ESG: The Origin, Rise & Backlash
From boardrooms to headlines, ESG has sparked both enthusiasm and controversy. This lesson breaks down how it began, why it gained momentum, and where the backlash comes from.
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Lesson Overview
ESG was never meant to be a catch-all solution — but over time, it became one of the most prominent and polarising topics in finance and business.
In this short lesson, we explore:
- 📌 The origin of ESG — a framework over 20 years in the making, goals that we are still striving for, and why the original intent still holds relevance
- 📌 The rise of ESG — how global sustainability challenges, regulatory pressure, and the Covid experience brought ESG into the mainstream
- 📌 The backlash — what went wrong, the fallout from exponential growth, how misinformation spread, and why communication and authenticity are essential
ESG is one of the most talked-about — and misunderstood — concepts in business. Clarity on what it is, and what it isn’t, has never been more important.
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