digital, Author at Aspectus

Communicating B2B ESG in the Middle East

Estimated read time: 6 minutes

Our recent whitepaper, Marketing ESG in 2024: Risks, Rewards & Riddles, lifted the lid on what marketeers and comms professionals really thought about ESG in their roles. In this follow-up, we take a look specifically at the Middle East data from the wider research.

The original survey polled 418 senior marketing decision makers across the energy, financial services and technology sectors, split evenly across the APAC, Middle East, UK and US Markets.

Attitudes to Middle East B2B ESG Communications: What do comms and marketing professionals think?

Professionals in the Middle East have strong opinions on whether ESG poses more of a risk or an opportunity from a comms perspective. Eighteen percent see it as mainly a risk with little upside opportunity – behind only the US (20 percent). On the other hand, 20 percent see it as more of an opportunity with little risk – more than elsewhere.

Yet, we don’t see the same strong responses when asking whether ESG is incorporated into the organization’s comms strategy. Nineteen percent apiece report it is either a core strategic priority or a non-core priority theme, but the largest group is lukewarm: 22 percent communicate around ESG to some extent, but feel they could do more.

However, the overall picture is that ESG is being included. The Middle East ranks above average for all of these response options (see Figure 2), which can be broadly grouped as positive. It ranks below average for professionals saying they avoid the topic wherever possible.

However, beyond the comms and marketing function, only 14 percent of professionals in the Middle East report ESG as a core strategic priority for their organization, with a further 11 percent saying it is a non-core strategic priority, and 14 percent saying it is important but not a strategic priority. For all of these responses, the Middle East lags below the average, yet it has the most respondents of our regions describing ESG as a ‘nice to have’ at the organizational level (26 percent). It also has the most respondents (18 percent) saying it is not important at all.

What are we to make of this tension between the fact that professionals report above average engagement with ESG in the communications strategy, but below average in the overall organizational strategy?

Astrid French, Head of Middle East at Aspectus, warns against jumping to quick conclusions: “While in European markets, for example, there are a host of regulations making ESG a firm business priority, in the Middle East, these regulations are at an earlier stage. As a result, we’re often seeing marketing and comms leading the way in bringing ESG to the table, though in the coming years it will climb the corporate agenda too.”

Indeed, there seems to be a strong undercurrent of enthusiasm for ESG in the region. On a personal level, 24 percent of our respondents say they care deeply about all aspects of ESG, and 22 percent say they care deeply about at least some aspects. Another 24 percent care a little about ESG, and only 19 percent don’t really care at all. That’s 70 percent who care about ESG to at least some extent on a personal level versus 19 percent who don’t, giving every indication that ESG will become more prominent in the region.

Care and consequences: Are Middle Eastern professionals properly supported?

We also asked whether B2B ESG communications and marketing professionals feel adequately supported in communicating around ESG. In this respect, 37 percent believe they have a good degree or all of the resources they need to do their job effectively, while 43 percent believe the opposite. Middle Eastern professionals are broadly in line with their international peers in this respect, with the largest group considering themselves to have some resources and support, but not enough.

To communicate messages around ESG that professionals do not feel are fully appropriate or justified can introduce very real reputational risk. Professionals must be given all the support and resources they need to avoid these situations.

French comments: “As ESG gains momentum in the region, dedicated resources for comms and marketing teams will follow, with investments in this space already underway. In the interim, an effective route can be to partner with a third-party who is experienced in the space.”

Facing the future: Is ESG here to stay?

According to 47 percent of our global respondents, ESG is a passing trend that will disappear, or at least subside. Middle Eastern professionals have a different view.

Less than a third (32 percent) of Middle East B2B ESG communications professionals think ESG has a limited shelf life – fewer than anywhere else. And though about an average proportion (eight percent) thinks it will endure in its current incarnation, the most widely held view in the Middle East is that it will evolve rather than disappear (41 percent versus 28 percent average).

