Continuing the conversation around ESG: progress over perfection
Written by Caitlin Roxburgh
Last week we discussed the use of language in communicating values. This week we’d like to zoom out from the minutia and impress the importance of progress over perfection.
As ESG becomes a necessity for professional services firms, the temptation to outperform competitors and cement yourself at the top comes with its own risks. Accusations of greenwashing and virtue signalling are rife amongst organisations that want to cast themselves in a good light without having done the work.
To avoid these pitfalls, your firm must set realistic goals and be honest when it’s unable to meet them. That kind of integrity commands the respect of both clients and employees as they can follow your journey to becoming a responsible business and appreciate the effort you are putting towards the achievement of your goals.
Honest, all-encompassing and joined up communication to clients and employees will reinforce your firm’s authenticity. As will backing up your achievements with data. This means constant assessment, data gathering and reporting.
Treating the process of forming ESG values like any other corporate exercise can help (e.g., selecting and implementing a CRM system): it’s a prolonged effort in which the journey itself must be documented and celebrated in order to maintain excitement and embed values.
“Tie your sustainability story to your company’s purpose, ground it. You don’t have to save the world but you have to commit. Have a plan and report progress toward the goals.”
– Adrian Darnell, Forbes
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