RT-393

Environmental, Social, and corporate Governance (ESG) criteria are an increasingly popular way for investors to evaluate companies and they should affect capital projects in the near future. ESG criteria are “a set of standards for a company’s operations that socially conscious investors use to screen potential investments. Environmental criteria consider how a company performs as a steward of nature. Social criteria examine how it manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities where it operates. Governance deals with a company’s leadership, executive pay, audits, internal controls, and shareholder rights.” (Investopedia, 2021).

CII engaged Houston Foresight to help explore the future of ESG criteria on capital projects between the present (2021) and 2030. The project used Houston Foresight’s Framework Foresight method for exploring the future, along with a series of exploratory scenario and implications workshops to engage CII members around the process. The main purpose of the project was to explore and illuminate the possible outcomes of ESG using ESG scenarios for 2030, so CII members could be better informed and equipped for this future. CII members can use the scenarios and associated responses, as well as other findings from this research team to support both organization-specific and industry initiatives such as strategic planning, innovation sessions, deep dives to explore particular issues or drivers, and implementing a horizon scanning system to address ESG.