How ESG is your EVP?

There was a time when a company’s environmental, social and governance performance was a focus for regulators, supply chain partners and small numbers of green-minded customers. Today, ESG has moved beyond a few words in the annual report. It’s mainstream. Stock analysts price it into forecasts, host communities want to know how companies will improve local life and – increasingly – talent gravitates to employers with clearly articulated commitments. To woo those employees, many organisations are putting ESG front and centre of their EVP (their Employee Value Proposition) and using it to market themselves to talent.

We all want to be proud of where we work and feel we’re contributing something positive to the world. For Gen Zs, this has become non-negotiable. 70% choose employers with strong ESG creds, and 86% want a corporate culture that chimes with their personal values. Gen Z may be drawn to purpose-led employers, but they can see through purpose-wash as quickly as they can spot a fake online review. ESG programmes – not commitments – are where intent meets reality. To be valuable in an EVP, you need to show how your ESG feeds directly into their experience. Don’t just promote a commitment to social value, promote the volunteering days they’ll take part in. Rather than carbon-neutral targets, promote your cycle-to-work scheme. Make it real

As more employers wake up to ESG’s power as a talent magnet, so the stakes keep rising. These days, a focus on diversity and inclusion and on mental health have joined green ambitions as EVP must-haves. Our response is to see ESG as an innovation brief. To stay ahead in the talent race by turning corporate commitments into distinctive, engaging employee experiences that take ESG out of the boardroom and put it in the hands of the very people you’re trying to attract. Employees.