EMG Group

What EMG Group does

EMG Group is a specialist ESG, CSR, and sustainability advisory firm founded in 2004 and headquartered in Amsterdam, with a research center in Cambridge and operational presence in Dubai. The firm serves governmental bodies, private sector corporations, and non-profits worldwide, with a particular focus on the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Its core offering is a portfolio of roughly 25 advisory services spanning ESG reporting (including first-time report creation, optimization, materiality assessments, GHG Scope 1/2/3 carbon footprinting, and assurance), impact assessment, ESG ratings improvement, strategy development, supply chain transparency, risk management, and capacity building. EMG also offers specialized fractional CSO engagements, pre-IPO ESG roadmaps, and ESG due diligence for M&A transactions. In 2015 the firm founded the Islamic Reporting Initiative (IRI), an independent nonprofit that created the world's first international ESG reporting standard based on Islamic values; IRI has members in more than 50 countries and holds Observer status at UNEP and participant status in the UN Global Compact.

The firm operates a professional services revenue model with quote-based, multi-year contract engagements tailored to client needs, delivered through consultative enterprise field sales. Its go-to-market blends direct advisory engagement with thought leadership, including keynote speaking at major conferences (CSR Dubai, Turkey Sustainable Business Summit, Ethical Business Summit London), academic publications with Columbia University Press, Hurst, and NATO/Springer, and peer-review work for the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and University of Leeds. The customer base spans petrochemicals, banking, and healthcare sectors in the private segment, alongside national CSR policy work for governments and capability-building for non-profits and Zakat foundations. EMG's competitive position rests on its first-mover IRI Standard, UN Global Marketplace vendor registration at the highest level, and 20+ years of accumulated credibility in OIC markets.

EMG is privately held with no disclosed external institutional investment, is led by founder/CEO Daan Elffers, and is governed by an Advisory Board chaired by Prince Pieter-Christiaan van Oranje-Nassau with former Danish Environment Minister Ida Auken among its members. The firm has won multiple international awards including the 2023 3G Championship Award for ESG Reporting and a 2025 Summit International Award for best green publication.

Name

EMG Group

Legal name

EMG Group BV

Website

https://emg-csr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

ESG and Sustainability Advisory Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainability & ESG Reporting (GRI/SASB/ISSB/CSRD) (EUAHAJAB), ESG Data Platforms, Controls & Audit Readiness (Data quality, internal controls) (EUAHAJAN), ESG Governance, Sustainability Reporting & Assurance Advisory (BPAHAFAJ), Stakeholder Engagement & ESG Governance (Policies, KPIs, incentives) (EUAHAJAJ), ESG/Sustainable Investment Advisory (FSAEAAAJ)

Keywords

• ESG advisory services
• Sustainability consulting
• CSR strategy
• ESG reporting
• Carbon footprint consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. ESG Advisory and Consulting Services: EMG generates revenue through providing expert advisory services in ESG, CSR, and sustainability to governmental bodies, private sector organizations, and non-profits worldwide. Services include strategy development, implementation support, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability consulting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EMG Group is a specialist advisory firm providing ESG, CSR, and sustainability consulting services to governmental bodies, private sector organizations, and non-profits worldwide. The firm delivers services across three main areas: ESG Reporting (first-time and optimized reports), Impact Assessment, and ESG Rating improvement, including specialized offerings such as sustainability training, supply chain transparency, ESG risk assessment, and Fractional CSO services. The firm also operates the Islamic Reporting Initiative (IRI), the world's first international reporting standard for ESG based on Islamic values.

Product overview

EMG Group is a specialist advisory firm for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and strategic sustainability, offering a comprehensive suite of ESG and sustainability consulting services. Founded in the Netherlands in 2004, the firm provides services across three main categories: ESG Reporting (including creating first ESG reports and optimizing existing reports), Impact Assessment, and Improving ESG Ratings. The portfolio includes specialized services such as Sustainability Training, Supply Chain Transparency Assessment, ESG Risk Assessment, and Fractional CSO services. The firm also operates the Islamic Reporting Initiative (IRI), an independent non-profit organization launched in 2015 that created the world's first ESG reporting standard based on Islamic values and principles. EMG's services are delivered to governments, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations worldwide, with particular expertise in OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) member states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Islamic Reporting Initiative (IRI): The world's first international reporting standard for ESG based on Islamic values and principles, founded by EMG in 2015 as an independent nonprofit organization.

