The Policy Liaison Group on Environmental, Social, and Governance is a cross-party forum convening experts, NGOs, industry and financial services to drive forward the ESG agenda in Parliament and Government.

We are a cross-party group with clear ambitions for the UK to strengthen its position as an ESG and sustainability leader globally. The Policy Liaison Group (PLG) on ESG closely follows all aspects of the UK Government’s sustainability programme, identifying gaps in policy delivery, informing parliamentarians, and forwarding recommendations.

Latest updates

The Transition Finance Market Review

December 16, 2024

Released in October 2024, the Review highlighted both the significant challenges and the vast potential of transition finance. McKinsey projects a £1 trillion opportunity for UK companies by 2030, but warns that urgent action is needed to maintain the UK’s competitive edge, as other markets are advancing quickly.

CISL’s competitive sustainability report

November 26, 2024

Participants at this roundtable of the Policy Liaison Group, chaired by Victoria Collins MP, acknowledged that while ESG disclosures have raised awareness, transformative incentives are key to driving systemic change. Bridging this gap will require bold policy decisions and a shift in business mindset, aligning profitability with sustainability to secure a resilient future.

ESG under Labour

July 16, 2024

The King’s Speech marked the new Labour government’s green agenda, with a strong focus on the energy transition and sustainability. This session of the PLG engaged with the government’s ambitions, exploring additional priorities as we look to accelerate the green transition.

Group litigation

May 13, 2024

The rising volume of group litigation cases puts pressure on boardrooms to prioritise ESG strategy and reduce exposure to risk. As group litigation evolves, questions around regulatory mandates, the risk of green hushing, and the ethics behind often massive third-party funding commitments will become more pertinent.

The Future of ESG

April 29, 2024

A range of factors leads to persistent confusion among investors and corporates, underlining the need for ESG reporting to be more targeted and specific. Regulation is supporting this transition, but there are questions around how best to harness value creation, and how to fill the “vacuum” between corporates (sustainability) and investors (ESG).

Corporate governance

April 9, 2024

The group’s inaugural roundtable explored a diverse range of topics in the UK’s corporate governance landscape - reform, the regulatory scope of the FRC, changes to the Governance Code, and the review of the Stewardship Code. We were honoured to host Richard Moriarty, CEO of the Financial Reporting Council, and Peter Swabey, Policy and Research Director at the Chartered Governance Institute, who led the discussion.

Our Mission

Help parliamentarians understand ESG and how frameworks, metrics, practices, and approaches can deliver both environmental and social impact, while also securing a more stable and efficient business climate through effective corporate governance.

Our Vision

Building consensus with a diverse range of expert stakeholders to nurture a policy environment that understands how sustainability, economic growth and public policy link together. This body of knowledge and understanding will have a direct impact on the UK Government’s ability to meet its headline objectives across both the environmental and social pillars of ESG, while also delivering for the UK economy.