Resisting the anti-ESG movement means defending the future of the next generations OPINION June 17, 2025
- Ana Cunha-Busch
- Jun 16
- 2 min read
Resisting the anti-ESG movement means defending the future of the next generations
Over the past year, we have seen a global movement grow in reaction to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices. On the one hand, governments are proposing to reduce environmental laws under the guise of “cutting red tape”; on the other, large companies and public figures are trying to delegitimize initiatives that put the planet and people at the center of economic decisions. For those of us who work every day on the front lines of sustainability, this is not only worrying—it is dangerous.
I come from a reality where ESG has never been a corporate trend, but rather a vital necessity. Bringing access to clean water to communities that have been forgotten for decades is not an “ESG fad,” it is justice. It is the bare minimum. When I hear people trying to paint ESG as an “ideological” or “unnecessary” agenda, I realize how far we still have to go for sustainability to be understood for what it really is: responsibility for the present and commitment to the future.
Resisting the anti-ESG movement is resisting the notion that profit should take precedence over life. It is not acceptable that the voices of the most vulnerable communities are silenced in the name of supposed market “efficiency.” It is saying, loud and clear, that the planet can no longer be ignored.
And this is not a war between activism and economics. It is about seeing that the world has changed — and that businesses that do not align with ethical, environmental, and social values are falling behind. ESG, when applied correctly, is not “greenwashing.” It is risk management, innovation, and resilience. It is even one of the greatest economic opportunities of our time.
If some want to dismantle what we have built, we will continue to rebuild with more transparency, more dialogue, and more action. Because resistance to anti-ESG is not just political — it is human.
If you work with social impact, sustainability, or just care about where you live, know this: this resistance is collective. And it starts with every choice we make, every business we support, every public policy we defend.
The future is at stake. And we will not back down.
With gratitude, 🌍
Anna Luisa Beserra
Founder, Sustainable Development & Water For All
SDGs: 06, 10, 13, 15, 16, and 17.
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