ESG INVESTMENT
The threat of climate change and environmental catastrophe has been a rude awakening for every single human being on earth – even Jeremy Clarkson ( eventually ). Now companies across the globe have propelled sustainability into the centre of their souls – and they ' re much better for it
WRITTEN BY : JOHN PINCHING
It seems preposterous now , but only 10 years ago , choosing which freeze-dried coffee to use in the office kitchen or debating the merits of wall-mounted motivational statements ( usually attributed to , but never actually spoken by , Gandhi ) used to be higher up the agenda than sustainability issues .
Mercifully , the world ’ s priorities have now been turned upside down , as governments , organisations and communities have realised that addressing the clear and present danger of climate change is not an option – that ship sailed five decades ago , before our obsession with plastics ignited and while the waters were still relatively calm . In reality , we have little choice but to mobilise for the challenge of a lifetime , not only to save us from extinction but to save our souls .
And thus , the first pressing issue on the agenda is to ' save our planet ' and the second is to ' reboot humanity ' itself . These items will remain our collective priorities for the foreseeable future and ‘ AOB ’ will have to wait . Sorry , fake Charles Dickens quote , you ' re history .
The business trend Current corporate sustainability action at so many organisations and businesses is arguably ahead of international government
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