GroundWorks partners with organisations that bring genuine expertise — not just credentials. Our partnership with HLB CBS Group South Africa gives every client direct access to internationally certified ESG advisory, carbon accounting, and Vision 2030-aligned sustainability reporting.
An independent member of HLB International — a top 10 global advisory network — HLB CBS Group South Africa specialises in ESG advisory, corporate governance, sustainability reporting, and enterprise risk management, with direct experience in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
HLB CBS Group's engagement leader, Dr Christopher Whittle, holds a PhD in Public Management & Governance, is a GRI Certified Sustainability Professional, and has held CEO and Executive Director roles in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. He is the Global Lead for HLB ESG Advisory with engagements across Africa and the Middle East.
For Saudi Arabia's construction and FM sector, they bring direct in-market experience — giga-project requirements, NCEC compliance, Wage Protection System obligations, Nitaqat/Saudization targets, and alignment with the Saudi Green Initiative.
Regulators, project developers, and financiers across KSA are now requiring credible ESG performance from contractors and FM firms. This is no longer advisory — it is a commercial prerequisite.
NEOM, Red Sea Project, Diriyah, and Qiddiya require structured ESG credentials from contractors and subcontractors. Without a formal baseline, firms risk exclusion from pre-qualification shortlists entirely.
Saudi banks, Islamic finance institutions, and DFIs including SIDF are applying ESG criteria to credit and project finance decisions. A credible ESG baseline expands your financing options.
National targets for net-zero by 2060, 50% renewable energy, and a 278 million tonne carbon reduction make ESG compliance central to doing business in KSA going forward.
International firms entering Saudi Arabia through joint ventures require local partners to meet minimum ESG and governance standards before partnership agreements can be executed.
HLB CBS Group's approach moves your organisation from informal practices to credible, audit-ready ESG performance — in a structured, phased sequence. Click a pillar to explore.
Strengthening internal structures, policies, and skills to embed ESG accountability and enable effective, measurable implementation across your entire organisation.
Strong governance credibility — positioning your firm for giga-project pre-qualification and JV partner due diligence.
Integrating ESG into your business strategy to identify risks, unlock opportunities, and support informed decision-making aligned with your growth goals in Saudi Arabia.
Long-term value creation — ESG risks on your risk register, strategic opportunities identified, and credible stakeholder responses ready.
Measuring, verifying, and disclosing emissions data to ensure accuracy, compliance, and credible sustainability reporting for clients, regulators, and financiers.
Transparent, credible, audit-ready reporting — directly usable in giga-project tenders, client pre-qualification, and JV partner submissions.
From governance frameworks to carbon accounting — HLB CBS Group covers every dimension of ESG advisory, tailored for Saudi Arabia's construction and FM sector. Click any service to expand.
A centralised ESG data management system that eliminates manual reporting, consolidates sustainability data, and delivers audit-ready outputs — purpose-built for construction and FM firms at scale.
Simplified, reliable ESG reporting with enhanced visibility, accuracy, and decision-making capability — without the overhead of building an internal reporting team.
Every engagement is led by credentialled practitioners with real-world ESG delivery experience across the Middle East and Africa — not junior consultants reading from a playbook.
PhD Public Management & Governance. GRI Certified Sustainability Professional. Former CEO and Executive Director in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Global Lead for HLB ESG Advisory. 19+ years delivering ESG and governance engagements across Africa and the Middle East — including the UAE, Malawi, and Mauritius.
✉ christopherw@hlb-cbsgroup.com30+ years of global experience across the insurance and risk sectors. Academic Lead for ESG and Risk Management at the University of Cambridge. Author of a leading publication on climate risk management. Specialises in climate scenario analysis, risk governance, and practical ESG risk frameworks for strategic resilience.
Chartered Accountant with 16+ years in financial reporting, audit, and sustainability advisory — including a decade with KPMG in Chile and London. Specialises in IFRS S1/S2 readiness, climate risk assessments, transition planning, and sustainability disclosures for multinational organisations.
GroundWorks and HLB CBS Group offer a structured, two-phase foundational ESG engagement — 30 KPIs baselined, 10 policies developed, and a giga-project-ready credentials pack — all delivered in 8 to 12 weeks. Get ahead of the requirement before your next tender.