ESG as an urgent business imperative | Brunswick Group

ESG as an urgent business imperative

Today, leaders of global TMT companies face complex business and geopolitical challenges, as well as an evolving regulatory environment that is impacting everything from corporate strategy, technology innovation, to customer and supply chain management. Looking ahead in 2021, we identify five themes impacting the Chinese TMT industry: the rise of U.S. China techno-nationalism, increased regulatory pressure on Big Tech around anti-monopoly and data privacy issues, “ The New Normal,” focus on digital transformation and technology infrastructure buildout, and ESG as an urgent business imperative.

Theme Five - ESG as an urgent business imperative

Brunswick’s annual perception survey of Chinese corporates doing business overseas published in June 2020 surveyed 9,300 members of the general public in 23 countries in both the developed markets, Belt & Road countries and other emerging economies. Survey respondents rated the performance of Chinese companies highly on innovation, providing quality goods and services, having strong execution abilities and in generating strong financial performance. However, the perception of performance in key environmental, social, and governance areas lagged behind other indicators, revealing widespread concern about how these companies engage with local employees,
the communities, the environment, their corporate governance. Across emerging and developed markets, the perception survey reveals the urgent need for significant improvement in corporate ESG factors.