About the APPG on ESG
Recent shifts in the national consciousness, combined with increasingly stringent company reporting requirements, have placed Environmental, Social, and Governance considerations high on the agenda of British businesses of all sizes.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on ESG exists to deepen parliamentarians’ engagement with investors and industry experts relating to corporate exposure and non-financial risks. The UK economy’s progression towards greener and more socially responsible practices, creating new investment opportunities while meeting wider public policy goals are key to what the APPG does.
The APPG has emerged as an ESG thought leader at a time when the UK Government is implementing a series of landmark environmental and social policies, while undertaking major corporate governance reform.
The APPG regularly holds meetings attended by parliamentarians, ESG experts, and informed stakeholders. Meetings of the APPG, together with consultations and wider research feed into regular policy recommendations to Westminster along with the investment and corporate communities.
The APPG on ESG aims to achieve the following:
- Deepen the understanding of ESG principles and values among British businesses and parliamentarians.
- Champion the importance of ESG on company boards, helping to deliver top-down systemic change.
- Support the development and implementation of effective, low-burden disclosure and reporting frameworks to give investors confidence.
- Help the UK establish further as an ESG world leader and green business hub.
- Communicate the link between ESG principles and energy security.
- Convince key stakeholders of ESG’s fundamental role in delivering clean, more efficient and low-carbon energy.
The concept of ESG should not be confused with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). While both terms relate to the social responsibilities of businesses, CSR specifically holds organisations accountable for their social commitments in a qualitative and quantitative manner.
By contrast, ESG is a set of principles that should be factored into all decisions a business makes, ensuring that corporate goals are underpinned by a holistic consideration of the concerns at hand.
Chair
Alexander Stafford MP
Alexander Stafford is the Conservative MP for Rother Valley. He was elected to Parliament in December 2019, founding the APPG on Environmental, Social and Governance in June 2021. As Chairman of the APPG on ESG, Alexander hopes to help Britain stay ahead of the curve on the understanding, assessment and implementation of ESG by engaging cross-party politicians with British business leaders, NGOs, regulators, and other key stakeholders, collectively helping to sustain ESG’s progress.
In Parliament, Alexander consistently champions the green recovery, having previously worked for both the World Wildlife Fund and Shell. As a member of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee, Chairman of the APPG on ESG, Chairman of the APPG on Hydrogen, and Vice-Chair of the APPG for Critical Minerals, he is a leading voice for the role of green materials, energy sources and finance in driving Britain’s transition to reach net zero and to level-up communities across the country.
Vice chairs
Officers
