“Humanity sits at the convergence of two massively transformative trends that urgently demand a cohesive, collective response. The first is the rapid expansion of interconnected digital technologies and in the data they generate. The second is the rapid progression of climate change and the threat it poses to societies. To say, the first should be marshaled to address the second goes without saying. The challenge is to put all that digital data and computing capacity into a common ESG framework that produces consistent, coordinated actions by companies and investors, even as they face competing interests and operate in independent jurisdictions. In this vital, timely book, the authors produce a clear-headed manual for achieving that, one that cuts through all the acronyms and confusing taxonomy to point to a path forward.”
“Trust is critical in the transforming world economy, shaped by new business models built on next generation technologies that enable unprecedented connectivity across a wide range of stakeholders across the globe. Yet how do we uphold good business practices consistently, particularly when it comes to data privacy and security, when often, standards are fragmented across sectors and geographies? Stakeholders remain on different “islands,” subject to vastly different metrics and approaches to data. This critical book brings light to the role of emerging technologies to consolidate data and maximize the benefits of understanding such data better, which is fundamental for implementing sustainable operations, spanning from all aspects of governance, environmental, and social practices, for the new class of businesses that will shape the future.”
“Paraphrasing Einstein, ‘We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.’ The current challenges of mass extinction, loss of biodiversity, oceans choking on plastic and waste, climate change, growing inequalities, among many other global problems, demand a different thinking that the linear extractive capitalist of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd industrial revolutions that originated them. ESG Compliance provides us this necessary new thinking, presenting ‘Why to do it’ in order to calibrate our inner compass. AI algorithms, working on mountains of Big Data, generated by billions of networked sensors and interconnected IoT devices adding meaningful information to the infinite blockchains, will be the smart exponential toolkit to make change happen toward a new circular, accountable and responsible data driven capitalism of this dawning new era. This book offers the reader a good starting point.”
“ESG may not be a new concept but it’s necessary for today’s economy. This book does a tremendous job laying out the history of ESG, why it’s vitally important for investors and citizens today, and most importantly, how to measure it. This book fills in the required gap of outlining how to effectively and fairly measure ESG, doing so from a data driven and transparency perspective that is not only unique but unparalleled in its depth, intelligence and awareness of the impact that ESG can have in our world going forward.”
“A very important and timely book that explains the evolution of the ESG data landscape and its relevance for decision making. An amazingly comprehensive analysis of how sustainable investing is evolving, this book explains with great clarity what matters for professionals and decision makers. As sustainability is reshaping the world of finance, this book offers a timely and highly relevant overview of trends and insights professionals and decision makers need to know.”
“This book is a must read for professional investors integrating ESG and sustainability factors to improve long-term investment outcomes. Dolan and Barrero Zalles brilliantly dissect sustainable data, from frameworks to standards, critical for analysis and decisions.”
“I highly recommend this book for anyone who is confused about all the conflicting information on ESG. Measurement of ESG will be a necessary skill set for investors in this decade. It will be very helpful to be ahead of the curve by reading this book.”
“As sustainability is reshaping the world of finance, this book offers a timely and highly relevant overview of trends and insights professionals and decision makers need to know.”
“ESG is investment destiny; there’s no escaping its growing influence and importance. This remarkably incisive book is your manual for boosting ‘Return on ESG.’”
“In this vital, timely book, the authors produce a clear-headed manual for achieving that, one that cuts through all the acronyms and confusing taxonomy to point to a path forward.”
“ESG attempts to redefine and expand the definition of a corporate stakeholder. Releasing an expanded view on opportunities, challenges, rewards and consequences. This book provides a much needed holistic view of how the disparate attempts to codify a cohesive and mainstream framework are gaining momentum but still in the early stages.”
“ESG is investment destiny; there’s no escaping its growing influence and importance. Understanding the politics, economics and dynamics of ‘data’ is essential to grasping the ESG future. This remarkably incisive book is your manual for boosting ‘Return on ESG.’”
“Dolan and Barrero Zalles deliver a valuable resource for developing a strategic approach to ESG—Sustainability. They show the evolutionary path and timeline to today’s high visibility, help navigate through a maze of acronyms and point the way to future direction.”
“Managing sustainability and ESG risk requires understanding of what it is and the components that contribute to the risk, like cyber security, which poses one of the greatest threats to organizations and governments. Dolan and Barrero Zalles have done an outstanding job of providing clarity around this complex and ambiguous topic as regulations for reporting increase. Managing requires understanding, and the book is a great place for executives, board members and students to start.”
“The focus on ESG is non-negotiable in the valuation of companies and as determinant of their long-term viability and vitality. It integrates stewardship of people and environment in the overall assessment of their risk and performance. This book illustrates the importance of ESG as a strategic priority, the challenges in implementing this on a holistic level, and the promise of emerging technologies to provide for transparency and accountability.”
“Dolan and Barrero Zalles provide a fascinating and timely overview of the rise of ESG importance, the rise of the CSO role in understanding and managing the data and avoiding Greenwashing. A clear and comprehensive overview of the history of ESG and the evolving standards. A first publication that provides a riveting account of the past, current and future challenges faced by firms and their supply chain, as they navigate issues from cyber security, better resource management and conforming to current and evolving ESG standards.”