Furthermore, though Middle Eastern professionals are more likely to say that ESG will evolve as a concept than their peers elsewhere, they are actually more comfortable with the term itself.

Forty-two percent of professionals say they think the term ESG works well, which splits into 20 percent who are satisfied with the term as-is, and 22 percent who think it works but needs better messaging. This compares to 38 percent in the US and 40 percent in APAC (the UK figure is also 42 percent). Just 17 percent – fewer than elsewhere – say ESG needs a new name.

Therefore, barring a significant minority who don’t think we should talk about ESG at all (17 percent – curiously higher than elsewhere), Middle Eastern professionals are as satisfied as anyone with the phraseology around ESG. In that case, it stands to reason that the expected evolution refers more to the application of the concept than its definition and description.

French concludes: “ESG is on the ascendancy in the Middle East and I think, as more professionals embrace it, enthusiasm and commitment will grow. The essential thing is to make sure that appropriate resources then follow.”

Want to know more about the practical and strategic considerations for effectively communicating your ESG efforts? Download our ESG whitepaper.

Key takeaways:

Do Middle East B2B ESG communications and marketing professionals think of ESG as more of a risk or opportunity?

Respondents are polarized: more professionals are bullish on the opportunities than elsewhere, but the region also has the second highest proportion saying the opposite (behind only the US).

Do Middle Eastern communications and marketing professionals care about ESG?

At least 70 percent care about ESG to at least some extent, highlighting its growing importance in the region.

Do Middle East communications and marketing professionals have enough resources and support to communicate around ESG?

Across the board, our respondents report needing greater support and resourcing to communicate effectively around ESG. Middle Eastern professionals are no different, with the largest group saying they have some support but not enough.

Do Middle Eastern communications and marketing professionals think ESG is here to stay?

Fewer Middle Eastern professionals think ESG will subside or disappear than elsewhere, with a large proportion believing it will undergo some sort of evolution in the future.

About the author:

Chris Bowman is an Associate Director at Aspectus and co-leads Aspectus’ ESG services. His experience is primarily in the energy and financial services sectors, and Chris specializes in brand strategy and messaging. He recently completed a short course on Sustainability Communication Strategies from the LSE.

Communicating ESG in the UK

Estimated read time: 6 minutes

The original survey polled 418 senior marketing decision makers across the energy, financial services and technology sectors, split evenly across the APAC, Middle East, UK and US Markets.

Attitudes to ESG: What do UK B2B ESG Communications professionals think?

For UK communications professionals, the risks and rewards of ESG are finely poised. Roughly equal proportions see various balances of risk and opportunity, though slightly more offer the positive but measured response of more of an opportunity, though with an element of risk.

We see a similar pattern with respect to how much ESG is embedded into communications strategies. Though fewer than average say it is a core part of their strategy, 19 percent agree it is one of their communications themes – that said, another 19 percent state that they avoid it wherever possible.

There is divergence however, between the emphasis on ESG in the communications strategy versus how important respondents view ESG for their organizations as a whole. An average proportion of respondents say ESG is a core strategic priority (15 percent), and fewer say it ranks as one of the organization’s strategic priorities (10 percent versus 13 percent average). Likewise, marginally fewer than average report that ESG is a ‘nice to have’ (17percent versus 19 percent average) or completely unimportant (14 percent versus 16 percent average). The largest segment of UK professionals (25 percent) see ESG as important, but not a strategic priority.

When asked if they personally cared about ESG factors, UK professionals again cleave to the middle. While a quarter care deeply about some aspects of ESG performance (versus 21 percent average), only 17 percent care about all aspects (versus 19 percent average). Fewer than average profess to care a little (16 percent versus 22 percent average) or not at all (18 percent versus 20 percent average).

