idealism in ESG: vision vs. reality
published 11.20.24
My consulting work at qb. focuses primarily on developing and executing ESG reporting strategies. With a background in sustainability at Bumble, DuPont and the Smithsonian Institution, I help companies define and articulate their vision for a better world.
Many of us in the sustainability/impact/ESG/ (whatever we’re calling it today) space are idealists. We look at how the world operates and think, “I bet there’s a way to do this even better.” While the path to better may not look the same to all of us, we do share one vision of a better world at a high level—one that is cleaner, healthier, safer and more equitable.
With a little inspiration and a lot of ingenuity, we could create societies conducive to fostering humanity’s maximum potential while protecting our planet. All it takes is collaboration, right?
Sure, we may have to win over a few skeptics (or outright antagonists) along the way, but we persevere. Armed with business cases and best practices (backed with frameworks and regulations), we pitch strategies and offer solutions to bring us incrementally closer to this future. We double down, we get more creative, more strategic, we push harder. Even when it feels like every day is a series of battles and the wins are few and far between, we keep going.
So, what happens when the rest of the world seems to reject our idea of better—when they make choices that harden and obscure the path toward this new world we envision? The thing about idealism is that it only works when you believe that the realization of your vision will bring about the greatest good for the greatest number of people. But if the greatest number of people don’t want the future we’re building, are we still doing the right thing? It’s one thing for a few naysayers to voice their opinions during a strategy meeting, but when the majority of the world’s largest superpower screams their opposition to your goals, that’s something else entirely. Or maybe we haven’t brought the right people to the table. Or maybe we haven’t been listening.
After a few years of hard-won positive momentum in the ESG space, from emerging regulations to ambitious industry targets, the 2024 U.S. election results felt like a splash of cold water to many of us dreamers. A wake-up call that those who gained control of the ship are actually charting a course toward a different vision of a better world. One that looks nothing like ours. Is it still worth all of the hard work and struggle to get there amongst the pushback??
If ten years of working in this space have taught me anything, it’s that none of this is personal. Because most of us are idealists, we want to prioritize the greater good. But many people are simply trying to meet their immediate needs. Some people cannot believe in widescale positive change without seeing it in reality. To risk what is palatable to many—for what is better for most—might be asking too much. It’s not our beautiful blue-sky vision that they’re fighting. People fight change, they fight new, they fight the possibility of the unknown, and while that can feel like they’re fighting us—they’re not. And we shouldn’t be fighting them. We’re fighting for them (and for all of us), still and always.
by Lela Shimaka
Consultant
