For the first time ever, ESG reporting is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a legal requirement.

And while the legislation is largely focused on climate-related issues, pressure remains to prove your commitment to your people and to fair practice. Adaptability to the evolving needs of clients, employees and stakeholders is critical, and our experts want to make sure you’ve got everything you need to create a business that protects your people and the planet.

In this third edition of our What’s Now & What’s Next report, we take a deep dive into the current ESG issues affecting companies across the globe. We look at:

• Why social capital matters to the lifecycles of corporate real estate
• What counts as a protected belief, and how they’re enshrined by law
• The lessons companies can learn from the government’s adoption of AI in the civil service
• What greenwashing is, and the threat is poses to business
• How to get charity partnerships right.

Beyond Words: how are other businesses prioritising ESG?

Regardless of upcoming legislation, how many organisations are taking advantage of the opportunities presented by ESG to grow their reputation and increase their market share?

In our Beyond Words report, we've analysed how businesses are prioritising sustainability by examining the last two years of Annual Reports. We look specifically at the consumer sector (retail, hospitality & leisure, and consumer goods businesses) in the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250, reviewing mentions of ESG and other related phrases. This gives a good indication of which organisations are making their people and the planet their business.