We conduct extensive due diligence for acquisition targets.

Our briefing at the start of the project is either conducted in person (preferably) or online. It takes about 2-3 hours to scope out the project and its objectives.

We engage our senior team in every engagement with a minimum of 15 years in ESG matters. Our senior team remains engaged throughout the entire project.

The ETHIC Intelligence® team uses the Speeki® Engage™ methodology to tackle the project and decide the best way forward based on the budget, the timing and the objectives.

The ETHIC Intelligence® team builds a project plan that could be a mixture of headquarter interviews, regional meetings, audits of specific areas, policy and procedure reviews and assessments, with on the ground research. For a global company, it will most likely mean a multi-country engagement based on risk and their operations and where we need to focus to get the data needed to form a true assessment of risk.

Delivery wise, the ETHIC Intelligence® ESG Due Diligence can be up and running in a day, and depending on the delivery needs can be completed in a few weeks to a month. This is a fraction of the time that most companies have for an acquisition 'due diligence' and can easily fit within a window of time.

Our team will price the due diligence up front and build a comprehensive set of deliverables at a set price. All Speeki engagements include all fees and expenses relating to travel. We offer a fixed price solution with a detailed set of deliverables. Most of our engagements are likely to be in excess of USD 50,000 and several much higher.

Our ESG due diligence looks at ESG through 19 key risk areas. This is not just limited to public information but a deep engagement with the target company and a review of their policies, procedures, operations and also interviews. We validate their input through targeted audits.

Speeki expects that our work is an integral part of the decision-making process as to whether to acquire or not. We don't provide 'tick the box' efforts.

Other providers use a one-line email that kicks off the project and rarely gives any detail on objectives, scope of areas of focus.

Other providers delegate the project to a resource in the Philippines, India, Poland or Malaysia. Rarely would you know who they are, what they do or their skillsets. Talking to them is virtually impossible.

Other providers use a cookie-cutter template and a fixed price that rarely considers the objectives and has a set amount of time calculated based on the price charged.

Other providers follow a standard due diligence template that looks at company registry information (which is normally publicly available), media research (that shows very little in most cases), sanctions checks (which for ESG issues is mostly irrelevant) and occasionally a site visit (which is often a Google maps check of one location). Rarely would they look beyond the 'main company' that they were asked to look at.

Most other providers are barely able to do a basic company check in 14 business days, which almost never involves assessments, audits, onsite work or serious interviews. The basic level of their product and the time taken to deliver the product are totally out of sync. The cookie cutter delivery is comparitively slow.

Other providers will have set price for a set product. While this gives you some certainty, it is cookie cutter and is likely to be information you already know or could be learned with an internet search. Most providers charge USD3,500-5,000 for what is simple public research.
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Other providers will not look at the depth of issues covered in the Speeki ESG model. They will look at some basic anti-corruption elements, maybe some modern-day slavery disclosures and sanctions. Totally insufficient for a proper ESG due diligence.

Other providers are there to 'tick a box' and justify some 'due diligence' was done.