EDGE Certification: From Workplace Values to Measurable Business Impact

In this episode, David Muil, VP of Sustainability at Intertek, sits down with Elma Christian, Global Business Development Director at Intertek, to unpack how workplace equity and inclusion are evolving from aspirational values into a strategic, measurable business advantage.

The discussion explores EDGE Certification, one of the world’s leading standards for workplace equity and inclusion, and why organizations are increasingly viewing it as a strategic investment with clear ROI rather than a compliance or communications exercise. Listeners will gain insights into how EDGE uses data, third-party verification, and KPIs to drive measurable progress, reduce talent and governance risks, strengthen ESG credibility, and enhance long-term business resilience.

A practical conversation for leaders, sustainability professionals, and board-level stakeholders looking to understand how equity, inclusion, and sustainability intersect—and how EDGE helps turn intention into impact.

Speakers:

• David Muil, VP of Sustainability at Intertek
• Elma Christian, Global Business Development Director at Intertek

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Transcript

David Muil | Intertek | 0:05
Welcome to the podcast. I'm your host, David Muil, VP of Sustainability at Intertek. And today we're exploring how workplace equity and inclusion are starting to evolve in the world in which we operate.

Going from values and conversations into a strategic, measurable business advantage, that's what we're starting to see. More specifically, we're going to talk about a program called EDGE Certification.

EDGE Certification is one of the world's leading standards for workplace equity and inclusion, and why more organizations are seeing it not as a nice to have anymore, but really as a strategic investment with a clear return on investment. To help me unpack this today, I'm joined by Alma Christian, Global Business Development Director at Intertek, who has worked with many organizations across multiple sectors on inclusion, governance and performance transformation. Thanks for joining us, Elma. Great to have you here.

Elma Christian | Intertek | 1:17
Thanks, David. No, I'm so glad we're having this conversation. And you know, it's, it really is an important one because it's becoming more urgent for a lot of companies we work with, especially as expectations around inclusion, you know, transparency and incredible sustainability commitments, you know, continue to rise.

David Muil | Intertek | 1:38
Perfect. OK, well, let's start with the basics, because I'm sure a lot of our listeners, EDGE might be new, right? So we often hear the word EDGE Certification and think it's a DEI label or a communications exercise. You help me understand and help the audience understand a little bit better what EDGE is really about.

Elma Christian | Intertek | 2:03
Yes, of course. And you know, David, it's a common misconception because now EDGE is not a communication label or a PR model. Let's make that clear. You know what it is, is a rigorous, it's a third party verified standard that looks at, you know, how an organization actually hires, pays, promotes and supports its people, so it has a clear focus on building fair and inclusive systems.

It also evaluates key areas, you know, like pay equity, you know, recruitment and promotion, leadership development, flexible work and culture. And what it does, it uses quantitative data, look at policy reviews and employee feedback to build a full picture.

So, you know, we've seen organizations walk in thinking, hey, you know, we're doing pretty well. And what they're living with sometimes is a whole new level of insight into where their systems are unintentionally excluding people. And that moment of clarity is really powerful, you know, because it turns inclusion into something you can measure, you can manage and improve.

David Muil | Intertek | 3:16
Interesting. Measure, manage and improve. That's the core of a lot of the management systems we work with, and obviously EDGE is no exception. So it's not based on good intentions, it's actually based on strong objective evidence, correct?

Elma Christian | Intertek | 3:34
Exactly, David. And that's why EDGE resonates, you know, with boards and investors and regulators. You, as you said, you can't improve what you can't measure and EDGE really gives you that lens, you know that it gives you the KPIs and the action plan. So organizations can move from intention to outcomes. So that's the key, right? That's what makes it really, really, you know, well adopted and resonates well with organizations.

David Muil | Intertek | 4:10
OK, great. Oh, that's clear. So thanks for that, Elma. Alright, so let's talk about something really important and the ROI or the return on investment because the first thing key stakeholders, leaders usually ask is how does this affect? Talent and ultimately the bottom line. Can you comment on that for me?

Elma Christian | Intertek | 4:33
Yes, you know, and 1st you're absolutely right. We hear this all the time and this is where EDGE delivers, you know, that immediate value because organizations, what we've seen is that organizations that pursue EDGE typically see these key, you know, outcomes: lower voluntary turnover, higher engagement scores. They see stronger leadership pipelines, but also reduce costs. You know that stems from rehiring and retraining talent. So for example, you know, replacing a professional employee can cost you anywhere between 50 to 200% of their annual salary. EDGE helps organizations identify and remove systemic barriers, you know, that drive people out. So especially when you look at, you know, high-performing women and underrepresented talent, for example.

David Muil | Intertek | 5:26
That's very interesting. So I think the key here for leadership is the statement on direct cost savings. So there is in fact a direct cost savings by implementing and maintaining a program such as this.

Elma Christian | Intertek | 5:44
Absolutely, David. You know, you can think of EDGE as a risk reduction tool for your human capital. It's really that's, you know, how you could define it when people perceive fairness, whether it's pay, you know, opportunity psychological safety and flexibility, they tend to stay longer and perform better. And what that does, it really directly translates into higher productivity. You see more stable teams, you see better leadership continuity. And these really are real financial outcomes.

David Muil | Intertek | 6:21
Terrific. Thanks for the clarification on that. OK, let's now shift to risk and governance. And the reason I'd like to shift into this discussion, this is where board members and investors tend to really perk up and lean in and try and understand so. Can you talk a little bit about risk and governance as it applies to EDGE?

