Corporate leaders face conflicting signals on the need for environmental, social, and governance reporting. A predictable backlash against ESG investing has arrived, with right wing politicians attacking ESG investors for promoting what they see as a “woke” agenda, and the SEC cracking down on “ESG-washing” by asset managers.
ESG Reports Aren’t a Replacement for Real Sustainability
Five strategies for embedding sustainability into your business — and making it a competitive advantage.
July 27, 2022
Yaroslav Danylchenko/Stocksy
Summary.
Many corporate leaders are growing frustrated that their ESG efforts are not being rewarded in capital markets. But that’s because they are focusing on reporting more than on doing sustainability. Can companies embed sustainability and make it a source of competitive advantage? Yes, but only if they make it part of strategy. To do that they should undertake SWOT analyses through a sustainability lens, look specifically for material ESG issues that are resulting in risks and opportunities for the company, and then undertake and track return on sustainable investment, setting benchmarks and tracking financial performance over time.