Is PR up to the task on ESG?

Mark: Tina, these are good times for public relations: Agencies and their holding companies are reporting great results. And ESG (environmental, social and governance issues) is fueling a lot of PR’s growth.

Sure, ESG is a good thing for the planet and the beings that live here. But, let me play the devil’s advocate: Everyone in PR seems to want a piece of the ESG pie. But how many communicators are true experts in this field? I fear there are not as many as what the gold rush makes it seem. I also fear that many firms will mess up in the end.

And if I’m right, we will have lost a great opportunity to demonstrate PR’s value and contribution to business.

Tina: Mark, I am definitely an optimist, but a cautious one. While I think these “trends” are great for our profession, I do think there are some areas where we fall short. ESG, which has seen increasing importance in our field and for organizations, is moving from that “nice to have” to be table stakes, much like corporate social responsibility was during its heyday.

Mark: Yes, ESG is now as much a financial imperative as it is a reputational attribute. Money is flowing based on ESG scores.