The ESG Threat

By Karen Schumacher

ESG is the acronym for environment, social, and governance.  It was created by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and United Nations (UN) initiative that integrates Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) into business models with criteria.  This is an ESG example.

Tommy Salmons wrote an excellent article for The Libertarian Institute that provides an explanation of ESG and why it is a threat to every one of us.  This utopian vision of how ESG will force proper corporate behavior will trickle down to everyone where punishments will come if one doesn’t comply.  Within the article is a nice graphic (published by the Ethics and Compliance Initiative) that shows examples of what is included in each ESG category.

For any decision a corporation makes, that decision must pass muster in each of these areas.  Buildings and products must be environmentally friendly, the workplace must be managed according to the social criteria, and the corporation must ensure the governance of their operation is squeaky clean.

This expectation for appropriate corporate behavior trickles down into a social credit system for us as explained by Dr. Vernon Coleman and as experienced by these Chinese protesters.

During the 2022 Idaho legislative session, ESG was being scrutinized for its potential harm to Idahoans.  No bill was passed but a House Concurrent Resolution was created but did not make it through the session for passage.  Aye and Nay voting on this by legislators is listed.

Many Idaho corporations practice ESG including Clearwater Paper, Potlatch, and Union Pacific to name a few.

ESG is a threat to our liberty.  It exemplifies how daily lives can be monitored and tracked through digital technology such as a smart phone, and how that data can be used to determine how one is allowed to live.  This is an issue for everyone to become familiar with for the next legislative session and support the legislature in keeping ESG out of Idaho.