result, the pressure is passed along the value chain, so that small companies ultimately run the risk of losing business relationships with their most important clients.\nThus, it should be self-evident: The case for establishing the structures for effective and transparent ESG reporting as soon as possible is overwhelming - and no company, no matter how large or small, can afford to ignore it any longer.\n\nDo you need consulting on the structured setup of sustainability reporting for your company? Then cometis is the right contact for you: We will be happy to answer your questions!\n\nMichael Diegelmann: Founder and Board MemberMichael Diegelmann has taken over 50 companies public and gained experience in over 250 investor relations and ESG projects. He has been active in the field of capital market communications since 1997 and is a proven expert in ESG topics.\n \n<\/div><\/article>IR23 Spring Edition<\/h2><\/div>
IR23 Spring Edition<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.\r\nRegistration for the next Spring Edition webinars and the after-work event in D\u00fcsseldorf is already open. The exact program will be announced after the event.<\/div><\/article>all about IR 2023<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.<\/div><\/article>Influencer \u2013 The new power in IR<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Influencers not only play an immensely important role in the areas of health, fitness and lifestyle, but are now also established players in the financial market. In addition to traditional corporate financial communications, private investors are increasingly using platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, as well as blogs, to find out more about a company. But why does influencer marketing work so well in the financial sector?\u00a0\nby Lukas Oftring\nWiesbaden, June 03, 2022. The year is 2022 and the communication of content in the financial sector has evolved over time. Today, it is not only analysts and experts from financial institutions who make investment recommendations and provide information about companies and their business models, but influencers are also increasingly forming the interface between private investors and the capital market and are playing an important role. In addition to social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, however, podcasts have also become a popular medium for educating oneself and seeking information about investment opportunities.\nInfluencers, who often have no professional financial background, have in some cases built up a large number of followers and thus also influence and are increasingly blurring the original boundaries between investor relations, research and sales.\nInfluencers act as catalysts\nThe influence of influencers is hardly doubted today, and the impact of recommendations for action and critiques from financial influencers has taken on unimagined effects. They serve as part of the investment advisory process. Influencers can thus influence stock prices through postings, as has recently happened increasingly on the Reddit platform, for example with the Gamestop stock, which only multiplied due to the collected activities of private investors.\nApart from such negative examples, influencers basically enable very precise target group targeting through targeted campaigns, which did not exist before. Above all, the group of under-30s, who have discovered the stock market for themselves in recent years, are looking for new ways of obtaining information and are served here in a way that is appropriate to their target group.\nFrom recommendations to warnings to tips and tricks\nFinancial influencers provide private investors with a broad basis of content: from basic explanations of stock market events to detailed company analyses and interviews with insiders to updates on the overall market, everyone can find suitable information depending on their interests and level of knowledge. Thus, access to financial education has never been easier.\nThe demand for expert knowledge and help in dealing with money is particularly strong among young people. It is precisely this expertise that investors are looking for online today in order to make an investment decision. In the process, followers can benefit from the knowledge of influencers; in contrast to conventional media, they are given a much more private approach. For investor relations departments, this opens up new ways to get in touch with investors, to talk about their company in digital formats and to be able to explain concrete facts. The emotional factor, which often falls by the wayside in conventional media, is conveyed directly to followers via podcasts and videos, buzzword authenticity.\nWould you like to catch up with the time and integrate influencers or new media formats into your investor relations strategies? Contact us! Together we will create a promising concept to present your company in a modern and personal way and to address new investor groups.\n\nLukas Oftring : ConsultantLukas Oftring gained experience working on investor relations and corporate communications projects after studying biology and ecotoxicology at the University of Bonn, RWTH Aachen and Stockholm University. He has profound knowledge in the field of sustainability due to his previous professional activities in regulatory affairs or registration of environmentally relevant chemicals.<\/div><\/article>Starting a career: small or big companies, which is better?<\/h2><\/div><\/div>As a young professional, you are often faced with the question of whether you want to work for a small or a large company. But which company size is better for starting a career?\u00a0\r\n\r\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann \r\n\r\nWiesbaden, April 29, 2022.