Sustainability - Thematic Research

Sustainability - Thematic Research

Summary

Sustainability used to be just about saving the planet. Today it has morphed into an umbrella term for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.

While some companies are making concerted efforts to improve their ESG performance across many areas, others are simply paying lip service to the concept of sustainable profits.

Momentum is on the side of the sustainability movement. Citizens, governments, regulators, and the media are turning the spotlight on corporations and demanding action. Social inequality, corruption, tax avoidance, and a lack of action on climate change are all issues that companies must now address head-on, in full public view.

The reluctance of many CEOs to fully engage with sustainability can be attributed to the age-old view that it will hurt profits. However, the evidence in this report suggests the opposite. Companies that embrace all three elements of sustainability will outperform their peers. CEOs that are too slow to improve their company’s approach to sustainability will see an exodus of customers and a drop in profits far sooner than they ever imagined.

Scope

• This report provides an overview of sustainability, the most important theme for 2020.
• It includes a comprehensive sustainability framework, covering environment, social and governence factors, to help CEOs identify all potential sustainability risks and implement mitigating actions that can improve their company’s ESG performance.
• It highlights some of the leading ESG rating agencies and ESG consultancies that can help CEOs measure and improve their ESG performance.

Reasons to buy

• In 2020, sustainability will be the most important theme discussed in corporate boardrooms worldwide.
• Over the coming decade, it will transform the way that business is conducted. Customers, voters, and politicians will demand greater action is taken on environmental, social, and governance issues.
• Companies that take sustainability seriously now will be better placed to succeed in the future.
• This reports sets out a framework for sustainability that CEOs can use to identify their sustainability risks and understand mitigating actions that can improve their sustainability performance.