To recap, UK communications professionals are cognizant of both the risks and rewards inherent to talking around ESG, and accordingly rank it among main themes in their communication strategy. If they don’t seem particularly gung-ho, that’s because they often don’t think their organization views ESG as a core strategic priority, and though they do on the whole care about ESG personally to some extent, they are not evangelical.

Is this what we would expect to see from UK professionals? Our ESG team thinks so: “The UK is a market where the conversation around ESG is relatively mature, as are the regulations covering the topic. The Advertising Standards Agency, for example, has been quick to crack the whip when it considers companies to have communicated poorly or misleadingly around ESG and sustainability topics. So, for UK professionals, maybe the initial rush of enthusiasm has waned and a more measured view has developed.”

Care and consequences: Are UK professionals properly supported?

We also asked whether communications and marketing professionals feel adequately supported in communicating around ESG. In this respect, UK B2B ESG communications professionals feel exposed: only 37 percent believe they have a good degree or all the resources they need to do their job effectively, while 43 percent believe the opposite. Twenty-one percent even report a severe lack of resources.

Though more UK professionals are confident they have everything they need (21 percent), fewer than average have a ‘good degree’ of resources and more report they only have some of the resources necessary.

This relatively firm footing translates into good professional practice. We asked respondents to what degree they agreed with the following statement: “There have been occasions where we have had to communicate around ESG (on our organizations’ behalf or our clients’), when I have not felt the message has been fully justified or appropriate”

Alongside the APAC region, UK professionals were most likely to disagree with this statement, indicating greater faith than their peers. Fewer respondents than average also agreed that they had been in such a tenuous position.

UK professionals should be encouraged that – though greater support is required – they are doing a good job of communicating with integrity around ESG on the whole.

Our ESG team comments: “No professional should be put in such a position and organizations need to ensure their comms and marketing teams have everything they need to communicate effectively and accurately on what can be a fraught topic. However, it seems that most are on the right track.”

Facing the future: Is ESG here to stay?

According to 47 percent of our global respondents, ESG is a passing trend that will disappear, or at least subside. In the UK, they are even less convinced of ESG’s longevity, with 56 percent saying so – behind only the USA (58 percent).

The UK also has the joint fewest respondents saying ESG is a permanent change to how we do business, and very few think ESG will evolve rather than disappear.

This lack of confidence in ESG’s future cannot be put down to quibbles around wording either. Nineteen percent of UK professionals say the term ‘ESG’ is fit for purpose; 23 percent say the term is fine but needs better messaging; and 23 percent think it needs a new name. These figures track in line with our averages, yet UK B2B ESG communications professionals express doubt that ESG will last – indicating their skepticism is due to the concept itself, not terminology.

Our ESG team reflects: “Professionals seem to think ESG is temporary, yet the steady accumulation of regulations relating to ESG and sustainability suggest it will stick around a while yet in one guise or another. The good news is that professionals seem diligent in communicating responsibly so are hopefully set for the future however it shakes out – though improvement is always welcome.”

Want to know more about the practical and strategic considerations for effectively communicating your ESG efforts? Download our ESG whitepaper.

Key takeaways:

A majority of UK respondents predict ESG will subside or disappear – only the US is more bullish on this. The UK also has the joint fewest respondents confident that ESG will persist in its current incarnation.

Do UK B2B ESG communications and marketing professionals think of ESG as more of a risk or opportunity?

UK respondents rate risk and opportunity roughly equally, with a marginal skew towards opportunity.

Do UK communications and marketing professionals care about ESG?

Fewer respondents than average say they don’t care, but relatively few report a deep passion for ESG as a whole.

Do UK communications and marketing professionals have enough resources and support to communicate around ESG?

There are pockets of good practice – more UK respondents than elsewhere report they have everything they need, though fewer than average say they have some of the required resources, and more than average say they lack the necessary resources.

Do UK communications and marketing professionals think ESG is here to stay?

