Welcome to another week of Shaken Not Burned! 

Is ESG really “dead,” or are we asking the wrong question?

Perhaps, we should examine what it takes to run a truly responsible business in today’s high-risk environment.

This week, Giulia is joined by Steve Kenzie, executive director of the UN Global Compact Network UK, to explore how the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative is pushing companies beyond paper commitments and into real accountability.

It is tempting to think that ESG acronyms, ratings, and disclosure frameworks capture what responsibility means. Meanwhile, as Steve explains, the underlying pressures – climate change, inequality, resource stress – are not going away. 

Business as usual is untenable. The companies that survive will be those that embed principles, acknowledge trade-offs, and act with long-term value in mind.

In the first episode of Season 5, we explore why debates over ESG branding miss the real sustainability pressures, how the UNGC helps businesses align with global needs, and what needs to change to scale true sustainable practices.

This is a reality check – and a call to courage – for leaders navigating backlash, complexity, and the quiet temptation to wait it out.

Reading materials:

• UNGC’s Ten Principles

• UNGC’s SDGs framework 

• UNGC UK’s webinar series

• Business & Human Rights Resource Centre’s corporate legal accountability in practice

• World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s corporate transformation pathways

• Principles for Responsible Investment’s evolving fiduciary duty

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