By Chen Yang-Jen
要點前導
近年來熱門關鍵字非 ESG 莫屬，企業重視 ESG 將會提高長期績效及其價值之外，ESG 亦是企業與國際接軌的重要語言。
何謂 ESG？
近來 ESG 躍升為熱門搜尋字，何謂 ESG？近年全球經濟快速發展之下，產生許多與環境議題 E（Environmental）、社會責任 S（Social）以及公司治理 G（Governance）相關問題。例如全球暖化、工廠排放廢氣造成空氣汙染、勞工工時過長及剝削勞工的血汗工廠、食安風暴、做假帳、掏空公司等事件層出不窮。
ESG has recently become a popular search word. What is ESG? With the rapid development of global economy in recent years, many issues related to Environmental issues, Social responsibility issues and corporate Governance issues have emerged. Such as global warming, air pollution caused by factory emissions, excessive working hours and sweatshops that exploit labor, food and shelter storms, falsified accounts, and hollowing out companies.
ESG 永續經營理念
在過去投資人只在意公司的獲利能力，作為投資標的選擇，但是近年越來越多專家學者認為，在 ESG 永續經營理念之下，可以帶給企業有正向的循環。當公司有良好的公司形象，能吸引更多優秀人才、增進員工向心力以及降低員工離職率。在公司正派經營之下，也能夠獲得投資人的信賴，更願意投資企業，因此員工共同努力為企業帶來競爭力與創新力，投資人對企業投資愈多，使得公司獲利年年成長，最後也會讓環境與社會一起更加進步。
在過去投資人只在意公司的獲利能力，作為投資標的選擇，但是近年越來越多專家學者認為，在 ESG 永續經營理念之下，可以帶給企業有正向的循環。當公司有良好的公司形象，能吸引更多優秀人才、增進員工向心力以及降低員工離職率。在公司正派經營之下，也能夠獲得投資人的信賴，更願意投資企業，因此員工共同努力為企業帶來競爭力與創新力，投資人對企業投資愈多，使得公司獲利年年成長，最後也會讓環境與社會一起更加進步。
In the past, investors only cared about the profitability of the company as the investment target choice, but in recent years, more and more experts and scholars believe that under the concept of sustainable management, ESG can bring positive circulation to enterprises. When the company has a good corporate image, it can attract more excellent talents, improve employee centripetal force and reduce employee turnover rate. Under the decent operation of the company, it can also gain the trust of investors and is more willing to invest in the company. Therefore, the employees work together to bring competitiveness and innovation to the company. The more investors invest in the company, the profit of the company will grow year by year, and finally, the environment and society will be more progressive together.
善盡社會責任，創造正向循環
管理學大師 Michael Porter 認為，若企業能夠善盡「企業社會責任（Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR）」，即可提高公司的競爭力，並且落實 ESG 理念來經營，可以帶來五大面向「塑造企業優良形象」、「強化投資人對企業的信任」、「吸引外部人投資企業」、「增加員工向心力降低流動率」以及「刺激企業創新增加競爭力」的正向循環。台灣的金融管理委員會所發布「綠色金融行動方案 2.0」，要透過金融機制，引導企業及投資人重視環境、社會及公司治理（ESG）議題，促成投資及產業追求永續發展的良性循環，藉由公私協力合作達成減碳及永續發展目標。
管理學大師 Michael Porter 認為，若企業能夠善盡「企業社會責任（Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR）」，即可提高公司的競爭力，並且落實 ESG 理念來經營，可以帶來五大面向「塑造企業優良形象」、「強化投資人對企業的信任」、「吸引外部人投資企業」、「增加員工向心力降低流動率」以及「刺激企業創新增加競爭力」的正向循環。台灣的金融管理委員會所發布「綠色金融行動方案 2.0」，要透過金融機制，引導企業及投資人重視環境、社會及公司治理（ESG）議題，促成投資及產業追求永續發展的良性循環，藉由公私協力合作達成減碳及永續發展目標。
Michael Porter, a management guru, argues that Corporate Social Responsibility (Corporate Social Responsibility; CSR), can improve the competitiveness of the company, and implement the ESG concept to operate, can bring five positive cycles for “shaping the good image of the company”, “strengthening the trust of investors in the company”, “attracting outsiders to invest in the company”, “increasing the centripetal force of employees to reduce the turnover rate” and “stimulating the innovation to increase the competitiveness of the company”. The “Green Finance Action Plan 2.0” issued by the Financial Regulatory Commission of Taiwan aims to guide enterprises and investors to pay attention to environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues through financial mechanisms, so as to promote a virtuous cycle of investment and industrial sustainable development and achieve carbon reduction and sustainable development goals through public-private partnership.
