Demystifying the three letters of ESG

In the face of climate disruption, inequality, and growing public mistrust in institutions, the principles of ESG are more relevant than ever.

The climate doesn’t care about political trends. Social unrest doesn’t disappear because someone calls it “woke”. Governance lapses don’t stop costing billions just because the rules were relaxed.

Despite the recent backlash from populist leaders like Donald Trump and his followers in the business world, ESG – Environmental, Social and Governance – remains a vital framework for guiding corporate responsibility, long-term risk management, and sustainability.

The question is not whether ESG is fashionable. The question is whether our businesses are fit for the future. Because the businesses that thrive will be those that align with the needs of people and planet – not just shareholders.

Three speeches – and how to use them

We have created three speeches to cut through the jargon and speak directly to CEOs and executive leaders. One video for each of the three pillars: E, S and G. They’re short, bold, and speak to the heart of what’s at stake – and what’s possible.

Each speech is a call to action. Not just to tick boxes or publish another report, but to make decisions that matter. They’re designed to spark discussion in boardrooms, at leadership seminars, strategy offsites, or corporate training days. They can be shown as conversation-starters – or as standalone thought pieces.

Use them wherever bold thinking is needed. Because these messages are not just about compliance. They’re about culture, courage, and legacy.

🎥 The three videos

Part 1: About the “E” in ESG

► Video 1: My call to CEOs about the “E” in ESG

A direct address to business leaders about the urgency of the climate crisis – and the role of CEOs in leading the energy transition. This is not about future targets. It’s about immediate action. Fossil fuels are the past. Renewable, efficient, electrified systems are the future – and business leaders hold the levers to scale that future, now. [Transcript]

. . .

Part 2: About the “S” in ESG

► Video 2: My call to CEOs about the “S” in ESG

This video challenges the idea that “social” means soft. The ‘S’ is about people – workers, communities, supply chains – and the trust that underpins every business. It asks: are we building fair and dignified systems, or just extracting value? Ethics can’t be outsourced. This is where leadership becomes human. [Transcript]

. . .

► Video 3: My call to CEOs about the “G” in ESG

Governance is often misunderstood as just policies and procedures. But it’s about how decisions get made – and whether your organisation can adapt, align and respond in a rapidly changing world. This video reframes governance as a living system, rooted in trust and purpose. [Transcript]

🎧 The podcast episodes – going deeper

► Episode 12: Demystifying the “E” in ESG

In this episode, we dig into what the ‘E’ really means in practical terms for business. It’s not just carbon accounting or reporting – it’s a shift in mindset. We discuss the risks of inaction, the scale of the energy transition, and the concrete steps companies can take to electrify, decarbonise, and build resilience into their operations. This is about aligning business models with planetary boundaries – and doing it in a way that makes strategic sense. [Transcript]

. . .

► Episode 13: Demystifying the “S” in ESG

How do we treat people across our supply chains, our offices, our stakeholder relationships? This conversation explores the ‘S’ in ESG as the connective tissue of trust in business. From fair wages to inclusion, from human rights to community impact – we unpack how these issues are showing up globally and why they can no longer be sidelined. A must-listen for leaders who want to move from token gestures to meaningful action. [Transcript]

. . .

► Episode 14: Demystifying the “G” in ESG

In this final episode of the ESG series, we explore the deep structure of business: governance. We challenge traditional models of top-down control and explore how governance can become adaptive, decentralised and principle-driven. With real-life examples and practical insights, this episode will change the way you think about power, trust and decision-making in your organisation. [Transcript]

Where to next?

If you’re ready to bring ESG alive in your workplace – not just as a reporting tool, but as a source of purpose and advantage – we invite you to explore more.

Here are some recommended resources and further reading:

You’re also welcome to share the videos and podcasts at your next boardroom session, offsite or team event.

Because ESG is not about three letters. It’s about the future we choose to create – together.

~ Alan, Cherry and Mik

TRANSCRIPTS

My call to CEOs – about the E in ESG

Thank you for taking the time to listen. I know your schedules are packed. You run businesses, you make decisions that shape industries, and many of you have been hearing about climate change for decades. Perhaps you’ve even taken steps to address it. But let me make one thing crystal clear. We are out of time for half measures.

For nearly four decades, scientists have warned that human-caused climate change was accelerating. Every major prediction has come true, faster and with greater severity than expected. And yet year after year we have failed to course correct at the speed science demands.

I am not here to tell you that you alone can stop climate change. But I am here to tell you that as business leaders you hold more power than most governments. While policy makers argue and delay, industries act. The choices you make, what energy you buy, what materials you source, what supply chains you build, send ripples through the entire economy. Right now we are at a turning point. The window for limiting global warming to a livable level is closing. 2024 marked the first year in human history that global temperatures temporarily exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This is no longer a distant warning, it is our present reality.

And as we have seen, that means more extreme weather, supply chain disruptions, food insecurity and economic instability, threats that will not only harm people but your businesses as well. But here’s the good news. We know exactly what to do. We need to phase out fossil fuels quickly. That means electrifying everything possible, sourcing power from renewables, investing in efficiency and pushing for carbon pricing policies that make polluters pay for the damage they cause.

And yes, that means rethinking business models. Not in 10 years. Not in 5. Now. I know this is not easy. Change never is. But let me be blunt. If your industry continues to rely on fossil fuels, if net zero remains a distant goal instead of an immediate priority, you are betting against the future. You are betting against your own children and grandchildren. There is no time for greenwashing. No time for empty commitments. You are decision makers.

