The ESG Issues That Matter Most to People

Research conducted by the nonprofit organization JUST Capital highlights the importance of public opinion in determining corporate behavior. The study revealed that when examining American companies, the public placed a significant emphasis on the treatment of workers. This priority remains consistent across demographic and political groups, making it an important factor for managers seeking to improve their companies’ ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) performance. JUST Capital’s approach involves gathering public input through focus groups and surveys to identify and assess the fairness of corporate behavior. The statistical analysis gave weights to 20 key criteria, with workforce-related issues consistently ranking highest. Approximately 44% of respondents consider workforce-related issues to be the most important, compared to other stakeholder categories. These findings have implications for managers who seek to be perceived as rational. Prioritizing fair pay, health and safety, career development, and work-life balance for workers is essential. Incorporating public opinion into corporate rankings would provide a more objective and legitimate framework for evaluating fairness.