Takeaways Boards can expect investors and regulators to demand increased disclosure of ESG metrics. With no uniform set of ESG standards, companies with global operations may face a hodgepodge of disclosure requirements. Investors will push for ESG to play a role in executive compensation. Directors need to be fluent in these topics when engaging with shareholders. Environmental, social and governance issues (ESG) rose to the top of many agendas in 2020. Long-standing concerns about environmental issues continued to be important, but the “S” in ESG came to the fore as the world faced COVID-19 and the issues raised by the Black Lives Matters movement.