\u00a0Due to demographic developments \u2013 and fueled by the COVID 19 crisis \u2013 the labour market has become an employee market in many sectors, so companies have to fight for the best talent. This offers opportunities for career starters, but at the same time the decision for an employer should be well-considered. One important indicator is the size of the company.\r\n\r\nSmall companies: steep learning curve & participation\r\n\r\nIn a small company, you will have significantly more responsibility and thus a broader range of work from the very beginning than in a large company. On the one hand, this is because there are simply not as many individual jobs and different departments as in a large company. On the other hand, due to the flatter hierarchy and direct contact with the board of directors, the communication channels are shorter and the distribution of tasks correspondingly more generous. This guarantees a steep learning curve and also determines the salary development as well. You are more or less in constant exchange with the entire team, gain a lot of working experience and gain insights into all areas of the company. You are involved in projects as a whole and a part of the success. The regular exchange with the board of directors also enables constant feedback and ensures that you can help shape the company and its development.\r\n\r\nThe big disadvantage of a small company is that starting salaries are sometimes lower than in large companies. Stays abroad are possible, e.g. in the form of secondments, but the organization is much more time-consuming compared to larger companies. In addition, the motto \u201ccreate your own job\u201d applies in smaller companies, i.e. more personal initiative and flexibility is required. Therefore, one should also be able to adapt.\r\n\r\nBig companies: fixed structures, lots of politics\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, those who are looking for fixed structures and processes are more likely to find happiness in large companies. Here, entry-level salaries can sometimes be higher and the supposed opportunities for promotion also seem better at first glance. Stays abroad are much easier to organise by changing locations within your own company. Due to the size of the company, there is a clear, often hierarchical structure, which means that you tend to have little contact with colleagues outside your own department. The communication channels are correspondingly large.\r\n\r\nHowever, the predefined career ladder in large companies also ensures that promotions are hotly contested and competition can develop between colleagues (keyword: politics). Therefore, at second glance, the chances of promotion are not better than in small companies. One\u2019s own influence on the company is often marginal and the influence of one\u2019s own performance on a project is often difficult to identify due to the size of the project.\r\n\r\nSmall or large company: which is better?\r\n\r\nFrom our point of view, the advantages of a small company outweigh the disadvantages. Because of the greater responsibility right from the start, you are challenged to find your way around in a broader area. The learning curve is correspondingly large. However, you have to like the required flexibility. Fixed structures and work processes are more common in large companies. The final choice should therefore be well-considered.\r\n\r\nAre you looking for an exciting job in Investor Relations & ESG with a steep learning curve? Feel free to visit our homepage and\u00a0take a look at our vacancies!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board Member\r\nMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.<\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24813,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section admin_label=\"section\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Navigation\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"left\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\"]\r\n\r\n
The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.\r\nRegistration for the next Spring Edition webinars and the after-work event in D\u00fcsseldorf is already open. The exact program will be announced after the event.<\/div><\/article>all about IR 2023<\/h2><\/div>
all about IR 2023<\/h2><\/div><\/div>The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.<\/div><\/article>Influencer \u2013 The new power in IR<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Influencers not only play an immensely important role in the areas of health, fitness and lifestyle, but are now also established players in the financial market. In addition to traditional corporate financial communications, private investors are increasingly using platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, as well as blogs, to find out more about a company. But why does influencer marketing work so well in the financial sector?\u00a0\nby Lukas Oftring\nWiesbaden, June 03, 2022. The year is 2022 and the communication of content in the financial sector has evolved over time. Today, it is not only analysts and experts from financial institutions who make investment recommendations and provide information about companies and their business models, but influencers are also increasingly forming the interface between private investors and the capital market and are playing an important role. In addition to social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, however, podcasts have also become a popular medium for educating oneself and seeking information about investment opportunities.\nInfluencers, who often have no professional financial background, have in some cases built up a large number of followers and thus also influence and are increasingly blurring the original boundaries between investor relations, research and sales.