COVID-19 has raised doubts about whether ESG and climate considerations can remain at the top of company priorities.
The Wall Street Journal – never a believer in ESG in the best of times - declared, “Businesses that were planning to help save the world are now simply saving themselves.”
Does ESG matter during a pandemic? We say yes. It’s more important than ever. Contrary to the idea of ESG as a luxury good to be applied during bull markets, coronavirus is creating a sustainability crisis that shines a spotlight on how well companies are run and the resilience of businesses during challenging periods. In fact, events last week suggest that the COVID outbreak has intensified existing media, academic and regulatory focus on corporate responsibility.