About the author:

Communicating ESG in Financial Services & Capital Markets

Estimated read time: 6 minutes

Our recent whitepaper, Marketing ESG in 2024: Risks, Rewards & Riddles, lifted the lid on what marketeers and comms professionals really thought about ESG in their roles. In this follow-up, we take a look specifically at the global financial services and capital markets sector data from the wider research.

The original survey polled 418 senior marketing decision makers across the energy, financial services and technology sectors, split evenly across the APAC, Middle East, UK and US Markets.

Attitudes to B2B Financial Services ESG Communications: What do financial services comms and marketing professionals think?

Professionals in this sector have a mature understanding of ESG from a communications perspective, as shown by the fact that they are the sector most likely to recognize the risk and opportunities of communicating on the topic evenly. Furthermore, they are more likely than average to see a blend of risk and opportunity in either direction.

This mature understanding translates to confidence when communicating: fewer professionals versus other sectors avoid the topic whenever possible or restrict themselves to the bare essentials. They are most likely to see it as an important (but not core) theme.

Beyond the communications function, professionals say that their organization treats ESG as an important but not strategic priority (23 percent), or a ‘nice to have’ (21 percent). Fourteen percent do say it counts among the organization’s strategic priorities, and a further 14 percent view it as core.

It appears that professionals rank ESG more highly as a communications theme than a business strategic priority. Is this cause for concern? Annabel Rivero, Deputy Head of Financial Services at Aspectus doesn’t think so: “The reality is that, outside a handful of businesses who provide ESG specific services, ESG is just one of the many things on companies’ plates right now. That said, with critical and ambivalent headlines around ESG abounding in the media, they know the risk of getting it wrong, so communications professionals recognize they need to treat it with outsized care as a topic.”

On a personal level, though few respondents in the sector profess passion across the ESG board, nearly half say they care deeply about some aspects of ESG performance or care a little. Few don’t care at all, suggesting ESG is an important opportunity for many to find meaning in their work.

Care and consequences: Are financial services professionals properly supported?

We also asked whether communications and marketing professionals feel adequately supported in B2B financial services ESG communications. In this respect, professionals feel exposed: only 37 percent believe they have a good degree or all the resources they need to do their job effectively, while 43 percent believe the opposite. Twenty-one percent even report a severe lack of resources.

The deficit is worse for financial services professionals: they are more likely than their peers to report both slight and severe underresourcing.

Is this a source of risk? Yes, but to no greater or lesser extent than for other sectors. Respondents roughly track the average when asked whether they could recall accassions where “we have had to communicate around ESG (on our organizations’ behalf or our clients’), when I have not felt the message has been fully justified or appropriate”.

Such scenarios introduce the risk of inadvertant greenwashing (or ESG-washing, impact-washing etc) – an injurious comms misstep. It is worrying that so many have been put in this position, especially considering the sector’s mature understanding of the risks of doing so.

Tim Focas, Head of Capital Markets at Aspectus, comments: “These are tightly regulated sectors, and a common theme of the past few years has been regulators cracking down on percieved greenwashing – see the FCA’s SFD rules or the EU fund taxonomy for examples. With that in mind, it’s worrying to see so many respondents express concern on this topic, and to say they aren’t adequately supported. As these regulations begin to bite, we must hope that this number falls and communicators are given the resoources they need.”

Facing the future: Is ESG here to stay?

According to 47 percent of our total respondents, ESG is a passing trend that will disappear, or at least subside, while 28 percent think it won’t disappear, but will have to evolve. Only nine percent think ESG as we see it today will be a permanent fixture.

For financial services professionals, evolution is the name of the game. Only 37 percent think ESG is a flash in the pan, while 10 percent see it as a permanent fixture and 47 percent say it will evolve rather than fade away.

This belief may be why 23 percent of B2B financial services ESG communications professionals think that the term ESG needs a new name – but curiously the same percentage of respondents think that the term is fit for purpose, and the same again think it works but needs clearer messaging.