\nInfluencers act as catalysts\nThe influence of influencers is hardly doubted today, and the impact of recommendations for action and critiques from financial influencers has taken on unimagined effects. They serve as part of the investment advisory process. Influencers can thus influence stock prices through postings, as has recently happened increasingly on the Reddit platform, for example with the Gamestop stock, which only multiplied due to the collected activities of private investors.\nApart from such negative examples, influencers basically enable very precise target group targeting through targeted campaigns, which did not exist before. Above all, the group of under-30s, who have discovered the stock market for themselves in recent years, are looking for new ways of obtaining information and are served here in a way that is appropriate to their target group.\nFrom recommendations to warnings to tips and tricks\nFinancial influencers provide private investors with a broad basis of content: from basic explanations of stock market events to detailed company analyses and interviews with insiders to updates on the overall market, everyone can find suitable information depending on their interests and level of knowledge. Thus, access to financial education has never been easier.\nThe demand for expert knowledge and help in dealing with money is particularly strong among young people. It is precisely this expertise that investors are looking for online today in order to make an investment decision. In the process, followers can benefit from the knowledge of influencers; in contrast to conventional media, they are given a much more private approach. For investor relations departments, this opens up new ways to get in touch with investors, to talk about their company in digital formats and to be able to explain concrete facts. The emotional factor, which often falls by the wayside in conventional media, is conveyed directly to followers via podcasts and videos, buzzword authenticity.\nWould you like to catch up with the time and integrate influencers or new media formats into your investor relations strategies? Contact us! Together we will create a promising concept to present your company in a modern and personal way and to address new investor groups.\n\nLukas Oftring : ConsultantLukas Oftring gained experience working on investor relations and corporate communications projects after studying biology and ecotoxicology at the University of Bonn, RWTH Aachen and Stockholm University. He has profound knowledge in the field of sustainability due to his previous professional activities in regulatory affairs or registration of environmentally relevant chemicals.<\/div><\/article>Starting a career: small or big companies, which is better?<\/h2><\/div><\/div>As a young professional, you are often faced with the question of whether you want to work for a small or a large company. But which company size is better for starting a career?\u00a0\r\n\r\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann \r\n\r\nWiesbaden, April 29, 2022.\u00a0Due to demographic developments \u2013 and fueled by the COVID 19 crisis \u2013 the labour market has become an employee market in many sectors, so companies have to fight for the best talent. This offers opportunities for career starters, but at the same time the decision for an employer should be well-considered. One important indicator is the size of the company.\r\n\r\nSmall companies: steep learning curve & participation\r\n\r\nIn a small company, you will have significantly more responsibility and thus a broader range of work from the very beginning than in a large company. On the one hand, this is because there are simply not as many individual jobs and different departments as in a large company. On the other hand, due to the flatter hierarchy and direct contact with the board of directors, the communication channels are shorter and the distribution of tasks correspondingly more generous. This guarantees a steep learning curve and also determines the salary development as well. You are more or less in constant exchange with the entire team, gain a lot of working experience and gain insights into all areas of the company. You are involved in projects as a whole and a part of the success. The regular exchange with the board of directors also enables constant feedback and ensures that you can help shape the company and its development.\r\n\r\nThe big disadvantage of a small company is that starting salaries are sometimes lower than in large companies. Stays abroad are possible, e.g. in the form of secondments, but the organization is much more time-consuming compared to larger companies. In addition, the motto \u201ccreate your own job\u201d applies in smaller companies, i.e. more personal initiative and flexibility is required. Therefore, one should also be able to adapt.\r\n\r\nBig companies: fixed structures, lots of politics\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, those who are looking for fixed structures and processes are more likely to find happiness in large companies. Here, entry-level salaries can sometimes be higher and the supposed opportunities for promotion also seem better at first glance. Stays abroad are much easier to organise by changing locations within your own company. Due to the size of the company, there is a clear, often hierarchical structure, which means that you tend to have little contact with colleagues outside your own department. The communication channels are correspondingly large.\r\n\r\nHowever, the predefined career ladder in large companies also ensures that promotions are hotly contested and competition can develop between colleagues (keyword: politics). Therefore, at second glance, the chances of promotion are not better than in small companies. One\u2019s own influence on the company is often marginal and the influence of one\u2019s own performance on a project is often difficult to identify due to the size of the project.