Does ESG have a future?

Yes. The acronym faces political resistance, particularly in the US, but the regulatory trajectory is clear.

Mandatory sustainability disclosures are expanding under CSRD, ISSB and national frameworks like the UK SRS. These are legal obligations, not voluntary commitments.

ESG is moving out of standalone sustainability teams and into finance, risk and data functions. Climate risk modelling, carbon accounting and regulatory compliance are becoming core operational capabilities.

The future lies in better measurement - material risks quantified with auditable data, not headline scores or narrative reporting. Companies that embed sustainability into procurement, operations and capital allocation gain measurable advantages in cost reduction, access to capital and supply chain resilience.

The organisations that treat ESG as a filing exercise will find themselves behind those using it to run a stronger business.