ESG has smashed its way into the mainstream, and with global climate initiatives gathering the support of governments across the world, sustainability is the word of the day. Are ESG investments a response to a strong sustainability-oriented market or has the term become a catch-all phrase, used to greenwash products? When marketing in a saturated environment where everyone is offering ESG-related products, how can you diversity your campaigns and differentiate your ESG products against those of your competitors?

The uptake of the term ESG has increased noticeably, but recently has generated increasing confusion, scepticism, and in some parts of the world outright hostility. Different global jurisdictions have differing definitions of ESG, and therefore have varying critiques and concerns to address. With no agreed global definition, has ESG become too broad a label, running the risk of pleasing no one? When marketing ESG, should marketeers continue to do so as a global concept or is now the time to localise efforts and ground ESG marketing in local definitions and understanding of the term?

Any organisation can claim to take ESG into consideration, but can they prove it? A great many businesses claim ESG credentials, but recent accusations of greenwashing and misleading claims have eroded public trust in the concept and the ability of current sustainability metrics. With current methodologies and metrics seen as weak and unreliable, has ESG’s lack of measurable progress exposed the term as a new vulnerability for marketers? As companies look to support the movement of assets towards sustainability, has ESG gained a reputation as a charlatan’s tool: Easy to claim, but difficult to prove or disprove?

What role do marketeers have to play when it comes to ESG? With terms such as greenwashing being thrown about, brands need to be able to prove that they are being authentic in their ESG communications – so what does this look like for marketers and how can they lead the agenda on ESG? For our final session, we’ll be hearing from members of our previous panels on the relationship between marketers, ESG, and what this looks like in relation to brand authenticity and the alignment of investor beliefs to their investment choices.