Elma Christian | Intertek | 6:46
You're absolutely right, David. You know, and that's especially true now because organizations are really under, you know, more pressure to prove that their equity and inclusion claims, you know, are validated and it can stand behind. And it's not longer enough to, you know, just have a statement in the annual report.

We've seen in some regions, you know, things like pay transparency laws are already in effect and ESG ratings agencies are, they're also getting sharper, you know, and regulators are starting to ask, hey, can you verify what you're saying? So EDGE provides third party assurance, that's the layer, you know, that stands up to that scrutiny and it's like an audit, you know, of your internal equity and inclusion practices. So you can, you know, back up your commitments with that evidence and so more importantly, you know, many clients pursue EDGE, you know, because they're deliberately committing to sustainability and they want credibility with both internal, you know, and external stakeholders, whether it's their employees, you know, their leadership teams, their customer, you know, investors or their partners.

David Muil | Intertek | 7:55
Interesting. So it it's really not just about improving performance that you would have with a lot of standards. It's ialso about protecting the organization #1 and strengthening the trust within levels within the organization itself.

Elma Christian | Intertek | 8:12
Yeah, exactly. That's right. You know, it really moves you from reactive compliance to proactive assurance. That's the key. And that's what boards and investors are increasingly looking for, you know, that we see and we've seen, you know, many of our clients and organizations that are going through this process, you know, have been facing as well.

David Muil | Intertek | 8:38
Terrific. Thank you, Elma. That's, I mean, that's great comments on risk and governance. OK. So let's kind of switch gears a little bit and let's talk about external value. We've talked about the internal value. So how does EDGE play out in terms of brand and market access and awareness?

Elma Christian | Intertek | 9:00
Yeah, that's a very, that's a good question, an interesting one, you know, because what we're seeing is that more companies are actually paying attention to this and are waking up to it. So in global supply chains, but also you know, in many public sectors and you know, enterprise bids.

Well, what we're seeing is that equity and inclusion credentials are increasing, increasingly becoming qualifiers, you know, so some procurement teams now ask, hey, are you certified? What's your pay equity, you know, audit status? And so EDGE helps companies signal to customers, to their partners and even governments, you know, they take inclusion seriously. It's not, you know, they're managing it professionally. They're not just making statements about it.

And here's another trend that we're seeing, and this is particularly true with European organizations. They feel encouraged to pursue EDGE not only for culture and talent, but because of sustainability reporting requirements. And EDGE becomes, you know, a meaningful anchor for organizations with their sustainability reporting because it gives them credible KPIs, right? Going back to what we said, you can't improve what you can't measure. It's the measurable progress and a clear set of actions that support gender equality and broader inclusion.

In fact, you know, some clients have explicitly quoted their certification in their annual sustainability reports, you know, which says a lot, you know, about how they're using it. As you said earlier, right, it's not just about a batch, but really it's a credibility marker.

David Muil | Intertek | 10:43
Yeah, interesting. So really in a competitive environment, then EDGE becomes of course part of the trust equation, but even more important now it's becoming part of the sustainability narrative that they post in and get credit for. So very critical to keep that in mind, the linkage between sustainability.

Elma Christian | Intertek | 11:06
100% agree. You know, it really builds the credibility where it matters it and it goes both internally and externally. So you know, very, very important.

David Muil | Intertek | 11:16
Terrific. OK, so now the big, the big elephant in the room that everybody always wants to know about. Let's talk a little bit about and address a practical question, the most practical one that comes out of any type of these programs. Is EDGE worth the investment?

Elma Christian | Intertek | 11:37
Yeah, that's another common question. And you know, it is a fair question and we do hear it a lot. But when you compare the cost of EDGE Certification, you know, to just one high impact risk, let's say senior leader, you know, leaving your organization lost bid or a failed ESG rating. That return on investment really becomes very clear. And remember, you know we said EDGE isn't a one and done badge, it is a maturity model. So you got a baseline, you see how you improve year over year and then you integrate that progress into your broader business and sustainability strategy. So that's, you know, the value beyond just that immediate return on investment and organizations. Actually what we hear organizations that approach EDGE strategically almost always say we wish we had done this earlier.

David Muil | Intertek | 12:33
Yes, we've heard that many times. A good lesson learned from previous initiatives. On that point, Elma, any closing thoughts, any takeaway points for leaders to think about?

Elma Christian | Intertek | 12:48
Yes, yes. So equity, you know, inclusion are not cost centers. So as you said, you know, this is one question that's, you know, very commonly asked it, what it is, it really is a strategic lever. You know, when you think about it and the organizations that treat them that way are already seeing the payoffs.

As we said, talent retention, stakeholder credibility and a long-term resilience because it is a maturity model and if you are pursuing sustainability, seriously, you can't separate that E from the S and from how people experience your workplace. So EDGE helps them make that real. You know, measurable, verifiable, and actionable.

David Muil | Intertek | 13:31
Perfect. Well, I couldn't think of a better place to end this discussion. And thanks for joining us, Elma, and thank you to our listeners. And if you'd like to learn more about how EDGE Certification creates value or where you stand relative to the requirements, give us a call, stay tuned, and we'll have some subsequent episodes coming up to take this a step further because it's such a key and important topic. Thank you, Elma.