Products and services

• ESG Reporting Service

Quantifiable outcome

• A leading European flooring company EMG worked with was recognized by the World Economic Forum for social and environmental excellence while increasing EBIT from less than 1% to 9% in 5 years during the global financial crisis of 2008-2009.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UN Global CompactcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015EMG's Islamic Reporting Initiative is a participant of the UN Global Compact, aligning ESG reporting frameworks with UN principles and supporting the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIslamic Reporting Initiative holds Observer status to the UNEP governing body, providing input on environmental policy and sustainability frameworks.
• Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOIC has been a strong supporter of IRI since its founding in 2015. OIC is the second-largest intergovernmental organization after the UN with 57 member states representing over 1.6 billion Muslims. OIC commends IRI's efforts in promoting economic, social and environmental prosperity in a culturally relevant manner.
• World Economic Forum Circular Economy TaskforceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMG has been a Guest Member of the World Economic Forum Circular Economy Taskforce, contributing expertise on circular economy and resource management.
• Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMG became the world's first sustainability & CSR firm with Certified Cradle to Cradle consultants in 2008. They undertook stakeholder assessment and analysis for the first Impact Study, peer reviewed by representatives from Delft, Yale and Oxford Universities. EMG serves as certified trainers for Cradle to Cradle assessment.
• Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMG was appointed to IEMA's Strategic Advisory Council. EMG frequently reviews documents intended for governmental and organizational use including Skills for a Sustainable Economy document and the Graduate Standard. IEMA is the world's largest membership organization for sustainability professionals with more than 15,000 members worldwide.
• WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMG has held advisory roles with WRAP's 'Resource Revolution' initiative, contributing to resource efficiency and circular economy discussions.
• University of LeedsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMG is a project partner with University of Leeds' resource program, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. EMG has also worked on projects in cooperation with the university.
• British University in DubaiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMG was invited as guest speaker addressing PhD in Project Management students on sustainable development driving innovation. EMG's shared experience was described as inspiring and thought provoking.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Direct peers

• Arabesque: Arabesque combines ESG data analytics with Islamic finance (S-Ray), operating at the intersection of Shariah-compliant finance and sustainability — the same niche EMG targets via the IRI Standard, making it a direct functional peer in Islamic-ESG advisory.
• BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): BSR is a sustainability advisory nonprofit working with corporations on ESG strategy, reporting, and supply chain — a direct competitor to EMG's enterprise ESG advisory practice, particularly for global multinationals and NGO partnerships.
• ISS ESG: ISS ESG provides ESG ratings, research, and advisory to investors and corporates. EMG has hosted ISS ESG leadership interviews and helps clients improve ISS ESG ratings, positioning ISS as both a content partner and a peer for ESG rating-improvement engagements.

Broad incumbents

• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): ERM is one of the largest global pure-play sustainability consultancies, offering ESG strategy, reporting, and assurance to enterprises and governments. It competes broadly with EMG's full suite of services, particularly for large multinational clients EMG also targets.
• KPMG Sustainability Services: KPMG's global sustainability practice delivers ESG advisory, reporting assurance, and climate strategy to large corporates and governments, directly competing with EMG's enterprise ESG reporting and assurance offerings, including in MENA where KPMG is expanding.
• Sustainalytics: Sustainalytics is a major ESG ratings, research, and analytics provider acquired by Morningstar. EMG actively benchmarks against and supports clients' Sustainalytics ratings, making it both a market participant EMG interfaces with and a competitor for ESG analytics work.
• Deloitte Sustainability: Deloitte's Sustainability & Climate practice delivers end-to-end ESG advisory, assurance, and managed services globally — a major incumbent competing with EMG for large enterprise ESG mandates and government advisory work in MENA.
• S&P Global ESG Research: S&P Global's ESG Research arm (including the former SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment) provides ESG ratings, indices, and analytics. EMG's ESG rating improvement services directly target S&P CSA and similar benchmarks, making it a key competitor for rating-improvement engagements.
• Accenture Sustainability Services: Accenture Sustainability delivers large-scale ESG strategy, technology, and transformation services to global enterprises and governments. Its scale and Gulf-region presence make it a meaningful competitor to EMG for enterprise ESG transformation mandates, particularly in Saudi Arabia.

Emerging players

• AAOIFI (Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions): AAOIFI develops Shariah-based accounting, auditing, and governance standards for Islamic finance. While focused on financial institutions rather than ESG broadly, it overlaps with IRI in setting Islamic-values-aligned standards, making it an adjacent peer in the Islamic standards ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EMGCSR
• Facebookfacebook.com/csr.sustainability
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emg-csr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EMG Group