How are boards and senior management tackling the myriad of elements involved in ESG? Mazars, in partnership with Board Agenda and Henley Business School, surveyed UK business leaders about how they are approaching the challenges of new ESG regulations, responsibilities and risks. Is ESG a board priority? How is that translating into action? What are the pressure points and challenges? Explore all the findings in this revealing report.
Key findings at a glance
Respondents to the survey included board members, c-suite and senior executives from over 100 UK companies.
- 78% of boards have published an ESG or sustainability policy, or something similar.
- 88% of boards are engaging on ESG issues because they recognise their materiality to the business.
- 52% of boards have come under pressure on ESG issues from customers; 46% have faced pressure from employees.
- 77% of boards say they review risk management processes to ensure material ESG factors are accounted for.
- 44% of boards have put in place executive compensation schemes that include ESG criteria.
- 57% of boards have a formal structure for ESG governance.
- 73% of boards have engaged with employees on ESG issues; 59% and 55% respectively have engaged with customers and shareholders.
- 65% of boards feel they have sufficient skills and understanding in relation to ESG.
- 56% of boards agree they have gaps in their ESG disclosures.
- 39% of boards think they get adequate ESG data and information from management teams.
Watch the expert panel discussion: Closing the gap - helping UK boards to embed ESG in strategy
In this insightful webinar a panel of ESG experts reflect on the above research and offer practical advice around embedding ESG.
Speaker panel:
Camilla Hughes – Plc Non-executive Director
Chris Fuggle – Global Head of Sustainability, Mazars
Dr Filipe Morais – Henley Business School
Hosted by David Prosser of Board Agenda
Watch on demand now and hear the discussions around ESG maturity, and the practical ways in which directors and boards can embed ESG in the strategy and operations of their organisations.
Related pages
Sustainability and ESG
Sustainability or Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) must be at the heart of every organisation's business model.
News for board members and senior executives
Leading a business is a lot like sailing a ship. A sound strategy and well-executed tacks are needed in equal measure, and clear communication is key. C-speak provides essential news and insight for board members and the C-suite of public interest entities. Inspired by Seaspeak, the official language of the seas that facilitates clear communication amongst ship captains, we hope our news...
ESG: the intersection with technology & assurance
Being largely unknown and under-reported before 2018, interest in ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance) has skyrocketed to the top of corporate and public interest agendas - with new swathes of regulations, heightened interest from investors and increasing scrutiny from concerned consumers. But what does ESG really mean to businesses? What explains its meteoric rise and where is...
