Mapping the ESG Landscape: Complexities, Complications and Considerations

The Industrial Revolution was the catalyst for not only unprecedented scientific development, but also the onset of considerable CO2 emissions. Cumulative greenhouse gases emissions over the last couple of centuries have led us into a time where the world needs to focus on a wide and growing array of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues. ESG concerns are central to the larger Sustainable Finance movement itself which has become mainstream in recent years.

THREE PILLARS TO A BETTER WORLD

The global industry currently recognizes three pillars that constitute ESG as a set of metrics. These are the array of criteria that help measure and decide what falls within the sustainability universe for businesses.

• Environmental factors include carbon emissions, efficient use of water and energy, waste management practices, and other items related to climate change
• Social factors focus on how a business impacts & interacts with society. Key social factors are supply chain and product responsibilities, human rights issues, labor laws, etc.
• Governance factors include shareholder rights, the corporate board of directors including gender equality/representation, and the company’s compensation policies

To read the entire article, please download the PDF below.