How Virtue Creates Value for Business and Society: Investigating the Value of Environmental, Social and Governance Activities

This report illustrates some of the ways that the most advanced companies have created value from their environmental, social, and governance programs. It also explains why such programs are so hard to assess quantitatively, and lays out a framework for how companies can develop programs strategically, meaningfully assess the value they create, and communicate that value internally and externally.

Given social expectations, most companies cannot function without these programs. The choice they have is to manage them well or poorly. Implementing successful program will not only help companies, but, by encouraging additional investment and focusing their core strengths on society’s challenges, will also create more value for society.