In the face of ever more dramatic upheavals in the environment, the economy and society, everyone is called upon to act. The term ESG, which stands for the criteria "Environmental", "Social" and "Governance", has established itself as a recognized standard. These are intended to express the extent to which ecological and social aspects are taken into account in corporate decisions and ensured by appropriate corporate management. Among other things, measures to protect the environment and increase energy efficiency as well as occupational health and safety are taken into account. But also, the perception of corporate social responsibility and the promotion of diversity are part of the ESG criteria. 

At the same time, sustainable governance must be established with the help of appropriate values and objectives. The United Nations goes much further: In 2015, they adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – based on the classic ESG criteria - in order to work together for peace, prosperity and sustainability. At its core are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But what practical relevance does this have for companies?

Sustainability – a decision criteria not only for investors

ESG has become increasingly important in recent years. This does not only apply to manufacturing companies, but also and above all to the financial sector. Investors are attaching more and more importance to the practical consideration of ESG criteria when analysing and evaluating financial investments. Thus, the results of a recent study are hardly surprising, according to which around 79% of investors consider ESG to be a relevant criterion in their investment decisions. At the same time, around 49% declared themselves willing to disinvest if appropriate ESG measures were lacking. 

While ESG criteria should not be misunderstood as a guarantor of sustainable corporate practices, they do provide an important decision-making criterion - and thus become a success factor for companies in many respects. After all, when it comes to acquiring talent, sustainable companies can also gain a competitive edge over their competitors.

Prepared for the future: The awareness package for employees

To ensure that ESG does not just remain a hollow promise, but can become a living part of corporate culture, professional sensitization is particularly important. To optimally prepare employees and managers for the challenges ahead, we have developed a comprehensive training package on ESG. This package provides expert insights into a wide range of areas of ESG and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). 

These include occupational health and safety, equal opportunities in the workplace, diversity and inclusion. In addition, important compliance topics such as anti-corruption and whistleblowing are covered. The aim is to make all employees and managers aware of the importance and scope of ESG in their day-to-day work. In doing so, the training modules are ideally suited for individuals with prior legal knowledge as well as ESG novices.