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4 ways to align an impactful ESG strategy with business goals

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By illuminem briefings

· 2 min read


illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Trellis (formally GreenBiz) or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Aligning ESG strategies with business goals can be challenging, but there are four key ways to bridge the gap: shifting timelines, sharing ownership, refining pitches, and maintaining conviction
These strategies help sustainability leaders integrate long-term ESG goals with short-term commercial priorities
Success requires engagement across business units and proactive collaboration with leadership

🔭 The context: Many sustainability leaders face resistance from company executives and other stakeholders when introducing ESG initiatives, as these are often seen as conflicting with financial goals
Companies like Etsy have successfully navigated this tension by embedding sustainability into broader corporate functions and aligning reporting cycles with business KPIs

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: ESG strategies drive positive environmental and social impact, but their success depends on being integrated into the core of business operations
Aligning these efforts can accelerate corporate action on climate and sustainability

⏭️ What's next: Sustainability leaders must continue to balance ESG and business objectives by engaging stakeholders, adapting strategies to company goals, and building resilience to pushback

💬 One quote: "Loyalty to my company is very important, but I firmly believe that my first level of loyalty is really to the issues, to driving positive social and environmental impact" – Chelsea Mozen, Etsy’s Senior Director of Impact and Sustainability

📈 One stat: According to a 2023 PwC survey, 83% of business leaders said they expect ESG programs to generate more shareholder value in the next five years

Click for more news covering the latest on ESG 

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