Investors and shareholders give more importance to companies’ social and environmental governance principles (ESGs). This has led to the formation of networks where CEOs are tenets of the network.
The corporate world is quite complex. However, they ensure that international relations among the companies work upon a framework that ensures sustainable production. They even look at the human right policy to make sure that the companies are good for the people working there.
So, what are the ESG standards? Is it worth it for the companies pursuing them voluntarily? Let’s find out.
Environmental And Social Governance principle’s (ESGs) Framework
The ESGs framework is divided into three separate parts, and each part takes care of individual responsibilities.
- The United Nations Global Compact
The United Nations Global Compact is the largest cooperative sustainability in the world. The United Nations launched this initiative in 2000. The compact agreement is the policy arrangement that elucidates 10 major principles in the areas of human rights, environment, corruption, and labor. Companies can use this compact to develop their sustainability strategies.
The United Nations Global Compact comprises more than 9500 companies of every scale. This compact is also associated with thousands of associations, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and some cities.
Every member of the UN compact pledges to follow the principles of their daily life and work culture. They even communicate among themselves every year to keep their stakeholders updated. You can know more about the compact from Douglas Healy.
- The Equator Principle
The Equator Principle guidelines are yet another set of rules that help the financial institution with risk management. This set of principles help companies to assess and manage various projects. It also sees through any projects’ future potential and social peril.
The Equator principle can be applicable to just any industry. It can offer a minimum standard of human rights environmental protection by carefully monitoring large scale projects and their impact on our lives.
The Equator Principle was formally introduced in Washington, D.C, in 2003. Since then, they have been one of the main figures in assessing human rights. Recently they have launched a project to review the current principal focusing on major areas: climate changes, social impact, and human rights, applicability standards, and future potential of the principles.
- ISO 26000
We know all about the ISO mark. It symbolizes quality standards for the product and services. Switzerland’s lauded international organization launched this after several years of negotiation with the stakeholders. This ISO mark symbolizes that the product has met the minimum quality standard, and the respective company works in socially responsible ways.
Unlike other ISO standards, ISO 26000 solely focuses on guiding the companies. The standards comprise of these key principle:
- Accountability
- Transparency
- Ethical behavior
- Law-abiding rules
- Norms of international behavior
- Human rights
Application In-action
Companies that have adapted to the above-mentioned principles have greatly affected their businesses. These companies are now offering object lessons to the other companies and sharing the benefits they can reap with the principles’ adaptation.
You can consider these two outcomes:
- Ingredient substitution
When there was no such standard, the companies’ only way to maintain their standards was through the legislative regulation. It was the traditional methods that used to come with a sense of command and authority. However, with ESG initiatives, companies were able to maintain their quality standards.
Direct regulation creates a sense of pressure. However, ESGs regulations recognize the market and create pressure for change. This way, the quality maintains its minimum standards.
- Company’s perception
Beyond the effect of the supply chain, where people are directly engaged with the companies, the ESGs approach can maintain the level of engagement at every level and boost the company’s credibility. Enabling the ESGs principles helps the companies to point out the concrete changes that are in action.
The Bottom Line
ESG guidelines are for big pictures. However, if you can use itr in your daily life, it can make a huge difference for the small companies who are looking to satisfy their customer’s demands.
There you have it. Now you know what your company is lacking for attaining corporate sustainability. We hope that the information was useful and was able to bring any value to your life.