After a decade of expansion, ESG as a framework to measure a company’s societal impact is undergoing a rethink. While ESG compliance and reporting have advanced transparency, the proliferation of metrics and competing priorities have made it harder for leaders to align business success with societal goals. At the same time, issues from disease and childhood malnutrition to climate change and inclusive growth are as pressing as ever. We are at an inflection point.
The session featured an overview of the findings and a discussion with report authors Sven Smit, Kevin Russell, and Clarisse Magnin.
Questions discussed included:
- How can companies leverage innovation, technology, and cross-sector collaboration to build a business case that aligns with societal impact?
- How do business opportunities for addressing societal issues vary by sector, region, and type of company?
- What limitations do companies have in resolving societal issues?
- How might executives think about the business cases that could make a difference on societal issues?
For more on this topic, please watch the virtual event replay and read our report, Beyond ESG: From checklists to capabilities.