Strategic Focus: The Evolving Role Of The Board In An ESG & Sustainability Landscape

Access this research

Access all Corporate Sustainability Leaders content with a strategic subscription or buy this single report

Need help or have a question about this report? Contact us for assistance

Executive Summary

With ESG and sustainability becoming increasingly critical parameters for business performance, the role of the board of directors has evolved to directly engage with these matters. However, the terms of such engagement are still terra incognita. This report is designed to help key decision-makers in firms navigate this ambiguity effectively and efficiently. Specifically, boards should read this report to prepare themselves for an updated way of functioning, encompassing ESG and sustainability concerns. 
In a rapidly changing business environment, the role of the board is evolving to tackle sustainability head-on
ESG and sustainability have risen in status on board agendas
Board engagement with ESG and sustainability can differ
Conscious and continuous effort is crucial for boards to effectively engage with ESG and sustainability matters
Boards must be more accountable for sustainability issues
Figure 1. Drivers of the increasing prominence of ESG on board agendas
Figure 2. Role of the board in accelerating a firm’s sustainability journey
Figure 3. Equipping boards to take smarter sustainability decisions
Figure 4. The ESG information boards need

About the Authors

Priyanka Bawa

Priyanka Bawa

Senior Analyst

Priyanka is a Senior Analyst at Verdantix, where she leads research to enable sustainability leaders and services firms to analyse shifting market dynamics and evaluate innova...

View Profile
Kim Knickle

Kim Knickle

Research Director

Kim Knickle is a Research Director at Verdantix, bringing more than two decades of analyst experience to the evolving world of sustainability. Her current research spans ESG a...

View Profile

Other related content

Blog
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
Look Around, The Drivers Of Sustainabil...

At the start of 2025, I expected an exciting year for sustainability. Well, it certainly has been exciting, just not exactly in the ways I’d hoped. From the EU Omnibus to President...

05 September, 2025

Blog
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
Europe’s Sustainability House Of Cards:...

On August 21, 2025, the US and the EU unveiled their joint Framework on an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade. Buried under headlines about tariffs and energy dea...

28 August, 2025

Blog
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
Where Sustainability Shines In The US –...

I’m based in the US, where it doesn’t take much effort to find anti-ESG news. Stating the obvious: President Trump falls into the anti-ESG camp. And many federal government agencie...

27 August, 2025

Blog
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
Another Rule, Another (Proposed) Rollba...

The Trump administration just took one of its most momentous steps yet in dismantling US federal climate policy. On July 25, 2025, the EPA announced a proposal to rescind the 2009 ...

05 August, 2025

Blog
Corporate Sustainability Leaders
Can The EU Put A Price On Nature?

In July 2025, the European Commission published its Roadmap towards Nature Credits, signalling the EU’s intent to establish and directly support a dedicated nature credits market. ...

05 August, 2025

Webinar
Building Digital Platforms & Operational Tech
Breaking The Silo-nce: How To Get Opera...

As attention shifts away from net zero target setting to asset level decarbonization, many firms are discovering critical disconnect between their energy management efforts and cor...

Upcoming / 24 September, 2025