ESG principles and Disclosures in United Kingdom and South Africa (The Fourth Report)

Building on the success of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Economics and Business Law (IJEBL) ESG Special Report published in Volume 10 (2021), the tenth anniversary volume of IJEBL and featured in the much - viewed Business Day Dialogue of 9 November 2021and the Second ESG Report published in Volume 11 IJEBL (2022) also supported by KAS, and published in IJEBL Volume 12 Third ESG Report we follow on to a Fourth ESG Report.

This follow - on Fourth ESG Report involves an extended analysis of ESG practice in the UK and South Africa featured in the First and Second and Third Reports which shows in the latter that ESG has widened in its remit and has mainly supporters and serious implementers of ESG policy. ESG has moved away from a marketing and public relations perspective that were often exaggerated to actual reflection as to what can realistically be achieved. The war in Ukraine and the continuing effects of the energy crisis has caused pension fund asset managers and companies to reflect as to what they can realistically deliver. Regulators are becoming more aware as well of the difference between greenwashing and genuine adherence to ESG principles. Additionally, they are also becoming stricter, banishing companies from ratings and ESG compliant lists for not practicing all three components of ESG. There is a recognition that all three components of ESG are interlinked.

COP28 (2023) was held in Dubai and it featured a one - year progress report that included a number of COP 27 commitments to increase finance and investment in climate change adaptation and transition away from fossil fuels and high carbon emissions, COP28 has global implications that will affect the UK, South Africa, the EU and US greatly.

This Fourth ESG Report concentrates on how progress has or not been made and how it will affect the UK and South Africa in particular.