Kirsten Scott, Professional Services Lead at Aspectus interprets the discrepency: “The fact that respondents are most likely to say ESG will evolve, yet are mainly satisfied with the term itself suggests that behind all the ‘death of ESG’ headlines, what professionals really want to see is diligent, iterative improvement in how the theme is defined and applied to their sector – few communicators want to rip it up and start again.”

Want to know more about the practical and strategic considerations for effectively communicating your ESG efforts? Download our ESG whitepaper.

Key takeaways:

Do B2B financial services ESG communications and marketing professionals think of ESG as more of a risk or opportunity?

Respondents In this sector have the most balanced view of the risks and opportunities, weighting each relatively evenly.

Do financial services communications and marketing professionals care about ESG?

A significant minority do care to some extent about at least some aspects of ESG performance, though few are passionate about ESG overall. This suggests a tailored approach to ESG comms and marketing Is especially Important In this sector.

Do financial services communications and marketing professionals have enough resources and support to communicate around ESG?

Across the board, our respondents report needing greater support and resourcing to communicate effectively around ESG. Financial services professionals seem to report a greater degree of deficit, but do not report that this has translated into more risky communications strategies.

Do financial services communications and marketing professionals think ESG is here to stay?

While over a third think ESG will subside or disappear, the majority believe that ESG Is here to stay In either Its current form or following some form of evolution.

About the author:

Communicating ESG in B2B tech: what professionals really think

Estimated read time: 6 minutes

Attitudes to to B2B Tech ESG Communications: What do tech comms and marketing professionals think?

To be blunt, they are wary. Twenty-one percent of global tech professionals primarily see ESG as a risk with little upside opportunity versus a 17 percent average across sectors. A further 13 percent see some opportunity alongside the risk, but overall 34 percent see ESG primarily as a risk, versus 26 percent who see more opportunity.

This wariness does not stem from unfamilarity. More tech professionals (22 percent) say ESG is incorporated as a core part of their communications strategy than any other sector (17 percent average). However simultaneously, 22 percent say they communicate only the bare essentials – again against a 17 percent average.

Beyond comms and marketing, tech professionals are less likely to report that ESG is a high strategic priority for their employers.

Sofie Skouras, Head of Technology at Aspectus, wonders whether “ESG is still seen as this extrinsic, imposed thing that not everyone fully understands yet, as opposed to something intrinsic and close to the hearts of organizations and their leadership.”

This lukewarm organizational attitude to ESG is also reflected in respondents’ personal views. Tech professionals are less likely than average to say they care deeply or a little about some or all aspects of ESG performance, and more likely to admit that they don’t really care about ESG factors at all.

Skouras explains: “For most tech professionals, the overwhelming priority is keeping the business operational and safe. They’re up at night worrying about outages or data breaches, not ESG.

That may change over time – regulation can increase ESG’s importance, and it is starting to feature in RFPs, but it takes time for that to filter through and really suffuse an organization.

However, we should think about how we talk about ESG too. The fact is that things like outage protection and cyber security fall squarely under the ‘G’ of ESG, yet the general narrative doesn’t reflect that as strongly as environmental concerns, for example.”

Care and consequences: Are tech professionals properly supported?

We also asked whether communications and marketing professionals feel adequately supported in B2B tech ESG communications . In this respect, professionals feel exposed: only 37 percent believe they have a good degree or all the resources they need to do their job effectively, while 43 percent believe the opposite. Twenty-one percent even report a severe lack of resources.

Tech professionals more or less track the averages in this respect, suggesting they are neither better nor worse resourced than their peers.

That said, though B2B tech ESG communications professionals seem roughly on par with their peers in terms of resources and support, they are marginally more likely to say there have been ocassions where “we have had to communicate around ESG (on our organizations’ behalf or our clients’), when I have not felt the message has been fully justified or appropriate”

This sounds a note of caution for tech professionals: such scenarios introduce the risk of inadvertant greenwashing (or ESG-washing, impact-washing etc) – an injurious comms misstep.

