A new study by Sandpiper Communications and PublicAffairsAsia reveals that most companies in Asia Pacific are at risk of mispresenting how sustainable they are, with 74% of corporate reputation managers facing internal pressure to overpromote sustainability and ESG (environment, social, governance) achievements. Based on a survey of communications, investor relations, and public affairs leaders at companies from a range of industries across Asia Pacific, the study titled ‘Five Trends Shaping ESG Communications in Asia Pacific’, finds that for one-in-five this pressure has recently increased. It comes as 94% of organisations have a growing focus on ESG performance, and their desire to communicate environmental (54%) and social (84%) achievements has increased since the start of COVID-19. Despite this, only around half of respondents believe their organisation’s environmental (44%) and social (54%) disclosure and performance is strong. The vast majority (92%) say that strong and differentiated sustainability and ESG positioning can improve commercial performance, but only half feel they have achieved this. Most believe that improvements in corporate sustainability should ultimately be led from the top – by the CEO at 48% or the Board of Directors at 26%. Concerningly, only 16% and 10% of respondents respectively are highly active in communicating their company’s commitments towards the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Climate Agreement.

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