By Christina Ameln, Sustainability Strategist | Social Impact Connector | Project Advisor –
When I first read a recent LinkedIn post declaring “ESG is dead,” I’ll admit — my first reaction was a strong one. (And judging by the flood of reactions and comments that followed, I wasn’t the only one.)
But after a moment, I realised: she had a point — one that, frankly, I’ve always believed and worked toward.
Because real sustainability — the full, all-encompassing kind — was never about ticking boxes, boosting ratings, or producing glossy reports.
It’s about future-proofing businesses, creating long-term value, and building real resilience.
Somewhere along the way, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) became more about optics and short-term wins — and now we’re seeing the consequences.
In the post, Julia Vol, Founder of Make a Splash, also pointed to headlines like the Financial Times article “ESG fund outflows hit record as sustainable investing backlash grows,” showing just how deep the shift has become. While political debates have played a role, according to the article, the deeper reality is simpler: many ESG investments haven’t delivered the financial or strategic value promised when looked at purely from an investor lens.
However, I would argue this reflects how often we define success too narrowly — and too quickly.
And building real resilience demands more than collecting data and submitting reports.
It demands a deeper, strategic shift.
Why ESG Needs More Than Reporting
Don’t get me wrong — I am all for data and reporting. Alignment, transparency, and accountability matter.
They’ve helped move the sustainability landscape forward — through investor demand (before ‘woke’ became a dirty word) and increasingly through regulation.
New legislation like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) — even with Omnibus adjustments — and the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) are pushing expectations further. Other markets, such as Australia, has strengthened climate reporting rules, California has introduced new transparency laws, and across Asia, markets like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan are tightening ESG disclosure standards. Vietnam, too, is stepping up, with frameworks like the National Green Growth Strategy and emerging carbon market plans. And globally, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) has moved from concept to practical standards, with IFRS S1 and S2 now being adopted or considered in over 30 jurisdictions.
This momentum marks real progress.
Yet much of this focus remains narrowly on compliance, reporting, and data management.
Real sustainability transformation goes beyond ticking disclosure boxes.
The Reset We Needed
Let’s be clear: this isn’t the end of sustainable business.
It’s a much-needed reset.
Good businesses — the smart, resilient, future-proof ones — will always attract investment. Investors aren’t abandoning resilience; if anything, they’re doubling down on it.
These environmental, social and governance risks are real, accelerating, and unavoidable.
Future-focused sectors like food, energy, water, health, femtech, and edtech are thriving — where outcomes are tangible, strategic, and innovation-driven.
Personally, I see huge opportunity in companies that are simply doing good — for their people, their communities, and their ecosystems. In a world that often feels upside down, businesses that act with real integrity will have a powerful advantage: building trust, loyalty, and resilience that no rating system can measure.
ESG data was always a starting point — especially for those beginning their sustainability journey — but never the destination.
Data, reporting, and ratings can help lay the foundation.
But sustainability is — and always was — much bigger.
Building the Future — Not Chasing Ratings
Building the future of sustainable business will demand more than data and good reporting — important as they are.
It will require true transformation: embedding sustainability into decision-making, business models, leadership, culture, and stakeholder relationships. It’s an investment in creativity, innovation, people, systems and collaboration — the full range of capabilities needed to build truly resilient, future-ready businesses.
And while the shine of ESG optics may be fading, full, strategic, and integrated sustainability across environment, social, and governance is very much alive.
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