ESG Development – as complex as it sounds?

Is ESG Development really as complex as it sounds?

Over the past few decades, our planet has witnessed a lot of difficulties. Excessive plastic usage, greenhouse gas emissions, reckless burning of fossil fuels, exploitation of human resources and other unsustainable practices have created these difficulties and the consequences that have followed are apparent enough to leave no room for debate on this matter.

So as the global temperatures continue to rise, discussions on mitigating this climate change rise alongside. Thankfully many government officials and welfare organizations have come forward to discuss these issues and initiate sustainability-based programs, with a notable example being that of ESG.

In this article we will be talking about ESG in detail, starting with a general discussion of the principles it works on and progressing towards the complexities that may arise when developing an effective ESG strategy. All in all, it’s a must-read for those looking to develop a strong ESG strategy for their business.

What is ESG Development?

Environmental, social, and corporate governance is referred to as a theoretical approach that is used to evaluate the extent to which a particular business or company works to fulfill social and environmental goals that extend beyond the scope of basic roles a business has to play.

The main aim behind the creation of ESG Development is to bring about more social peace in societies. In an attempt to balance out the consequences of the pandemic, the ongoing climate crisis, social instability, and supply chain issues many company leaders, investors, and policymakers have joined hands to develop refined models of ESG. They are striving to incorporate ESG strategies in business models across the globe.

However, even today there is a lot of ambiguity circulating about this topic. Many people believe that developing an ESG strategy for their business would be quite complex but is that true? The answer, though subjective, is no. Developing an effective ESG strategy can be complicated. There are several things to keep in mind, you have to always stay on track and remain updated but with the correct execution and a determined sustainability-oriented mindset, it is possible to develop an ESG strategy.

Mentioned below are a few problems you can encounter when designing an ESG strategy for your business.

• Encountering System issues that are beyond your immediate control. These can require a lot of your time and energy in the form of research, learning from trial and error, etc
• Striking the right balance between long-term value creation and short-term financial requirements. This can be problematic especially in times of economic insecurity, a prime example being the global pandemic
• Ensuring that ESG is as meaningful to your employees as it is for you because executing the right ESG plan requires hard work and determination which can not be achieved if the incentive is not strong enough
• Finding the right organizations to partner with. At times your business might have to collaborate with competitors to enter the value chain!

There are however multiple ways in which you can make this experience much easier for yourself.

Mentioned below are a few tips that will help you navigate your way here with greater ease!

1. Get everyone involved

As mentioned above, despite the spread of knowledge and awareness there are still a lot of things that confuse people about ESG so you must get everyone involved and explain relevant information to them. Confusion is the enemy of fast progress so you need to stay away from this. Also, work towards inculcating the right morals in the people who work for you. Make sure that the beliefs regarding ESG are clean and that they understand it is not simply a marketing tool that can generate profits but an initiative that can leave a long-lasting impact when executed correctly.

2. Prioritize what’s important

Prioritizing what’s important for you as a business is incredibly important and will keep you on track. Remember trying to do a lot of things at a time will just end up in you not being able to do anything effectively. Also, make sure to communicate these priorities very clearly to your employees and stakeholders. You need to ensure that people understand all the ambitions that you carry and the areas where you are focusing most so that they can follow. The thing about creating a priority plan is that it will help you create a proper roadmap through which you can see areas where you excel or lack.

3. Gather expertise

Delivering an ESG impact can take a lot of time and effort so make sure that you have the right expertise at hand to accelerate the process. Find someone who is not just dedicated to the cause but is also equipped with the correct tools to help transform your business model based on relevant ESG strategies. ESG has a cross-functional nature which implies that it is only natural to face a lot of barriers. This is usually because of competing priorities. To overcome them, having a dedicated governance structure is essential.

4. Operationalize your ESG Development into a strategy

Operationalizing your ESG strategy is perhaps the most crucial step that you can take to execute your ESG strategies in an effective manner. It is recommended to take a people-centered approach to accelerate the transformation of your ESG goals into a true ESG impact.

Designing an ESG strategy for your business is not just a great thing to do in terms of fulfilling CSR, but also has a lot of benefits accompanied with it. Some of these are summarized below:

• Allows you to build a good brand image, attracting more customers
• Will help you recruit better staff that carries strong moral principles
• Will allow business survival in the long term because many experts have predicted that sustainable practices will become mandatory in the future

We hope that this article has proven to be resourceful, helping you navigate your way in this journey in a much better way.

Good luck with all your sustainable ventures! The environment and its people are proud of you for acting responsibly.