Environmental Social and Governance (ESG): Training for a Sustainable Future

Feb 11, 2025 | Articles, Employee Training

Key takeaways:

  • Employees need training to understand the impact that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles may have on their roles.
  • Engaging employees in ESG learning promotes a sustainable future and aligns them with core environmental and governance principles.
  • A robust ESG training program can drive ethical decision-making, and meaningful organizational change.
  • Organizations should measure KPIs related to ESG goals to assess progress and iterate their approach for long-term success.

It’s safe to say that in 2025, most employees have at least a basic awareness of environmental, social and governance (ESG) concepts and how those concepts relate to their workplaces. To make ensure that everyone in your organization, from frontline workers to C-suite executives, understand the real-world impact of ESG on their daily work and decision-making—and the critical part they play in driving its success – Learning & Development (L&D) must begin building ESG literacy through training.

Creating a comprehensive ESG training program can help employees navigate evolving ESG policies, understand how these changes impact their roles today, and prepare for the future as they advance in their careers.

To effectively engage learners, we need to stop thinking about ESG as just another compliance requirement and start presenting it as a vehicle for progress. Employees should understand how ESG can drive organizations away from outdated, unethical practices and toward a more resilient, sustainable future.

What is ESG? A Vehicle to a Better Tomorrow

ESG helps organizations move away from outdated practices – short-sighted decisions, poor corporate conduct, and regulatory violations and instead enables organizations to course-correct toward innovation, long-term strategy, and meaningful stakeholder engagement.

If your company is embarking on a transformative ESG journey, then a thoughtful and well-planned approach to ESG stewardship can be seen as the tracks that guide your organization to its destination. Without a strategy, you risk derailment, which may come in the form of public scandals, reputational damage, stakeholder disengagement, or financial losses.

The principles built into ESG frameworks don’t just prevent failure; they provide the structure that enables long-term progress and resilience. Without them underpinning your organization’s future plans, even the most well-intentioned ESG initiatives risk losing direction.

Learning as the Engine that Drives ESG Forward

Strong training is the engine that drives ESG forward by engaging employees in learning that drives commitment and alignment to core environmental, sustainability, and governance principles.

To empower employees at every level to contribute to more sustainable and responsible ways of working, build a robust ESG learning program. When employees are given the right tools and knowledge to not only understand ESG, but apply ESG principles in their roles, they can:

  • Make more ethical decisions
  • Navigate challenges effectively
  • Avoid ESG risks
  • Achieve meaningful, lasting change
  • Engage in their own personal development

A strong ESG learning culture ensures that every employee understands their role, works toward shared goals, and collaborates effectively.

Next Stop: ESG Goals and Learning Objectives

Every strong ESG initiative needs checkpoints—whether it’s reducing carbon emissions, meeting water conservation targets, improving leadership diversity, or increasing supply chain transparency. Organizations can assess their progress by measuring KPIs associated with these goals and make process adjustments or iterate their approach for long-term success.

It’s never too late to start building your organization’s ESG learning strategy. When all employees have the right training and knowledge, your journey toward engaged employees, operational success, and a strong public reputation will be a smooth ride.

Your ESG journey starts now! We’re excited to announce six new Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) courses within our  General Compliance catalog. Want to learn more? Reach out to explore our ESG compliance courses today!