以台灣電力公司為例，台電 2019 年 4 月首度發布環境白皮書，承諾電廠空污減排目標：2021 年空污排放強度將較 2016 年減少 30%、2025 年減少 40%，2030 年更減半達 50%；溫室氣體碳排放部分，台電也承諾 2021 年火力機組淨排放強度與 2016 年相比，將減排 7%、2025 年減 15%、2030 年碳減排達 20%。當企業能在兼顧公司發展及綠色環境下做出改變，不僅能擁有良好的公司形象，也能帶給投資人更多的信心持續投資公司發展。
Taiwan Power Company, for example, issued its first environmental white paper in April 2019, promising to reduce the air pollution intensity of power plants by 30% in 2021, 40% in 2025, and 50% in 2030. As for greenhouse gas carbon emissions, Taipower also promised to reduce the net emission intensity of its thermal units by 7% in 2021, 15% in 2025 and 20% in 2030 compared with 2016. When an enterprise can make changes while taking into account the development of the company and the green environment, it can not only have a good corporate image, but also bring more confidence to investors to continue investing in the development of the company.
降低淨利，重視碳排放量議題
國際間對於環境永續經營相關規範早已行之有年，不論是穩定溫室氣體濃度的 UNFCCC（聯合國氣候變化綱要公約）、Paris Agreement（巴黎協定），再加上於 2021 年 7 月 14 日正式公布碳邊境調整機制（Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, CBAM）計畫，規範碳密集型產品若進口到歐盟，必須購買憑證（CBAM Certificates）才能將其產品銷往歐洲市場，規定進口到歐盟的水泥、鋼鐵、鋁、肥料及電力產品，需向進口國申報其進口產品的碳排放量。此規定讓碳排放量過高的產品提高銷售成本，因此在銷往歐洲市場的過程中需負擔額外的成本，來彌補產品於製造過程中碳排放量所造成的環境問題，藉此降低淨利的方式促使企業更加重視碳排放量的議題。
國際間對於環境永續經營相關規範早已行之有年，不論是穩定溫室氣體濃度的 UNFCCC（聯合國氣候變化綱要公約）、Paris Agreement（巴黎協定），再加上於 2021 年 7 月 14 日正式公布碳邊境調整機制（Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, CBAM）計畫，規範碳密集型產品若進口到歐盟，必須購買憑證（CBAM Certificates）才能將其產品銷往歐洲市場，規定進口到歐盟的水泥、鋼鐵、鋁、肥料及電力產品，需向進口國申報其進口產品的碳排放量。此規定讓碳排放量過高的產品提高銷售成本，因此在銷往歐洲市場的過程中需負擔額外的成本，來彌補產品於製造過程中碳排放量所造成的環境問題，藉此降低淨利的方式促使企業更加重視碳排放量的議題。
There have been international regulations on environmental sustainability for years, from the UNFCCC(United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) to the Paris Agreement(Paris Agreement), coupled with the formal announcement of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on 14 July 2021, which will regulate the import of carbon-intensive products into the EU, CBAM Certificates will be required to bought to sell to the European market, and cement, steel, aluminium, fertiliser and electricity products imported into the EU will be required to declare the carbon emissions of their imports to the importing country. This regulation makes the products with high carbon emission increase the sales cost, so they have to bear extra costs in the process of selling to the European market to make up for the environmental problems caused by the carbon emission in the manufacturing process of the products, so as to reduce the net profit and encourage enterprises to pay more attention to the issue of carbon emission.
以蘋果 Apple 為例，蘋果公司公布「供應商責任進度報告」，揭露供應商在環保、人權等方面的作為以及成果。在勞工權益與人權、健康與安全和環保方面，供應商的表現都有進步，蘋果團隊會與供應商合作，協助供應商提升能力，達到蘋果的要求。若有不願意或無法改進的供應商，將會面臨被蘋果從供應鏈中刪除的風險。蘋果在賺錢的同時，也會獲得消費者的信任，這就是 ESG 的正向循環。
Take Apple as an example. Apple Inc. releases “Supplier Responsibility Progress Report”, which reveals the suppliers’ actions and achievements in environmental protection and human rights. The Apple team works with suppliers to improve their performance in the areas of labor and human rights, health and safety, and environmental protection to help them improve their capabilities to meet Apple’s requirements. Suppliers that are unwilling or unable to improve risk being removed from Apple’s supply chain. While making money, Apple will also gain the trust of consumers, which is the positive cycle of ESG.
Image Credit
Created by redgreystock / Freepik
Created by redgreystock / Freepik
