Companies can count the ways of proving their sustainable worth these days with a proliferation of rankings and indices. And there are plenty of good reasons for showing they count. The next decade is predicted to be "an age of responsibility for capital markets" and – from climate change to resource shortages and energy security – there are pressing global issues to be addressed. Besides, not only are companies that manage their environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks already outperforming their competitors, but investors are also becoming much sharper at sussing out negligence.