• In S.A, Nedbank Group is the only lender that has promised to stop financing coal in any state starting in 2025
  • Sustainability is seen as essential by many executives. Incorporating a sustainability plan is now undeniably a smart business
  • Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria came into the spotlight in an effort to address company sustainability and clear up any confusion

Harare- Sustainability is seen as essential by many executives. Incorporating a sustainability plan is now undeniably smart business. This has advantages beyond those of the environment and societal security. In other words, a growing number of studies show that business sustainability boosts prosperity and creates long-lasting groups. The International Energy Agency (IEA), the top global watchdog, issued its most stern warning yet to curb fossil fuels in its most recent report, advising investors not to fund new oil, gas, and coal supply projects if the world wants to achieve net zero emissions by the middle of the century.

Many lenders have turned to reduce lending to coal, oil, and gas projects while increasing their exposure to renewable energy in an effort to reduce their net carbon emissions to zero by 2050. We will take South African banks into consideration as we examine the situation of African lenders. In contrast to many of their international counterparts, South African banks, which are among the largest on the continent, have come under fire from activists and environmentalists for continuing to support fossil fuel initiatives. The Nedbank Group is the only lender that has promised to stop financing coal in any state starting in 2025. This means that in order to encourage sustainability, banks should change the amount of coal and oil exposure in their lending portfolios.

Sustainable refers to continuing at a particular pace or level over an extended period of time. This definition can be used to define a sustainable company as an organization that can continue to operate indefinitely. Being a sustainable company is therefore no easy task, and we haven't yet succeeded in doing so. This makes the idea a little mysterious. Without a type of company to use as a benchmark, the term's meaning has evolved and blurred over time. Suddenly, achieving gender equality, putting an end to poverty, and combating climate change are key components of corporate sustainability.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria came into the spotlight in an effort to address company sustainability and clear up any confusion. Although the ESG structure was initially designed for investors, the terminology has changed over time. Although the terms should not be used interchangeably, ESG is now often used to refer to corporate sustainability. ESG, however, emerges as a more pertinent and applicable idea with a clear set of guidelines if we keep in mind that true business sustainability has - to date - not been achieved. The ESG framework's specific standards strive to define sustainable environmental, social, and governance systems.

A contemporary method of conducting a company is the sustainable business or ESG model. Applying economist Milton Friedman's stakeholder theory was widely accepted in the 1970s. According to this view, a corporation's only duty was to its shareholders. Therefore, in order to promote economic development, profits must be maximized. The repercussions of putting profit ahead of all else, however, were not given any consideration, and it is these consequences that have driven economists, business executives, and scientists back to the boardroom. In this case, we redefine the laws of commerce. Sustainability has a business case, thanks to the ESG and sustainable company model.

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