Isabella Kelly fires up the crystal ball and invites Tim Stutt and Mel Debenham to share their ESG predictions for 2024. Mel discusses the timing tightrope for decarbonisation projects, Commonwealth environmental legislative reform and a very different approach to regulation. Tim queries if there is an elastic start date for mandatory climate reporting, whilst the required corporate uplift crystallises. Shifting landscapes emerge for Australia’s Sustainable Finance Strategy, post-Voice referendum pathways, the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and Australia’s Modern Slavery Act reform. They emphasise the important interrelationship between ESG spheres and close with some federal election musings around balancing energy policy and cost of living, social and biodiversity impacts.

For more, check out the AICD’s Climate Governance Study 2024 https://www.aicd.com.au/risk-management/framework/climate/climate-governance-study-2024-moving-from-vision-to-action.html, for which Herbert Smith Freehills conducted research into ASX 200 governance structures, and the jointly prepared guide Bringing together ESG: Board structures and sustainability https://www.aicd.com.au/risk-management/framework/climate/bringing-together-esg-board-structures-and-sustainability.html.