UK leading the way on ESG, but greater transparency needed

UK leading the way on ESG, but greater transparency needed

The latest market analysis by digital identity specialists, ID Crypt Global, reveals that the UK business and industry is leading by example when it comes to Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance, with the UK’s top five largest companies securing a far higher ESG score compared to those elsewhere around the world.

What is ESG?
Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) is a set of standards designed to measure a business’s impact on society and the environment, as well as how transparent and accountable it is.

Environmental concerns include reducing energy usage, using renewable energy sources to achieve net zero, developing greener products, reducing carbon emissions, and encouraging recycling.

Societal concerns include ensuring products are safe and customer data is secure, preventing abuses within the supply chain such as labour rights, promoting equality in the workforce, and investing in local community projects.

As for governance, it’s all about transparency and accuracy when reporting on company activities and revenue, ensuring no crimes such as bribery are taking place, and being open about how much money executives are being paid.

Benefits of ESG
The benefits of ESG are obvious and plentiful. It improves a business’s reputation, reduces waste and costs, attracts employees, attracts customers, strengthens and secures investments, and mitigates risks. Perhaps most striking of all, ESG prioritisation seems to significantly improve profit margins.

In fact, existing research shows how companies that have been focussing on ESG over the last three years are seeing sales increase at twice the rate of those who have not. Furthermore, profits for enthusiastic ESG adopters have grown at three times the rate of everyone else, while employee headcounts have grown twice as quickly as those who aren’t prioritising ESG.

However, one important detail to note is that ESG scores can vary from one provider to the next. Not only this, but the methodology used to obtain this score is rarely disclosed and this lack of consistency and transparency can cause confusion.

ESG Profit Growth
ID Crypt’s latest analysis reveals that, between 2019-2020, profit growth for businesses placing a greater importance on ESG was 9.1%, 5.4% higher than those not considering ESG an important function within their business.

The biggest difference was recorded in the US where 11% profit growth for pro-ESG businesses is 6.3% higher than those who do not consider ESG a priority.

UK leads the way on ESG scores
While US companies are benefiting from the biggest profit boosts, analysis by S&P Global shows that the UK’s biggest companies are actually outperforming the rest on the global stage when it comes to ESG implementation.

In terms of market cap, the world’s five biggest businesses are currently Apple (US), Microsoft (US), Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia), Alphabet (US), and Amazon (US).

Of these five, the best ESG score is awarded to Microsoft at 56/100. The lowest score goes to Amazon at 22/100, while all five average a score of 37.4/100.

Meanwhile, the five biggest UK companies – Shell, AstraZeneca, Linde, HSBC, and Unilever – are securing much more impressive scores, averaging 69.4/100.

Both Linde and Unilever score 81/100 and AstraZeneca scores 80/100. HSBC comes in at 62/100 while Shell has the lowest score at 43/100.

While Shell’s score the lowest of these top five UK giants, the oil and gas giant is still doing far better with ESG than its industry peer, Saudi Aramco (26/100), as well as Amazon (22/100), a company that often sells itself as one of the most forward-looking organisations in the world.

CEO and Founder of ID Crypt Global, Lauren Wilson-Smith, commented:

“ESG is about ensuring that the world’s business and corporate pursuits do not continue to cause irrevocable damage to the planet and its people.

Unfortunately, it’s primarily being used to identify the risks and opportunities that will affect a business and its long-term sustainability and success, while also increasing profits.

It’s also fair to say that the current methods of assessing an organisation’s ESG capabilities are inefficient and costly, to say the least. If we really want to drive ESG forward we need to make the process as straightforward and transparent as possible.

So while it’s great to see UK businesses performing well on the world stage, further work is needed to ensure that ESG practices are more widely adopted and for the right reasons.”

Rugged Hank

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Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

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