So decide, will you be part of the problem or part of the solution? The next decade will define what kind of world we leave behind. Be on the right side of history.

. . .

My call to CEOs – about the S in ESG

Thank you for taking the time to listen. I know you’re busy. Leading teams, driving strategy, managing complexity. We’ve talked about the S in ESG before. You might have written some soft kind words about it in your company’s latest CSR or ESG report. But let me be clear. The S in ESG is not soft. It’s not an afterthought. It is the foundation of trust, of resilience, of your license to operate. Because here’s the truth. Businesses do not exist in a vacuum.

Every company is embedded in a social fabric made up of workers, customers, suppliers and communities. And that fabric is fraying. We live in an era of polarisation, inequality, dislocation and mistrust. Around the world, people are questioning whether the system still works for them. Whether business still serves just shareholders and disregards everything else. If we as leaders don’t address that head on, then we are not just risking reputational damage for our company.

We are actually at risk of social collapse at a global scale. I am not here to suggest you can fix everything, but I am here to tell you that every business decision you make, how you treat your workers, how you pay your people, how you engage with your suppliers and community, it all matters. Social responsibility is not charity, it’s a strategy. Treat your employees fairly and you build loyalty, innovation and lasting retention. Invest in your communities and you create stable markets and sustainable growth.

Prioritise diversity and inclusion and you unlock talent and resilience your competitors are missing. And let’s not pretend this is just an issue in the Western world. The global supply chains we depend on, from minerals to manufacturing to food, are often built on human suffering. Forced labor, child labor, unsafe conditions, these are not distant problems. They are embedded in the products we profit from. And silence is complicity.

So the question becomes what kind of leaders do we want to be? The ones who look away? Or the ones who take responsibility? Who is accountable for the decisions and choices we’ve made? We cannot outsource ethics. We cannot defer values to a compliance department. Social impact is a boardroom issue, a leadership issue, your issue. And here’s the opportunity. Business can be the most powerful force for good in the world.

We can raise standards, empower workers and lift communities. Not someday, not hypothetically, but today through the decisions we make. So this is my challenge to you. Look beyond quarterly results. Ask what kind of society your business is helping to create. Will your legacy be extraction or contribution, exploitation or dignity? Because the world is watching, employees are watching, customers are watching, and the next generation of talent is making values-based choices.

So ask yourself not just are we successful, but are we just, are we human? Are we proud of how we treat people? The S in ESG is about people and there is no sustainable future without them. on the right side of history.

. . .

My call to CEOs – about the G in ESG

Thank you for taking the time to listen. I know you’re busy. You’re steering organisations through turbulent times, making decisions that carry weight far beyond your boardroom. We’ve spoken about the E. We’ve spoken about the S. But today, let’s talk about the G in ESG – Governance – and why it’s far more than a checklist or a compliance box.

Let me be clear. Governance is not just about minutes and manuals. It’s not about control for control’s sake. It’s about decision-making. And decision-making is everything. Every risk you navigate, every opportunity you seize, every value you claim to uphold – it all comes down to the quality of the decisions made across your organisation.

Most people see governance as a process. A structure. A hierarchy. But that mindset is part of the problem. Because rigid governance systems often collapse under pressure. They don’t adapt. They don’t breathe. The future belongs to organisations that can flex, move, and respond – not with chaos, but with coherence.

And that’s why I want you to imagine governance differently. Not as rules from the top, but as alignment across the system. Think of a murmuration of starlings – thousands of birds, no single leader, moving in perfect synchrony. Each bird responds to its seven closest neighbours, creating a living, breathing system that is agile, adaptive, and beautiful.

That is what governance could be. That is what governance must become.

Because the greatest risk to your business is not disruption, not competition – it’s rigidity. It’s the inability to change. And let’s be honest: most companies are still trapped in outdated governance models built for a different century. Models that silo responsibility. That kill innovation. That treat compliance as the end goal instead of a baseline.

We need to shift. From hierarchy to purpose. From control to compassion. From tick-boxes to trust.

Governance done right builds culture. It creates psychological safety. It empowers your people to make better decisions at every level. And yes, governance is where your values become real – not in your brochures, but in the lived experience of your employees, your partners, your stakeholders.

And here’s what we’ve learned from the data: the single biggest driver of high-quality decisions – the kind that build resilient, ethical, thriving companies – is compassion. Not process. Not policy. Compassion. For others. For yourself.

Because humans don’t take cues from distant leaders or codes of conduct. We take them from each other. From the people we trust. The people closest to us. Just like those birds in flight.

So here is my challenge to you. Stop thinking of governance as a burden. Start seeing it as the opportunity it truly is – to rewire your organisation around purpose, around people, and around principles that scale. Make it visible. Make it living. Make it your competitive edge.

Because when governance is alive, your company becomes alive. And when governance is beautiful, your business becomes part of something much bigger than itself.

So decide – will your legacy be brittle and outdated, or adaptive and aligned with the future?

Because the world is watching. Employees are watching. Investors are watching. And the next generation is asking: are you building institutions worth inheriting?

Implementing ESG – truly embedding it into the DNA of your company – can feel daunting. It takes time. It takes courage. It means rewiring old systems and letting go of comfortable habits. But here’s the truth: the return is real. Strong governance doesn’t just build trust – it builds better strategy, smarter decisions, and long-term resilience. It protects your company’s future while contributing to the planet’s future.

So yes, it takes effort. But it’s worth it. For your people. For your business. For our shared home.

And without any doubt – this is why you, and we, will be on the right side of history.