By now it should be clear that a lot of things need to change if we want to avoid a climate emergency and all the downstream effects it will bring with it. And since these downstream effects will also affect businesses, the responsibility to take action lies on everyone’s shoulders. Governments and institutions are rolling out more and more regulations for sustainability measures such as the CSRD by the European Commission, and organisations are required to implement these. This is often easier said than done.

At Esker, we embarked on an ESG journey a few years ago and have, in the meantime, implemented several policies to reduce our carbon footprint. One factor remained difficult to gauge, however: the supplier side. In France, for example Esker requests its suppliers to sign a Code of Conduct, which addresses the main ESG aspects such as corruption, fair labour practices and environmental considerations. For our own ESG performance data, however, it was challenging to quantify the impact the procurement side of our operations had.

Since we’re not alone in this dilemma, we decided to make it easier to track a supplier’s ESG performance indicators, not just for ourselves, but also for our customers. Esker Supplier Management now displays risk rating panes that indicate downgraded or upgraded ESG scores, which allows you to verify that ESG standards are met before engaging with a new supplier. It also enables continuous tracking of the ESG score in real time, so that you can rest assured that your supply chain meets the defined standards.

Starting in 2024, the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires mandatory reporting of ESG metrics for a number of European businesses. To prepare for these requirements, Esker developed AI-supported capabilities that extract energy consumption from utility bills and travel expenses. This feature will make meeting the reporting requirements much easier.

The recent Forrester report “The Environmental Sustainability Procurement Technology Landscape, Q3 2023” gives clarifying insights into how to work with vendors of solutions that are meant to track an organisation’s carbon footprint. We are excited to be mentioned as a Notable Vendor. The features in Esker Supplier Management assist in reducing the complexity of ESG reporting and in managing compliance with ESG regulations, of which many more are expected to be implemented in the near future. We are happy to be considered part of the solution for the huge challenge that humanity is facing.

Feel free to contact us! We’d be happy to discuss all things ESG with you, and help you figure out how Esker can help.

Catherine Dupuy-Holdich

Catherine has been with Esker for 20 years. As Source-to-Pay Product Manager, she is the market and business expert of all things S2P. She is responsible for overseeing the development of Esker’s S2P suite, including product strategy and vision. Catherine works closely with R&D, sales, marketing and support to ensure customer satisfaction.

Read more insights from Catherine Dupuy-Holdich

If you like travelling, you’ve very likely had to do the groundwork of figuring out where you want to go and what to do once you’re there. So, you’ve chosen a city you want to visit, but now you need to decide on where to stay, what to eat and see? If the travel section in shops is any indication, chances are you’ll buy a book that has all the information you need to make an informed decision about all of those choices.

Choosing the perfect match for your accounts payable (AP) digital transformation is not much different: you’ll want to get information compiled by people that know the landscape and have tried out and evaluated many of the choices.

There are many options on the market, with little explanation of what to look for in a solution, how to prepare for the transition, or what the right questions are to ask the solution providers. No wonder many businesses do not even know where to start. Luckily, there’s Forrester, a leading IT research firm that has evaluated a number of accounts payable invoice automation (APIA) solution providers.

Forrester’s recent report is recommended reading for finance and tech executives, as it provides an overview of a variety of AP automation providers on the market. The goal is to help you understand the value you should expect from automating the AP process, and will help you select the best fit based on size, geographical coverage and functionalities.

When considering potential vendors, Forrester invites you to “weigh the appropriate combination of AP invoice automation functionality, linkage to related applications that you need, and whether the vendor targets the size of your company, your geography, and your industry¹.”

Esker is honoured to be mentioned in the Forrester Now Tech: AP Invoice Automation, Q4 2021 report. Esker believes this recognition reflects our efforts to provide an efficient and valuable solution that enables companies to grow while engaging employees and building greater collaboration and trust with suppliers.

Our solution allows businesses to alleviate the pains of manual AP invoice processing, powered by AI-driven data capture, automated processes and streamlined workflows — helping companies save time and money while building business resilience.

Consult the Forrester website for more details about the report and contact Esker so we can learn more about your needs and show you why Esker is the perfect match for your AP digital transformation.

Safe travels!

1. Now Tech: AP Invoice Automation, Q4 2021, Forrester Research, Inc., October 4th, 2021.

Catherine Dupuy-Holdich

Catherine has been with Esker for 20 years. As Source-to-Pay Product Manager, she is the market and business expert of all things S2P. She is responsible for overseeing the development of Esker’s S2P suite, including product strategy and vision. Catherine works closely with R&D, sales, marketing and support to ensure customer satisfaction.

Read more insights from Catherine Dupuy-Holdich