Navigating the ESG Backlash

At Impact Week in Malmö, we gathered to discuss a pressing challenge: the growing backlash against ESG and what it means for those working to drive positive change. Leaders from across the impact ecosystem explored how communications can help navigate this moment of scepticism and scrutiny. We looked at the role of language and the best ways to engage different audiences. A few themes stood out:

1. Reframing the ESG conversation

We discussed how ESG language has been weaponised by some, creating perceptions of bureaucracy, cost, and complexity. The dominance of acronyms and jargon, on the other hand, obscure the benefits.

The way to overcome this is to shift the conversation from compliance and burden to value creation:

• Use accessible language that connects ESG to tangible benefits that people resonate with.
• Emphasise business outcomes: resilience, innovation, risk management, and talent attraction.
• Replace binary framing (“ESG vs. growth”) to focus on the real outcomes being created by a new, impact-based economy.

2. Making ESG real and relatable

The benefits of ESG and sustainability often get lost in abstract terms. We discussed how to bring impact to life through stories, evidence, and real-world examples that show measurable results:

• Highlight innovation and resource efficiency as drivers of growth.
• Use first person people-led stories and data to demonstrate return on investment and societal value.

3. Personalising audience engagement

Audiences are often treated as monolithic groups and we discussed how fundamental it is to recognise them as individuals with specific interests and motivations, alongside clarity on how impact solutions can help them:

• Segment audiences by interests and priorities (e.g., policymakers vs. investors vs. operational leads).
• Tailor messaging to show how impact solutions solve the specific challenges they are facing.

4. Building trust through credible allies

Impact organisations may not be the most credible messengers to talk to all audiences about impact. Trust can be built by leveraging internal and external champions who resonate with target audiences:

• Identify and empower allies within organisations (functional leads, influencers).
• Partner with respected voices outside the organisation to amplify messages.

These insights point to a bigger truth: if we want to rebuild trust and mobilise capital for impact, we need to put people – not performance metrics – at the heart of our storytelling.

So what is the way forward?

If we are to increase participation in the impact economy, we need to be clear about the problems being solved and the value being created. We need to make communications human again and be unafraid to lean into experiences to bring solutions to life. So here’s the challenge: how will you put people at the heart of your stories?

Sophie is an Associate Director at specialist sustainability agency Forster Communications, working with foundations and investors to tackle climate change, drive social justice and improve lives. A founding UK B Corp, she is committed to pioneering new ideas and helping progressive leaders to turn their ambitions into action, impact and meaningful value.

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