This document provides an overview of a workshop on using materiality matrices to assess the economic, social, and environmental concerns of a company and its stakeholders. The workshop involves researching a selected organization and creating a materiality matrix to identify and prioritize the most important sustainability issues. Participants will research a company, identify stakeholders and their concerns, and plot material issues on a matrix based on importance to both the organization and stakeholders. The materiality matrix is a useful tool for companies to establish sustainability priorities and support business cases.

1. Sustainability
Workshop: The Business Case for
Sustainability: Advantages and Challenges
Topic Number: 3

2. 2
Key topics / learning outcomes
of this Workshop
• Carry out research as to a company’s
economic, social and environmental concerns
and they stakeholders.
• Develop practical understanding of how
organisations prioritise triple bottom line
concerns through the creation of a materiality
matrix.

3. 3
Overview
This workshop involves researching an
organisation of your choice and creating a
materiality matrix for the management of their
sustainability.

4. 4
Recap
• A Materiality Matrix is tool that helps
prioritise topics that have a direct or indirect
impact on the organisation’s ability to create,
preserve or erode economic, environmental
and social value for itself, its stakeholders and
society at large.

5. 5
Materiality Matrix Task
• In your groups, take 30 minutes research the following about
your organisation:
– What does the company do? What industry does it belong to?
– What are the most important issues to the company and the
business?
– How does the organisation define sustainability?
– Who is affected by the organisation’s actions? Who are their
stakeholders?
– What are their stakeholders’ main concerns (actual and
perceived)?
– Are there any environmental/social issues that could sink the
company or cause a threat?

6. 6
Materiality Matrix Task
• Once you have researched your organisation, draw a
materiality matrix on paper provided and plot the various
issues and concerns of your organisation and its stakeholders
in accordance with how material/important they are to both
parties.
• What are the most material/important issues are to your
organisation and why?

7. 7
Summary
• The Materiality Matrix is a useful tool especially for those
starting their sustainability journeys in priorities causes and
concerns for the organisations.
• Using this method can also help support a business case for
sustainability

8. Next session
We will be looking at the frameworks and
concepts organisations use to implement and
measure sustainability.

9. End of Workshop
Note: This recording is for your
personal use only and not for further
distribution or wider review.
© Pearson College 2013