Key Takeaways
- Corporate Affairs professionals in Europe and North America are most likely to say there is growing resistance against Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG): Around half of professionals report increased resistance in the past twelve months.
- Backlash is region-specific: While many Corporate Affairs professionals say resistance to ESG has intensified in Europe and North America, professionals in other regions are much less likely to report an increase.
- Contestation is not consensus: ESG is increasingly debated, but the pushback is not global—highlighting the need for regionally nuanced strategies.
The University of Oxford and GlobeScan have been partnering since 2019 to deliver enhanced insight into the roles, responsibilities, challenges, opportunities, and themes facing leading global Corporate Affairs professionals around the world through its annual Oxford-GlobeScan Global Corporate Affairs Survey report.
The research shows that in regions like Europe and North America, Corporate Affairs professionals feel the backlash against ESG has become more pronounced, with approximately half of respondents reporting increased resistance against this agenda in the past twelve months. At the same time, Corporate Affairs professionals in other parts of the world are much less likely to report experiencing more resistance. This divergence underscores a critical point: although ESG is becoming more contested, growing resistance to it is far from universal.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Nowhere are the effects of rising political and economic pressures more visible than in the expansive domain of ESG. Often misrepresented as a vehicle for ideological agendas, ESG remains a vital lens through which companies interpret their operating environment and shape strategic behavior. For Corporate Affairs, ESG remains a central, yet increasingly complex arena. Regional disparities are widening, and political forces are reshaping both strategic priorities and narrative framing. In this shifting landscape, companies may need to adopt more nuanced, regionally-attuned approaches to ESG in the years ahead.
The sixth annual Oxford-GlobeScan Global Corporate Affairs Survey report will be published in July, providing the latest overview of opinions, trends, and challenges through the lens of Corporate Affairs practitioners. The report captures the views and insights of 245 senior Corporate Affairs professionals who were surveyed between February and March 2025 on issues and themes relevant to their function.
Survey Question: Looking again at the past 12 months, are you seeing more resistance against ESG in your region?
Source: Oxford-GlobeScan Global Corporate Affairs Survey (survey of 245 Corporate Affairs practitioners in February ‒ March 2025)
