Opinion: If you’re told ESG is the next big thing, beware of greenwashing | Parnell Palme McGuinness
. Climate change versus slavery – is there an acceptable trade-off? And if so, who decides what it is?
Even the fashionable expressions of organisational “values” can quickly lead from sublime intention to ridiculous action. Late last year, the legal faculty of a major Australian university proposed that the academics make a public resolution of support for the Indigenous Voice to parliament. While personally in favour of a Voice, my legal academic friend recalls her acute discomfort at being called on to make a public statement of this kind despite her lack of constitutional expertise.
Heilbuth, a former diplomat, believes companies serious about ESG need to appreciate the geopolitical context, but can realise opportunities in doing so. As the world splits into two major powers, responsible countries will focus on building green manufacturing in Australia to take advantage of our minerals and other natural resources. We must.
“Beijing also controls much of the infrastructure required to refine the minerals critical to the energy transition,” he says. “Chinese refineries supply 50 to 70 per cent of the world’s cobalt and lithium and over 90 per cent of rare-earth minerals.” While the far-sighted Chinese look to harness the commodities of developing nations connected to the Belt and Road, and export expensive services to them, it will be strategically and ethically necessary to ensure we aren’t reliant on them.that we must “play a guiding role to inject stability and positive energy into a world rocked by social turmoil”. See, it’s easy to make war and unethical practices sound good. It’s harder to actually practice ESG. The spin is no longer enough.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Calling all footy fans: Huge change coming to Australia’s most iconic pie companyAn Asia-based investment firm has bought out the company responsible for one of the nation’s most iconic pie brands, Four’N Twenty. 7NEWS
Read more »
Reserve Bank boss’s grim forecast: ‘Will need to be much higher’Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Philip Lowe has issued a grim warning for homeowners as he all but guarantees further interest rate rises will occur. 7NEWS
Read more »
‘Some hanged themselves’: the work to find answers amid Izium’s mass graveUkrainians in recaptured town tell of death and suffering wrought by Russian shelling and interrogations
Read more »