ESG foundations

The core ideas, the global agreements and the vocabulary everything else builds on.

Concept Guide

ESG: the core ideas

ESG looks at environmental, social and governance issues that can change a company's cash flows, risks and cost of capital. The core ideas, the Indian rules, and the limits of ESG data.

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Concept Guide

ESG, CSR, sustainability and impact: four different things

ESG, CSR, sustainability and impact are often used as if they mean the same thing. They do not. The four terms, who uses each, and how to tell them apart in an annual report.

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Concept Guide

Materiality: financial, impact, double and dynamic

Materiality decides which ESG issues matter for a company. The four types of materiality, how a materiality assessment works, and how to read one in an annual report.

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Concept Guide

The global climate framework: UNFCCC, Paris Agreement, NDCs and COPs

How the world agrees on climate action. The UN Framework Convention, the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement, national climate plans (NDCs) and the yearly COP meetings, and why they matter to investors.

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Concept Guide

India's climate commitments: Panchamrit, NDCs and net zero by 2070

India's climate targets, from the Panchamrit goals announced at COP26 to the 2035 NDC submitted in 2026. What India has promised, what it has achieved, and what it means for Indian companies.

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Concept Guide

The UN Sustainable Development Goals

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are the world's shared to-do list for 2030. The goals, how companies and investors use them, and how to spot SDG-washing.

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Concept Guide

Greenwashing and its relatives

Greenwashing means making a company or product look better for the environment than it really is. The common forms, India's rules against it, its relatives (greenhushing, social washing, impact washing) and a red flag checklist.

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Concept Guide

The ESG debate: the case for and the case against

ESG has strong supporters and strong critics. The best arguments on both sides, the recent backlash, and a practical position for analysts that does not depend on which side wins.

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Concept Guide

Stakeholders and stakeholder mapping

Stakeholders are the people and groups who affect or are affected by a company. The main stakeholder groups, two simple mapping tools, and how stakeholder issues turn into financial risk.

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Lesson

Spot the greenwashing

Eight claims from hypothetical company reports, adverts and bond documents. Decide whether each is likely greenwashing, needs more detail, or is credible.

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