\r\n\r\nSmall or large company: which is better?\r\n\r\nFrom our point of view, the advantages of a small company outweigh the disadvantages. Because of the greater responsibility right from the start, you are challenged to find your way around in a broader area. The learning curve is correspondingly large. However, you have to like the required flexibility. Fixed structures and work processes are more common in large companies. The final choice should therefore be well-considered.\r\n\r\nAre you looking for an exciting job in Investor Relations & ESG with a steep learning curve? Feel free to visit our homepage and\u00a0take a look at our vacancies!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board Member\r\nMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.<\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24813,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section admin_label=\"section\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Navigation\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"left\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\"]\r\n\r\n
The IR Conference 2023 will be a dual conference format this year. Instead of one week, we will hold three events throughout the year in different German cities. We will organize 100% virtual learning sessions and at the end of the first conference day we will meet for a live ESG-event Afterwork Drinks & Networking in a nice location. We will start with our first conference slots on January 23 and 24, 2023. This will be followed by March 28 & 29 and September 13 & 14, 2023.<\/div><\/article>Influencer \u2013 The new power in IR<\/h2><\/div>
Influencer \u2013 The new power in IR<\/h2><\/div><\/div>Influencers not only play an immensely important role in the areas of health, fitness and lifestyle, but are now also established players in the financial market. In addition to traditional corporate financial communications, private investors are increasingly using platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, as well as blogs, to find out more about a company. But why does influencer marketing work so well in the financial sector?\u00a0\nby Lukas Oftring\nWiesbaden, June 03, 2022. The year is 2022 and the communication of content in the financial sector has evolved over time. Today, it is not only analysts and experts from financial institutions who make investment recommendations and provide information about companies and their business models, but influencers are also increasingly forming the interface between private investors and the capital market and are playing an important role. In addition to social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, however, podcasts have also become a popular medium for educating oneself and seeking information about investment opportunities.\nInfluencers, who often have no professional financial background, have in some cases built up a large number of followers and thus also influence and are increasingly blurring the original boundaries between investor relations, research and sales.\nInfluencers act as catalysts\nThe influence of influencers is hardly doubted today, and the impact of recommendations for action and critiques from financial influencers has taken on unimagined effects. They serve as part of the investment advisory process. Influencers can thus influence stock prices through postings, as has recently happened increasingly on the Reddit platform, for example with the Gamestop stock, which only multiplied due to the collected activities of private investors.\nApart from such negative examples, influencers basically enable very precise target group targeting through targeted campaigns, which did not exist before. Above all, the group of under-30s, who have discovered the stock market for themselves in recent years, are looking for new ways of obtaining information and are served here in a way that is appropriate to their target group.\nFrom recommendations to warnings to tips and tricks\nFinancial influencers provide private investors with a broad basis of content: from basic explanations of stock market events to detailed company analyses and interviews with insiders to updates on the overall market, everyone can find suitable information depending on their interests and level of knowledge. Thus, access to financial education has never been easier.\nThe demand for expert knowledge and help in dealing with money is particularly strong among young people. It is precisely this expertise that investors are looking for online today in order to make an investment decision. In the process, followers can benefit from the knowledge of influencers; in contrast to conventional media, they are given a much more private approach. For investor relations departments, this opens up new ways to get in touch with investors, to talk about their company in digital formats and to be able to explain concrete facts. The emotional factor, which often falls by the wayside in conventional media, is conveyed directly to followers via podcasts and videos, buzzword authenticity.\nWould you like to catch up with the time and integrate influencers or new media formats into your investor relations strategies? Contact us! Together we will create a promising concept to present your company in a modern and personal way and to address new investor groups.\n\nLukas Oftring : ConsultantLukas Oftring gained experience working on investor relations and corporate communications projects after studying biology and ecotoxicology at the University of Bonn, RWTH Aachen and Stockholm University. He has profound knowledge in the field of sustainability due to his previous professional activities in regulatory affairs or registration of environmentally relevant chemicals.<\/div><\/article>Starting a career: small or big companies, which is better?