14 May, 2021

ESG catalysts: how consumers can change corporations

Some companies encounter obstacles to full integration of ESG principles. It may be that consumers have more power than they imagine to change corporate behaviours for the better.

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It is a cold December morning in Paris. A group of concerned investors is gathered in a conference room with a beautiful view. We are all there to discuss environmental, social and governance matters (ESG). I am seated behind a lady who is the face of ESG for a large investment firm. The first thing I notice is that she is surrounded by a cloud of perfume that smells like a brand notorious for animal testing. Draped around her chair is a stylish and expensive-looking coat, which is lined with real fur. As I am trying to wrap my head around this, she reaches for a handbag which carries the label of a company known for unfair labour condi

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ESG ratings, ESG reporting, IIRC, non-financial reporting, risk management, shareholder engagement, Stephanie Mooij, UN SDGs