Are You An ESG Score Victim?

In a previous article, I referred to why you should avoid fanboyism. Now, it is time to analyze something that troubles many of us without realizing it. You see, bullying, racism, homophobia, etc., are terms that nowadays are everywhere, and many of us should deal with them. It seems that something is about to change for the better. But is that true, or is something running in the background? Something that forces these matters to be relevant for reasons we can’t imagine? Things are not always what they seem to be. And history proves that everything comes at a price, and the people behind every change are not always so innocent. And that makes me wonder why.

Why are Netflix and Disney investing so much in these matters through their movies and series? Why do so many companies lately try to trouble us with these matters more and more? Don’t we all know what is wrong or not? Or is there something more than that? Something that isn’t clear without further investigation? Long story-short, there is. And this something is power and money. But what do I mean?

Those who are into investments might be familiar with the ESG Score term. The ESG score stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance score. This is a tool that many investors utilize to assess a company’s sustainability and ethical performance. This is what matters for the money to be invested in money. And how can these be achieved? Of course, with campaigns that show how a company is against racism, etc., and how well and without discrimination they are treating their employees—especially those considered crucial for ethical reasons, such as equality, maternity, etc.

The same goes for companies like Disney and Netflix, which pertain to the entertainment section. Do you think that it is by accident that they offer shows with controversial topics? With topics that affect public opinion? Is it random that one episode of The Last of Us is fully dedicated to a love relationship between two men? No, it is not only to gain popularity and spread positive vibes. It is because this way, they show their ethical face. Investors, not just the audience, would accept a successful show easier that deal adequately with these matters.

It is not only a matter of promoting better social standards. It is business as usual. We, as people, should learn to accept what might have been controversial in the past without an actual reason. We are only humans, after all. But how do you feel when you realize these things hide something more? Something that is not so innocent? Something that is hypocritical. Promoting better social standards for a better society is the best practice. But when you are taking advantage of this to gain more power, at the very least, it is unethical.

Those who read my article about fanboyism might remember the Black Rock investment group. Black Rock is one of the largest investment groups, handling trillions of funds. It is such a dazzling amount of money that it is not easy even to realize how powerful it is. Black Rock is a company that takes the ESG score seriously when investing in a company. To put it simply, it is a company that is hired even by the US government to handle financial matters and crises. So, it is not a random player in the game. Although their practices during the last financial crisis were controversial, to say the least, Black Rock is one of the groups that large companies want to be on their list.

Do you remember what I said about the ESG score and how it affects the final decision? Black Rock forces ethical behaviors and matters to invest in a company or to continue investing. And this is why you might see companies promoting their moral standards. Because they need these investments. Companies like Black Rock became so powerful that they could even bring public doom to a company. You will see how this goes by putting the puzzle pieces together. Money is power, but affecting public opinion is power as well. So you are almost obligated or even trapped to follow these trends, even unwillingly. Black Rock is not the only one. I refer to it because its CEO, Larry Fink, admitted to forcing behaviors (for the greater good) in a public interview.

However, after seeing the tight relationships between the most significant investment groups in my fanboyism article, it would have been hypocritical to consider that Black Rock is the only one. This is something that would have been utilized as a tool against BR by its main competitors. It is not something unusual and I am not yellow-pressing. So, BR is not the only one. However, the problem is not the ESG score, which is a great way to deal with social anti-standards. No, this would have been something great. The unethical part is the dark side of the moon. While Black Rock and its competitors are trying to convince us that they care for humanity and the environment, they are also investing in the oil and gun equipment industries. Isn’t that unethical and hypocritical as well? Where is your humanitarianism on that? This is not only self-contradictory but dangerous, too.

So, what is the purpose of this article? What is its meaning? We all know that companies, especially the large ones, are not so innocent. You don’t write about something we didn’t know about. The purpose is not to inform you of something you might know but to make you think. The next time you see something demonstrated as something in favor of the greater good and strikes a sensitive matter, do not fall into their trap to support it or not. Think twice before you become an ESG Score Force Behavior victim.

Be sure you fully understand what is wrong and right, not just what they want you to do and believe. Only when you self-realize what is best for the greater good does this world have a future. Not when you are scared of the consequences or being forced to. We hold the key to a better future; we shouldn’t grant it to any company, organization, or government. Humanity is full of bad examples of sheep and wolves. Let’s hope for the best. All together, not divided by race, politics, gender, religion, etc., we can achieve everything. The future is in our hands, and the future is us. And you know what? No company or government would deny this truth. We are only humans, after all.