Client Spotlight: Belong To LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland

Crowe is pleased to have supported Belong To in developing its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Strategy, marking a significant milestone as it becomes the first LGBTQ+ charity in Ireland to formally report their impacts on issues such as climate change, human rights and corruption in line with recognised ESG standards. This achievement sets a precedent within the sector and reflects Belong To’s ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability and positive social impact.

As Ireland’s leading LGBTQ+ youth charity, Belong To has long been dedicated to creating a society where young LGBTQ+ people feel accepted, safe and valued. Known for its strong governance and continuous focus on social change, the organisation has consistently championed inclusion and equality since its founding in 2003. The ESG Strategy builds on that foundation to ensure the charity’s work meets the highest standards. It covers areas such as environmental responsibility, community engagement, and collaboration with stakeholders.

Crowe worked closely with Belong To as it developed its strategy, ensuring the final document was tailored to reflect the charity’s mission, values and ambitions. The result is a framework that not only strengthens Belong To’s impact today but also positions them to lead by example in the years ahead.

Moninne Griffith, CEO of Belong To, reflected on the collaboration: “We at Belong To LGBTQ+ Ireland are incredibly grateful for the consultancy services provided by Crowe Ireland in developing our ESG strategy. The team at Crowe Ireland was exceptionally positive and supportive throughout the entire process. Their expertise and guidance made what could have been a complex and daunting task feel straightforward and manageable. We truly appreciate their dedication and the ease with which they facilitated our journey towards a more sustainable and socially responsible future.”

The collaboration

Belong To recognised the importance of embedding sustainability into every aspect of its work and chose to develop an ESG strategy that would provide a clear framework for its work into the future. The charity’s aim was to build on the strong foundations they had already established in social impact and ethical governance, while ensuring that environmental responsibility considerations were equally prioritised.

From the start, Crowe’s Consulting team designed our work as a close collaboration with Belong To. We worked to establish and train Belong To’s dedicated Green Team, an internal group with a mandate to champion sustainability at the charity. Through a series of interactive workshops, we co-designed goals and outcomes that were both ambitious and achievable, ensuring that Belong To’s values and day-to-day realities would be reflected in the strategy.

The partnership extended well beyond the Green Team. We engaged directly with young people involved in Belong To’s programmes, as well as staff members, volunteers and funders, to capture a wide range of perspectives. A comprehensive survey was conducted to give everyone a voice in shaping the strategy, creating a sense of shared ownership.

This co-creation approach meant the ESG strategy was not simply written for Belong To, but built with them, reflecting their mission, amplifying their impact, and positioning the charity as a leader in sustainability and governance.

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

The ESG strategy developed for Belong To has been aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), an internationally recognised independent framework for sustainability reporting. We chose this framework as it provides organisations with a structured set of standards and disclosures that make it possible for organisations to measure, understand and communicate their environmental, social and governance impacts in a way that is transparent, consistent and accountable.

For Belong To, choosing to adopt the GRI framework was important, as it ensures that Belong To’s reporting is both comprehensive and comparable with international best practice. This ensures that its commitments and achievements can be understood in a broader context. Another benefit of using an established framework is that the credibility of the charity’s own work is strengthened, and that it is apparent to staff, volunteers, funders and the wider community that the charity is committed to operating at the highest level of responsibility and integrity.

By following this framework, Belong To can track its progress and share results in a way that builds trust and confidence among stakeholders. It also provides a foundation for continuous improvement, ensuring that the charity’s impact across social, environmental and organisational areas remains visible, measurable and meaningful.

Looking ahead

With its ESG strategy now in place, Belong To is well-positioned to build on its reputation as a leader in social impact and governance, while also extending that leadership into sustainability. The framework provides a clear roadmap for future success, ensuring that environmental responsibility, community engagement and stakeholder trust remain central to their work.

The next stage of the work around the strategy will focus on implementation and embedding the strategy across the organisation. This includes ongoing monitoring of progress, regular reporting in line with the GRI framework and a commitment to continuous improvement in the face of emerging challenges and opportunities. By staying dynamic and responsive, Belong To can keep its impact both meaningful and measurable over time.

Summary

Crowe congratulates Belong To on the landmark achievement of adopting its ESG strategy. This sets an example of leadership, integrity and innovation within the sector, and highlights Belong To’s commitment to sustainability, governance and social impact.

At Crowe, we are proud to have partnered with Belong To on their ESG strategy journey and look forward to seeing the charity progress against the goals set and embed its ESG practices into its day-to-day operations.

If your organisation is considering how best to approach ESG or would like to explore how a tailored project could strengthen your impact, we would be delighted to share our expertise and collaborate with you. For further guidance, please contact us at [email protected].