<\/h2><\/div><\/div>As a young professional, you are often faced with the question of whether you want to work for a small or a large company. But which company size is better for starting a career?\u00a0\r\n\r\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann \r\n\r\nWiesbaden, April 29, 2022.\u00a0Due to demographic developments \u2013 and fueled by the COVID 19 crisis \u2013 the labour market has become an employee market in many sectors, so companies have to fight for the best talent. This offers opportunities for career starters, but at the same time the decision for an employer should be well-considered. One important indicator is the size of the company.\r\n\r\nSmall companies: steep learning curve & participation\r\n\r\nIn a small company, you will have significantly more responsibility and thus a broader range of work from the very beginning than in a large company. On the one hand, this is because there are simply not as many individual jobs and different departments as in a large company. On the other hand, due to the flatter hierarchy and direct contact with the board of directors, the communication channels are shorter and the distribution of tasks correspondingly more generous. This guarantees a steep learning curve and also determines the salary development as well. You are more or less in constant exchange with the entire team, gain a lot of working experience and gain insights into all areas of the company. You are involved in projects as a whole and a part of the success. The regular exchange with the board of directors also enables constant feedback and ensures that you can help shape the company and its development.\r\n\r\nThe big disadvantage of a small company is that starting salaries are sometimes lower than in large companies. Stays abroad are possible, e.g. in the form of secondments, but the organization is much more time-consuming compared to larger companies. In addition, the motto \u201ccreate your own job\u201d applies in smaller companies, i.e. more personal initiative and flexibility is required. Therefore, one should also be able to adapt.\r\n\r\nBig companies: fixed structures, lots of politics\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, those who are looking for fixed structures and processes are more likely to find happiness in large companies. Here, entry-level salaries can sometimes be higher and the supposed opportunities for promotion also seem better at first glance. Stays abroad are much easier to organise by changing locations within your own company. Due to the size of the company, there is a clear, often hierarchical structure, which means that you tend to have little contact with colleagues outside your own department. The communication channels are correspondingly large.\r\n\r\nHowever, the predefined career ladder in large companies also ensures that promotions are hotly contested and competition can develop between colleagues (keyword: politics). Therefore, at second glance, the chances of promotion are not better than in small companies. One\u2019s own influence on the company is often marginal and the influence of one\u2019s own performance on a project is often difficult to identify due to the size of the project.\r\n\r\nSmall or large company: which is better?\r\n\r\nFrom our point of view, the advantages of a small company outweigh the disadvantages. Because of the greater responsibility right from the start, you are challenged to find your way around in a broader area. The learning curve is correspondingly large. However, you have to like the required flexibility. Fixed structures and work processes are more common in large companies. The final choice should therefore be well-considered.\r\n\r\nAre you looking for an exciting job in Investor Relations & ESG with a steep learning curve? Feel free to visit our homepage and\u00a0take a look at our vacancies!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board Member\r\nMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.<\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24813,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section admin_label=\"section\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Navigation\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"left\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\"]\r\n\r\n
Influencers not only play an immensely important role in the areas of health, fitness and lifestyle, but are now also established players in the financial market. In addition to traditional corporate financial communications, private investors are increasingly using platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, as well as blogs, to find out more about a company. But why does influencer marketing work so well in the financial sector?\u00a0\nby Lukas Oftring\nWiesbaden, June 03, 2022. The year is 2022 and the communication of content in the financial sector has evolved over time. Today, it is not only analysts and experts from financial institutions who make investment recommendations and provide information about companies and their business models, but influencers are also increasingly forming the interface between private investors and the capital market and are playing an important role. In addition to social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, however, podcasts have also become a popular medium for educating oneself and seeking information about investment opportunities.\nInfluencers, who often have no professional financial background, have in some cases built up a large number of followers and thus also influence and are increasingly blurring the original boundaries between investor relations, research and sales.