Over 80% of Business Leaders Say Companies Should ‘Lead from the Front’ on Environment

A significant majority (83%) of business leaders believe there is an onus on business organisations to ‘lead from the front’ with regard to implementing more ambitious environmentally friendly practices and Net Zero targets.

The finding is contained in the latest quarterly Director Sentiment Monitor survey for Q4 2021, published today by the Institute of Directors (IoD) in Ireland.

The IoD survey also reveals the scale of the challenge for business, with almost half (48%) of the business leaders admitting that their business has found it difficult to set realistic key performance indicators (KPIs) in order to effectively measure targets in relation to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.

Adding to the challenge is the finding that over a third (36%) of respondents admit that the board of their primary organisation does not feel sufficiently knowledgeable and informed to deal with ESG matters.

The survey also finds that 46% of the business leaders either agree or strongly agree that the Government’s Climate Action Plan is good for the business of their primary organisation, while just 12% either disagree or strongly disagree that it is good for the business.

Commenting on the findings, Maura Quinn, Chief Executive of the Institute of Directors (Io) in Ireland, said: “It is clear from our latest quarterly research that responsibility for and influence on environmental issues is being acknowledged and, indeed, embraced by business leaders.

“Since the onset of the pandemic, in particular, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues have truly come to the fore.

“In an emphatic finding, 83% of our respondents believe there is an onus on business organisations to ‘lead from the front’ with regard to implementing more ambitious environmentally friendly practices and Net Zero targets.”

The key findings of the IoD’s Director Sentiment Monitor for Q4 2021 include:

Leading from the front: Do you think there is an onus on business organisations to ‘lead from the front’ with regard to implementing more ambitious environmentally friendly practices and Net Zero targets?

– Yes: 83%
– No: 10%
– Don’t know enough about it: 6%
– No opinion: 2%

Government’s Climate Action Plan: Do you believe the Government’s Climate Action Plan is good for the business of your primary organisation?

– Strongly agree: 8%
– Agree: 38%
– Neither agree nor disagree: 37%
– Disagree: 9%
– Strongly disagree: 3%
– No opinion: 5%
– Don’t know about it: 0%

Measuring ESG targets: In respect of your primary organisation, does your business have in place clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure ESG targets?

– Yes: 28%
– No: 34%
– Currently being developed: 37%
– Not sure: 2%

Setting KPIs for ESG: In respect of your primary organisation, did your business find it difficult to set realistic Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in order to effectively measure ESG targets?

– Yes: 48%
– No: 29%
– Not sure: 23%

Board knowledge of ESG: In respect of your primary organisation, does the board feel sufficiently knowledgeable and informed to deal with ESG matters?

– Yes: 45%
– No: 36%
– Don’t know: 19%