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ESG — which stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance — has become increasingly important as businesses recognize their responsibility to prioritize environmental and social investments.

Over the past few months, ESG has come under fire as politicians challenge whether ESG factors should be considered by investment managers and state pension funds. With the threat of being labeled “woke,” companies are looking for counsel on how they can maintain their commitments to environmental and social impact without being brought into the ESG fray.

We invited two business leaders to explain the ESG controversy and provide their insight to business leaders: Judy Samuelson, VP, Founder, and Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Business and Society Program; and David Young, Managing Director and Senior Partner of Boston Consulting Group.

Listen for insights on:

• Why the ESG controversy is happening now
• How the industry can shift the conversation away from politics and to better business
• How businesses can hold themselves accountable with no single, accepted standard for ESG reporting
• Why Boards are critical to advance ESG

Resources + Links:

• Judy Samuelson’s LinkedIn
• David Young’s LinkedIn
• JUST Capital: "5 Key Insights from the American Public to Help Companies and Investors Lead Through Increasing Attacks on ESG and ‘Woke’ Companies"
• GreenBiz: The first rule about ESG: Don’t talk about ESG
• Judy’s Book “The Six New Rules of Business: Creating Real Value in a Changing World”

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360