\nInfluencers act as catalysts\nThe influence of influencers is hardly doubted today, and the impact of recommendations for action and critiques from financial influencers has taken on unimagined effects. They serve as part of the investment advisory process. Influencers can thus influence stock prices through postings, as has recently happened increasingly on the Reddit platform, for example with the Gamestop stock, which only multiplied due to the collected activities of private investors.\nApart from such negative examples, influencers basically enable very precise target group targeting through targeted campaigns, which did not exist before. Above all, the group of under-30s, who have discovered the stock market for themselves in recent years, are looking for new ways of obtaining information and are served here in a way that is appropriate to their target group.\nFrom recommendations to warnings to tips and tricks\nFinancial influencers provide private investors with a broad basis of content: from basic explanations of stock market events to detailed company analyses and interviews with insiders to updates on the overall market, everyone can find suitable information depending on their interests and level of knowledge. Thus, access to financial education has never been easier.\nThe demand for expert knowledge and help in dealing with money is particularly strong among young people. It is precisely this expertise that investors are looking for online today in order to make an investment decision. In the process, followers can benefit from the knowledge of influencers; in contrast to conventional media, they are given a much more private approach. For investor relations departments, this opens up new ways to get in touch with investors, to talk about their company in digital formats and to be able to explain concrete facts. The emotional factor, which often falls by the wayside in conventional media, is conveyed directly to followers via podcasts and videos, buzzword authenticity.\nWould you like to catch up with the time and integrate influencers or new media formats into your investor relations strategies? Contact us! Together we will create a promising concept to present your company in a modern and personal way and to address new investor groups.\n\nLukas Oftring : ConsultantLukas Oftring gained experience working on investor relations and corporate communications projects after studying biology and ecotoxicology at the University of Bonn, RWTH Aachen and Stockholm University. He has profound knowledge in the field of sustainability due to his previous professional activities in regulatory affairs or registration of environmentally relevant chemicals.<\/div><\/article>Starting a career: small or big companies, which is better?<\/h2><\/div>
Starting a career: small or big companies, which is better?<\/h2><\/div><\/div>As a young professional, you are often faced with the question of whether you want to work for a small or a large company. But which company size is better for starting a career?\u00a0\r\n\r\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann \r\n\r\nWiesbaden, April 29, 2022.\u00a0Due to demographic developments \u2013 and fueled by the COVID 19 crisis \u2013 the labour market has become an employee market in many sectors, so companies have to fight for the best talent. This offers opportunities for career starters, but at the same time the decision for an employer should be well-considered. One important indicator is the size of the company.\r\n\r\nSmall companies: steep learning curve & participation\r\n\r\nIn a small company, you will have significantly more responsibility and thus a broader range of work from the very beginning than in a large company. On the one hand, this is because there are simply not as many individual jobs and different departments as in a large company. On the other hand, due to the flatter hierarchy and direct contact with the board of directors, the communication channels are shorter and the distribution of tasks correspondingly more generous. This guarantees a steep learning curve and also determines the salary development as well. You are more or less in constant exchange with the entire team, gain a lot of working experience and gain insights into all areas of the company. You are involved in projects as a whole and a part of the success. The regular exchange with the board of directors also enables constant feedback and ensures that you can help shape the company and its development.\r\n\r\nThe big disadvantage of a small company is that starting salaries are sometimes lower than in large companies. Stays abroad are possible, e.g. in the form of secondments, but the organization is much more time-consuming compared to larger companies. In addition, the motto \u201ccreate your own job\u201d applies in smaller companies, i.e. more personal initiative and flexibility is required. Therefore, one should also be able to adapt.\r\n\r\nBig companies: fixed structures, lots of politics\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, those who are looking for fixed structures and processes are more likely to find happiness in large companies. Here, entry-level salaries can sometimes be higher and the supposed opportunities for promotion also seem better at first glance. Stays abroad are much easier to organise by changing locations within your own company. Due to the size of the company, there is a clear, often hierarchical structure, which means that you tend to have little contact with colleagues outside your own department. The communication channels are correspondingly large.\r\n\r\nHowever, the predefined career ladder in large companies also ensures that promotions are hotly contested and competition can develop between colleagues (keyword: politics). Therefore, at second glance, the chances of promotion are not better than in small companies. One\u2019s own influence on the company is often marginal and the influence of one\u2019s own performance on a project is often difficult to identify due to the size of the project.