Facing the future: Is ESG here to stay?

Tech professionals agree: an identical 28 percent predict evolution, but more than half (52 percent) think ESG is on the way out. Twelve percent think it’s here to stay – more than average, but still a low number.

Is the terminology the sticking point? Perhaps. Tech professionals do not seem particularly enamoured with the term ‘ESG’. Fewer respondents than average say the term works well, while more than average are satisfied with the term but think it needs better messaging. Fewer respondents also say it needs a new name, or that it should be jettisoned entirely. Overall the picture is one of broad but unenthusiastic agreement with the term, so it seems unlikely to be the source of discomfort.

A neat summary of the tension comes from Sarwar Khan, Sustainability Director at BT*: “It is quite clear to me that the key principles of ESG are here to stay, and that organizations should continue to focus on these to build a sustainable and more resilient business for the long-term. We cannot allow ourselves to get distracted by the current debate on the naming convention of ‘ESG’ – it is the principles that the term represents that are ultimately important to us as a business, our employees, and those that we serve.”

Skouras agrees: “ESG requirements will continue to grow in importance as customer requirements evolve and it’s the companies that are making moves now that will have head starts on the others. It’s easy to bury your head in the sand, particularly when you think ESG is just a passing hype train, but it’s here to stay long-term in some capacity.”

Want to know more about the practical and strategic considerations for effectively communicating your ESG efforts? Download our ESG whitepaper.

*Sarwar Khan is an Aspectus client. His quote appeared in the original whitepaper.

Key takeaways:

Do B2B tech ESG communications and marketing professionals think of ESG as more of a risk or opportunity?

Primarily as a risk, though they recognize there is opportunity to be had.

Do tech communications and marketing professionals care about ESG?

The tech sector has fewer professionals who are passionate about ESG than other sectors.

Do tech communications and marketing professionals have enough resources and support to communicate around ESG?

Across the board, our respondents report needing greater support and resourcing to communicate effectively around ESG. Tech professionals are broadly average in this respect.

Do tech communications and marketing professionals think ESG is here to stay?

A slim majority of tech professionals predict ESG will disappear, though more than a quarter think it will evolve rather than vanish entirely.

About the author:

Communicating ESG in B2B Energy: what professionals really think

Estimated read time: 6 minutes

Our recent whitepaper, Marketing ESG in 2024: Risks, Rewards & Riddles, lifted the lid on what marketeers and comms professionals really thought about ESG in their roles. In this follow-up, we look specifically at the energy sector data from the wider research.

The original survey polled 418 senior marketing decision makers across the energy, financial services and technology sectors, split evenly across the APAC, Middle East, UK and US Markets.

Attitudes to B2B Energy ESG Communications: What do comms and marketing professionals think?

At first glance, the energy sector is optimistic. A full fifth of respondents see ESG as an opportunity with little risk, more than their tech and financial services counterparts. An average proportion (18 percent versus 17 percent) see it as an opportunity tempered with risk. Fewer than average see ESG as more risk than opportunity.

Curiously though, energy professionals are the most likely to say they avoid ESG as a communications topic as much as possible. They are also marginally less likely to foreground it in their outbound communications.

Why the discrepancy? Megain Buchan Head of Energy & Industrials at Aspectus, says:

“This reflects the fact that, for businesses in the energy sector, ESG is unavoidable in the context of decarbonization – especially the ‘E’. So yes, it can be a massive opportunity if handled well, but also a source of major reputational risk if they get their messaging wrong.”

At first glance, this interpretation seems well supported by the fact that more respondents in energy say that ESG is a core strategic priority (17 percent versus 15 percent average) or one of the priorities (16 percent versus 13 percent average) for their organization beyond the comms and marketing function. However, the energy sector also has the most respondents saying it is either a ‘nice to have’ (22 percent versus 20 percent average) or not important at all (21 percent versus 16 percent average).

