Marketing & Communications Organizational Governance

Brands Are Walking Back Their ESG Commitments — Here’s Why They Should Be ‘Branding’ Them, Instead

At a time when many are retreating, staying the sustainability course with confidence, personality and authenticity will set brand leaders apart from the rest.

Brand Provided | By Stefanie Gilmore | Published 4 weeks ago | About a 4 minute read

Image: Ganni x New Balance

Cast your mind back to 2015 — specifically, the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) hosted in Paris that December. The event marked a watershed moment for businesses — kickstarting a tidal wave of momentum for the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) movement.

Nearly a decade later, that wave is now facing a dam of resistance. Around the globe, organizations are rolling back ESG goals — and alarmingly, some beloved brands are among them.

Ford and Harley Davidson are recent additions to the list of companies that have bowed to sustained shareholder pressure to water down their ESG pledges. But they’re far from the only ones. Following its recent decision to leave an investment group promoting climate action, JP Morgan has doubled down — electing to close two subscale sustainable funds, just three years after their launch.

Shocking for some, upsetting for others — the news has been polarizing. Yet, while these moves may not be popular, they create a rare opportunity for brands that are committed to not just staying the course but determined to make real progress.

For brands, this is an opportunity to differentiate themselves from competitors — and a perfect moment for marketing teams to deepen their brand’s connection with both employees and end users.

Success depends on delivering a clear and authentic narrative — one that highlights both the brand’s goals and its progress. This approach ensures brands gain recognition for their efforts while steering clear of the generic sustainability tropes many companies fall into.

So, with that in mind — how can brands craft ESG communications that resonate with stakeholders and help them get credit for their actions?

This is what it will take to stay the course — with confidence and intention:

Highlight the initiatives and commitments that most clearly link to the business.

On paper, many companies have an impressive variety of ESG programs and work streams. But to bolster the brand and highlight impact, they should prioritize initiatives that directly relate to the improvements they can make within their own domain — rather than leaning on more generic initiatives.

AB InBev provides a strong example: Its ESG platform centers around water stewardship and agriculture — two processes inherent to brewing beer.

Talk about ESG efforts through the lens of your brand personality.

Brands, like people, show up and behave in ways that reflect what they stand for. People recognize brand behaviors. Too often, though, brands let the more formal communication style of the sustainability space overshadow their personality. For maximum impact, ESG initiatives must reflect the brand as if they were any other interaction.

Danish fashion brand Ganni does this exceptionally well with its personality-led Responsibility Reports. Not only are these reports tonally confident and playful; their structure, length and layout are also unmistakably Ganni — engaging even those who visit the site just to shop.

Ditch tired sustainability imagery.

Across industries, ESG reporting has turned nature scenes into a universal symbol for “E” and sunlit, upward-glancing individuals into shorthand for “S.”
It’s time to move beyond these overused tropes. While photography can’t do all the heavy lifting, it’s still a vital tool. Brands should leverage it in ways that reflect their unique identity instead of defaulting to leafy green forests or water bottles.

Nike’s Move to Zero platform exemplifies this. It draws from Nike’s iconic design system to tell its ESG story, even reviving its 1970s circular logo to symbolize its commitment to circular design principles. This philosophy is reflected in tangible efforts, including using recycled materials in products and designing with end-of-life reuse in mind.

Ultimately, the rollback of ESG commitments by major brands underscores a critical moment of opportunity for those willing to step up and lead with intention. Brands that embrace this challenge can differentiate themselves from competitors and forge deeper, more meaningful connections with their audiences — both internal and external.

At a time when many are retreating, staying the course with confidence, personality and authenticity will set the leaders apart from the rest.