\r\n\r\nSmall or large company: which is better?\r\n\r\nFrom our point of view, the advantages of a small company outweigh the disadvantages. Because of the greater responsibility right from the start, you are challenged to find your way around in a broader area. The learning curve is correspondingly large. However, you have to like the required flexibility. Fixed structures and work processes are more common in large companies. The final choice should therefore be well-considered.\r\n\r\nAre you looking for an exciting job in Investor Relations & ESG with a steep learning curve? Feel free to visit our homepage and\u00a0take a look at our vacancies!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board Member\r\nMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.<\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24813,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section admin_label=\"section\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Navigation\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"left\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\"]\r\n\r\n
As a young professional, you are often faced with the question of whether you want to work for a small or a large company. But which company size is better for starting a career?\u00a0\r\n\r\nby\u00a0Michael Diegelmann \r\n\r\nWiesbaden, April 29, 2022.\u00a0Due to demographic developments \u2013 and fueled by the COVID 19 crisis \u2013 the labour market has become an employee market in many sectors, so companies have to fight for the best talent. This offers opportunities for career starters, but at the same time the decision for an employer should be well-considered. One important indicator is the size of the company.\r\n\r\nSmall companies: steep learning curve & participation\r\n\r\nIn a small company, you will have significantly more responsibility and thus a broader range of work from the very beginning than in a large company. On the one hand, this is because there are simply not as many individual jobs and different departments as in a large company. On the other hand, due to the flatter hierarchy and direct contact with the board of directors, the communication channels are shorter and the distribution of tasks correspondingly more generous. This guarantees a steep learning curve and also determines the salary development as well. You are more or less in constant exchange with the entire team, gain a lot of working experience and gain insights into all areas of the company. You are involved in projects as a whole and a part of the success. The regular exchange with the board of directors also enables constant feedback and ensures that you can help shape the company and its development.\r\n\r\nThe big disadvantage of a small company is that starting salaries are sometimes lower than in large companies. Stays abroad are possible, e.g. in the form of secondments, but the organization is much more time-consuming compared to larger companies. In addition, the motto \u201ccreate your own job\u201d applies in smaller companies, i.e. more personal initiative and flexibility is required. Therefore, one should also be able to adapt.\r\n\r\nBig companies: fixed structures, lots of politics\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, those who are looking for fixed structures and processes are more likely to find happiness in large companies. Here, entry-level salaries can sometimes be higher and the supposed opportunities for promotion also seem better at first glance. Stays abroad are much easier to organise by changing locations within your own company. Due to the size of the company, there is a clear, often hierarchical structure, which means that you tend to have little contact with colleagues outside your own department. The communication channels are correspondingly large.\r\n\r\nHowever, the predefined career ladder in large companies also ensures that promotions are hotly contested and competition can develop between colleagues (keyword: politics). Therefore, at second glance, the chances of promotion are not better than in small companies. One\u2019s own influence on the company is often marginal and the influence of one\u2019s own performance on a project is often difficult to identify due to the size of the project.\r\n\r\nSmall or large company: which is better?\r\n\r\nFrom our point of view, the advantages of a small company outweigh the disadvantages. Because of the greater responsibility right from the start, you are challenged to find your way around in a broader area. The learning curve is correspondingly large. However, you have to like the required flexibility. Fixed structures and work processes are more common in large companies. The final choice should therefore be well-considered.\r\n\r\nAre you looking for an exciting job in Investor Relations & ESG with a steep learning curve? Feel free to visit our homepage and\u00a0take a look at our vacancies!\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMichael Diegelmann:\u00a0Founder and Board Member\r\nMichael Diegelmann has gained experience in over 150 communication projects (IPOs, investor relations, ESG, M&A, crisis) and has been working in the field of capital market communication since 1997. He is the author of 16 book publications relevant to the capital market and was previously project manager at an international consultancy and a Frankfurt brokerage house.<\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24813,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"[et_pb_section admin_label=\"section\"][et_pb_row admin_label=\"row\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\"][et_pb_text admin_label=\"Navigation\" background_layout=\"light\" text_orientation=\"left\" use_border_color=\"off\" border_color=\"#ffffff\" border_style=\"solid\"]\r\n\r\n