šæ Letās Talk About the āEā in ESG ā Itās Greener Than You Think!
- Bonita Labuschagne
- Jul 18
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 19
If ESG was a sandwich, the āEā would be the crunchy, fresh lettuce š±āvital, green, and a little misunderstood.
So, what does the EĀ in ESG stand for?
Environmental.
In plain English: Itās all about how a business interacts with the planet. Are they leaving behind a trail of waste⦠or a trail of positive impact?

Hereās What āEnvironmentalā Means (Without the Boring Bits)
When companies talk about their environmental impact, theyāre usually looking at things like:
ā»ļø Waste & RecyclingĀ ā Are they sending truckloads of rubbish to landfills, or finding smart ways to reuse and recycle?
šØ Carbon EmissionsĀ ā Are their factories pumping out greenhouse gases, or are they finding cleaner, greener alternatives?
š Energy UseĀ ā Are they guzzling electricity, or switching to solar, wind, or other renewable sources?
š§ Water UseĀ ā Are they wasting water like itās going out of style, or being thoughtful with how they use it?
š³ Protecting NatureĀ ā Are they helping preserve biodiversity, or causing damage to forests, oceans, and ecosystems?
Why Should Businesses Care About the āEā?
Well, because the planet is not a hotelāwe canāt just trash it and check out. š
But beyond that, being eco-smart is also good for business:
ā It saves money (hello, energy efficiency!)
ā It attracts customers who care (and letās be honest, most people do)
ā It prepares businesses for new laws and regulations coming their way
And letās face it, nobody wants to support a brand that pollutes rivers or dumps plastic into the ocean.
What Can Companies Actually Do?
Good question! āGoing greenā doesnāt have to mean doing everything at once. Even small changes make a big difference.
š Use eco-friendly materials
š Reduce transport emissions
š¦ Rethink packaging
š” Switch to LED lights or renewable power
š Track their carbon footprint (and actually try to shrink it)
Itās about progress, not perfection.
Letās Wrap This Up Like a Recycled Burrito šÆ
The EĀ in ESG is the environmental part of how a company runsāand it matters more than ever. A business that takes care of the planet is one step ahead, building trust, saving money, and making the world a better place.
Next time, weāll dive into the SĀ in ESG. (Spoiler alert: itās all about people! ā¤ļø)
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