Understanding ESG
ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) represents the three key pillars that measure a business's sustainability and ethical impact. With the introduction of international climate and sustainability reporting standards in 2023, ESG has become increasingly important for organisations of all sizes across Queensland.
Printable resources
- Information Sheet 1 - What is ESG? (
2.0 MB) - Information Sheet 2 - Environmental ( 2.0 MB)
- Information Sheet 3 - Social ( 2.2 MB)
- Information Sheet 4 - Governance ( 2.0 MB)
The three pillars of ESG
(E) Environmental relates to the physical impact of any business. Categories will often detail how efficient a business is in participating in actions that will assist in minimising harm to the environment through a reduce, reuse and recycle approach. This may include areas such as:
- Resource Conservation - using resources efficiently and effectively
- Waste Management - preventing, reducing, reusing and recycling waste
- Energy Efficiency - identifying and implementing workplace practices that minimise energy use
- Carbon footprint - identifying and measuring the greenhouse gas emissions across all aspects of the business.
(G) Governance looks at how a business effectively manages internal processes to comply with Federal and State laws related to ESG activities and reporting, as well as their ability to be open and transparent in these practices. There is a legal requirement for businesses to conduct their operations in an honest and ethical manner. Areas of focus may include:
- Compliance with Federal and State laws
- ESG awareness, reporting and data collection
- Ethical business practices
- Effective stakeholder engagement
- Established risk management and business continuity practices.
Why is ESG important?
ESG reporting is becoming more commonplace and communicating your performance will be expected and required in most tenders and quotes. This means that no matter the size of your business, demonstrating your capacity to meet these requirements is necessary for keeping a competitive edge. Understanding your business's environmental impact, how it manages and addresses social issues, and having clear governance policies and practices in place are great steps towards achieving this.
Self-assess your business
Once you understand what ESG is, you can complete this free self-assessment tool and answer questions about how it relates to the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects of your business. Upon completion, you'll receive a detailed report outlining your business's current standing in each ESG pillar, along with suggested next steps and actions to help your business demonstrate its commitment and capacity in these areas.
This self-assessment tool is 14 questions long and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Attend the 'Building Blocks of ESG' workshop
Discover how ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) is shaping major projects and procurement processes in this industry-validated workshop. Learn why ESG principles are being adopted, what they mean for your business, and how to build a robust ESG strategy. Gain insights into stakeholder expectations, conduct a materiality assessment, and receive a detailed toolkit with actionable steps to implement ESG effectively.
What previous attendees have said:
- "…Delivered with extensive background knowledge and simple clarity…”
- “…It’s been the best event I have attended on ESG hands down…”
- “…Very informative and answered a lot of questions I had...”
To attend a workshop, check for upcoming events or get in contact with us via email.
Last updated: 02 Apr 2025
(S) Social highlights how a business manages the relationships and well being of its employees, as well as in its supply chain. This also takes into account the relationships a business has with their local community and their commitment to diversity and inclusion. There are also a range of social and ethical business practices that underpin this pillar including: