In this episode of Tried and Tested, host Isabelle Gonthier, PhD, ICE-CCP speaks with Matthew Barrell, Environmental, Social, and Governance Manager at PSI, about ESG, social value, and the future of assessment. Based in the UK, Matthew leads PSI’s ESG program, overseeing sustainability strategy, carbon reduction initiatives, and social value delivery while working across the business to embed sustainability into operations, decision-making, and client services.

As ESG expectations continue to grow across assessment and credentialing, Matthew explains why sustainability is no longer just about environmental impact or corporate initiatives. The conversation explores social value, accessibility, public procurement, candidate experience, delivery networks, community impact, environmental responsibility, governance, and why meaningful ESG work must move beyond compliance to become part of how organizations operate every day.

What you’ll learn:

• Why ESG is becoming more important across assessment, credentialing, and public sector work
• How the conversation has expanded beyond environmental sustainability to include social value
• Why assessment itself can create social impact through access to education, licensure, employment, and mobility
• What it means to design candidate experiences that are not just compliant, but genuinely inclusive
• How delivery networks, suppliers, and local partners can support social and economic impact
• Where assessment organizations can reduce environmental impact across test centers, travel, energy use, and operations
• Why data, reporting, accountability, and governance are essential to making ESG commitments meaningful
• How leaders can embed sustainability into the business instead of treating it as a standalone initiative

Who should listen:

• Assessment and credentialing leaders thinking about ESG and social value
• Certification and licensure organizations responding to public sector and procurement expectations
• Operations and delivery teams managing test centers, partners, suppliers, or candidate experience
• Accessibility and accommodations teams focused on inclusive testing experiences
• ESG, sustainability, and social impact professionals working in assessment or education
• Business leaders looking to connect sustainability goals with day-to-day operations
• Organizations trying to move from ESG commitments to measurable impact