Episode Overview

In this episode, TGS Global's Andrew sits down with Matthieu Gregory, head of Econos a global sustainability consultancy and long-standing TGS partner to explain why now the right moment for accounting and advisory firms to build sustainability services into their offering.

TGS members are already better placed than they think 

Matthieu explains that the competencies required for ESG advisory, maturity assessments, financial risk analysis, stakeholder reporting, are things TGS member firms do every day. The barrier isn't capability; it's confidence and having the right partner to take that first step alongside you.

What the Omnibus update means for your clients 

The EU's Omnibus reform has simplified the CSRD's reporting requirements and extended deadlines for wave two companies to financial year 2027. Crucially, wave three requirements mean non-EU groups with turnover above €450 million in Europe are also legally required to report — opening up ESG work globally, not just in the EU. A recent example: a Chinese company approached Econos through its Romanian subsidiary for CSRD compliance support.

The real opportunity: beyond compliance 

A striking insight from Matthieu: 70% of Econos clients pursue ESG work not because the law requires it, but for two business-driven reasons: supply chain compliance (larger clients requiring SME suppliers to report) and sustainable finance (banks increasingly seeking sustainable projects to finance, offering better terms to businesses that can demonstrate ESG credentials). This is where the high-margin advisory work lives.

Is ESG profitable for accounting firms? 

Matthieu is  direct: legal compliance work tends to be competitive and lower margin. The real revenue opportunity is in sustainable finance advisory, helping clients access better financing by bridging the gap between what banks need and what clients can demonstrate. Revenue models include fixed consulting fees, success fees, and bank partnership arrangements where member firms are engaged to serve the bank's own clients.

Where to start on Monday morning? 

Carbon accounting. It's the foundation of all ESG work and for firms that already do accounting, the logic is identical. Instead of calculating taxes from financial data, you're calculating carbon footprint. TGS members have access to specialised tools and an online academy built with Ikonos to get up to speed in a matter of days.

Real examples from the TGS network

Ulugbek (TGS member in Uzbekistan) is already tracking IFRS S1/S2 developments with Econos. Mikhail and his team in Indonesia are actively working on a proposal for a client under local IFRS sustainability standards. The opportunities are live, right now, across the network.

Get in Touch 

If you'd like to explore whether ESG advisory is right for your firm, contact TGS directly and we'll connect you with Mathieu.

info@tgs-global.com

www.tgs-global.com

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Register for our other TGS events on TGSU:
https://tgs-global.com/tgs-u/

Contact Andrew Directly:
andrewmenzies@tgs-global.com

Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmenzies/

TGS Website
https://tgs-global.com/