India, Nov. 12 -- The numbers are a revelation. A recent McKinsey study on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) finds that such corporate concerns are on the rise. Among 89 large firms in the survey, the ESG-related KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) have increased to 100, a 30 per cent rise in seven years. Media mentions of ESG have soared more than 50 times in a decade (2014-24), even as venture capital and private equity investments in ESG measurement businesses took off by 37 times. "Yet, the rapid proliferation of ESG checklists has crowded out CEO agendas, leading to ESG fatigue," states the survey. Firms are being pulled in opposing directions.

One of the major problems that the global firms face is to find opportunities tha...