In the face of climate disruption, inequality, and growing public mistrust in institutions, the principles of ESG are more relevant than ever. The Business Revolution podcast has published three podcast episodes and three ‘CEO-peptalk speeches’ aiming to demystify the three letters of ESG.
The climate doesn’t care about political trends. Social unrest doesn’t disappear because someone calls it “woke”. Governance lapses don’t stop costing billions just because the rules were relaxed.
Despite the recent backlash from populist leaders like Donald Trump and his followers in the business world, ESG – Environmental, Social and Governance – remains a vital framework for guiding corporate responsibility, long-term risk management, and sustainability.
The question is not whether ESG is fashionable. The question is whether our businesses are fit for the future. Because the businesses that thrive will be those that align with the needs of people and planet – not just shareholders.
Three speeches – and how to use them
We have created three speeches to cut through the jargon and speak directly to CEOs and executive leaders. One video for each of the three pillars: E, S and G. They’re short, bold, and speak to the heart of what’s at stake – and what’s possible.
Each speech is a call to action. Not just to tick boxes or publish another report, but to make decisions that matter. They’re designed to spark discussion in boardrooms, at leadership seminars, strategy offsites, or corporate training days. They can be shown as conversation-starters – or as standalone thought pieces.
Use them wherever bold thinking is needed. Because these messages are not just about compliance. They’re about culture, courage, and legacy.
🎥 The three videos
► Video 1: My call to CEOs about the “E” in ESG
A direct address to business leaders about the urgency of the climate crisis – and the role of CEOs in leading the energy transition. This is not about future targets. It’s about immediate action. Fossil fuels are the past. Renewable, efficient, electrified systems are the future – and business leaders hold the levers to scale that future, now.
► Video 2: My call to CEOs about the “S” in ESG
This video challenges the idea that “social” means soft. The ‘S’ is about people – workers, communities, supply chains – and the trust that underpins every business. It asks: are we building fair and dignified systems, or just extracting value? Ethics can’t be outsourced. This is where leadership becomes human.
► Video 3: My call to CEOs about the “G” in ESG
Governance is often misunderstood as just policies and procedures. But it’s about how decisions get made – and whether your organisation can adapt, align and respond in a rapidly changing world. This video reframes governance as a living system, rooted in trust and purpose.
🎧 The podcast episodes – going deeper
► Episode 12: Demystifying the “E” in ESG
In this episode, we dig into what the ‘E’ really means in practical terms for business. It’s not just carbon accounting or reporting – it’s a shift in mindset. We discuss the risks of inaction, the scale of the energy transition, and the concrete steps companies can take to electrify, decarbonise, and build resilience into their operations. This is about aligning business models with planetary boundaries – and doing it in a way that makes strategic sense.
► Episode 13: Demystifying the “S” in ESG
How do we treat people across our supply chains, our offices, our stakeholder relationships? This conversation explores the ‘S’ in ESG as the connective tissue of trust in business. From fair wages to inclusion, from human rights to community impact – we unpack how these issues are showing up globally and why they can no longer be sidelined. A must-listen for leaders who want to move from token gestures to meaningful action.
► Episode 14: Demystifying the “G” in ESG
In this final episode of the ESG series, we explore the deep structure of business: governance. We challenge traditional models of top-down control and explore how governance can become adaptive, decentralised and principle-driven. With real-life examples and practical insights, this episode will change the way you think about power, trust and decision-making in your organisation.
Where to next?
If you’re ready to bring ESG alive in your workplace – not just as a reporting tool, but as a source of purpose and advantage – we invite you to explore more.
Here are some recommended resources and further reading:
- World Economic Forum: Why 2024 is the year sustainability develops a business case
This article discusses the increasing importance of sustainability in business strategies and how organizations are integrating ESG considerations into their operations.
www.weforum.org/stories/2024/01/why-2024-is-the-year-of-the-business-case-for-sustainability-davos/ - OECD: Global Corporate Sustainability Report 2024
This report examines the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability practices worldwide, focusing on key dimensions such as sustainability-related disclosure, shareholder-company dialogue, board responsibilities, and stakeholder interests.
www.oecd.org/en/publications/global-corporate-sustainability-report-2024_8416b635-en.html - UN Global Compact: Resources to Get You Started
A collection of resources designed to help businesses understand their commitment to the UN Global Compact, integrate corporate sustainability into their strategies and operations, and meet reporting requirements.
unglobalcompact.org/participation/getting-started/resources - Harvard Business Review: Moving Beyond ESG
This article explores the challenges and criticisms of ESG, proposing a new playbook for responsible business that goes beyond traditional ESG frameworks.
hbr.org/2024/09/moving-beyond-esg
You’re also welcome to share the videos and podcasts at your next boardroom session, offsite or team event.
Because ESG is not about three letters. It’s about the future we choose to create – together.
~ Alan, Cherry and Mik,
The Business Revolution
Action → reflection → reimagining
Within any organisation, from workers to CEOs, the question should be: How can we remove barriers that hinder desirable, transformative decisions? As the saying goes,
“You do not rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.”
In a 100-meter race, every runner shares the goal of winning. Success depends not just on the goals set but on the quality of systems and preparations in place.
Thus, building robust systems for transformative change involves more than goal-setting; it requires a clear roadmap to achieve these goals. (…)
To truly enable behavior change, it is important to ensure that the “ask” is simple, emotional, beneficial, and actionable. This necessitates making the request or action straightforward and easy to comprehend, thus avoiding complexity and providing clear instructions. It requires tapping into the emotions of the individual being addressed, employing storytelling, vivid imagery, or compelling language to create a profound emotional connection and motivate action.
The proposed order: action → reflection → reimagining — is deliberate and political. It challenges the belief that we can think or feel our way into transformation without first getting our hands dirty. Because more often than not, it’s action that helps us unlearn. Action doesn’t just reflect our values — it transforms them.
People don’t follow speeches — they follow steps. Experiments. Risks. Real attempts to build what’s next.
~ Kasper Benjamin, The Minority Report Publication
Ten critical pieces of the sustainability puzzle
Humanity stands at an inflection point. Our climate is warming at a concerning pace, and if we don’t take action, the situation will only worsen. But the global energy transition is entering a new phase of acceleration toward meeting the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement. More leaders are realizing that their organizations can’t thrive in a world with cascading crises and unmanageable climate risks. And the most forward-looking leaders can set an example by demonstrating what’s possible. Here are ten critical pieces of the sustainability puzzle:
→ McKinsey – 18 November 2024:
What is the future of sustainability?
“The global energy transition is entering a new phase. These ten McKinsey Explainers highlight what leaders need to know to grow through—and not just react to—the new climate era.”