Quite the split. And it’s not because professionals don’t care about ESG personally. Energy does have the most passionate respondents who say they care deeply about all aspects of ESG performance, however it has marginally more than average respondents saying they don’t really care about ESG factors.

Buchan offers an explanation for the polarity:

“Professionals in the sector care about ESG as much as any other – even a bit more. So, it’s not a lack of engagement. Perhaps this is a tacit acknowledgement that, though ESG can be a big source of opportunity, if it’s not led by tangible drive from senior leadership, it’s best left alone rather than evoked half-heartedly.

“The high perception of opportunity and apparent passion from professionals in the sector suggests there are opportunities being left on the table by some companies though.”

Care and consequences: Are energy professionals properly supported?

We also asked whether communications and marketing professionals feel adequately supported in B2B energy ESG communications. In this respect, professionals feel exposed: only 37 percent believe they have a good degree or all the resources they need to do their job effectively, while 43 percent believe the opposite. Twenty-one percent even report a severe lack of resources.

Energy professionals fare slightly better than their peers here. Nineteen percent say they have all the resources necessary, 21 percent say they have a good degree of resources, and fewer than average say they have some resources but need more.

These resources (and astute awareness of risk/opportunity) are reflected in the fact that fewer energy respondents recall occasions where “we have had to communicate around ESG (on our organizations’ behalf or our clients’), when I have not felt the message has been fully justified or appropriate”.

This is encouraging: such scenarios introduce the risk of inadvertent greenwashing (or ESG-washing, impact-washing etc.) – an injurious comms misstep. Energy professionals seem more on guard against allowing this to happen.

Facing the future: Is ESG here to stay?

Though B2B energy ESG communications professionals are slightly less likely to say ESG is a passing trend, they are also less likely to predict it sticks around in its current incarnation. They are more likely to say it will evolve rather than disappear, however it’s notable that the number saying it will disappear still edges out the combined figure for those predicting longevity.

It’s unsurprising then that energy professionals are marginally less likely to think that the specific term ‘ESG’ is fit for purpose, or would be with slightly clearer messaging. A good proportion thinks the concept holds water but needs a new name, but more respondents than in any other sector think we shouldn’t be speaking about the topic at all.

Buchan: “The energy sector seems polarized on ESG. We have some people who are deeply passionate and engaged with it, and who believe it offers great opportunity for their organizations. On the other hand, there’s a significant segment that isn’t enthused by the idea at all. Perhaps they see it as a threat or an irrelevance, but a more useful working theory is that communicators need to do more to show that ESG, done well, really can be a boon to business.”

Want to know more about the practical and strategic considerations for effectively communicating your ESG efforts? Download our ESG whitepaper.

Key takeaways:

Do B2B energy ESG communications and marketing professionals think of ESG as more of a risk or opportunity?
Primarily as an opportunity, though they recognize the risk and are cautious in applying ESG to their communications programs.

Do energy communications and marketing professionals care about ESG?
The energy sector has more professionals who are passionate about ESG than other sectors, though they also have more than average who say they don’t care.

Do energy communications and marketing professionals have enough resources and support to communicate around ESG?
Across the board, our respondents report needing greater support and resourcing to communicate effectively around ESG. Energy professionals fare slightly better, but still need more.

Do energy communications and marketing professionals think ESG is here to stay?
More energy professionals predict ESG will disappear than will stick around, though fewer think this than in other sectors. Of those who think ESG is here to stay, more professionals think it will evolve rather than endure as it exists today.

About the author:

There is no magic formula in marketing, but we think we have cracked the code

All gear no idea…

Attitudes to Middle East B2B ESG Communications: What do comms and marketing professionals think?

Care and consequences: Are Middle Eastern professionals properly supported?

Facing the future: Is ESG here to stay?

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