Global ESG gap evident as public shows a lack of trust in government and corporate behaviour, SEC Newgate’s annual Global ESG Monitor reveals

Survey of 14 countries and territories shows governments and businesses are failing to meet public expectations for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)-related behaviour.
Hong Kong respondents’ views contrast with their global peers, with the city’s residents continuing to have the greatest ESG awareness at 85%, surpassing the global average (54%) with 75% stating that the HKSAR is generally “on the right track”.
Businesses and governments across the world are failing to meet public expectations for ESG-related behaviour, the fourth annual ESG Monitor report from SEC Newgate, the global strategic communications, advocacy and research group, has found.
The survey of more than 14,300 people across 14 countries and territories reveals strong expectations from the public for governments to act responsibly on ESG issues, with nearly three in five (58%) giving this an importance rating of 9 or 10 out of 10.
A similar majority (54%) said the same for large businesses, while expectations are lower for small to medium businesses (37%).
However, people gave lacklustre performance ratings for all three groups when it comes to delivering strong ESG outcomes. Just over half rated governments and large businesses at 7 or more out of 10 (53% and 54%) with a slightly more positive view towards small to medium businesses (58%).
Almost two-thirds of respondents (65%) also said that companies should play a more active role in society – but getting the balance right is critical.
There is also strong belief (73%) that performing well on ESG responsibilities doesn’t have to come at the expense of profitability, while people overwhelmingly (78%) believe companies should act in the best interests of all stakeholders rather than prioritising shareholders ahead of other stakeholders.
In addition, the research found that awareness of the term 'ESG' was stable in 2024, scoring 54% globally versus 53% in 2023. Respondents in Hong Kong SAR (43%), Singapore (41%) and UAE (39%) were more likely to say they had a good understanding of ESG, while Greece (11%), Colombia (11%), Poland (9%) and Spain (9%) had the lowest level of understanding.
A key demographic also emerged from the research: those aware of ESG were most likely to be male, aged under 50 years old, university educated and closely followed the news.
With regards to communicating their concerns around ESG, a vast majority of people (73%) agreed that companies should more clearly communicate what they are doing to improve their performance on environmental, social and governance issues. Almost half (44%) of people polled said they didn’t trust what companies said about their ESG activities or performance.
To obtain a copy of the Hong Kong ESG Monitor report and the Media release, please click on the links below:
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