Former U.S. climate envoy Kerry says 'ESG' needs to rebrand

ReutersSep 30, 2025 2:17 PM

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By Virginia Furness

LONDON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Money managers' approach to environmental, social and governance investing in the United States has been discredited and needs to shift its focus from morality to economic impact, John Kerry, former U.S. Secretary of State and climate envoy under President Joe Biden said on Tuesday.

Kerry, speaking at the Building Bridges conference in Geneva, said that the sustainable finance industry needed to emphasise the financial impact of climate change on companies and the economy over a moral imperative to invest sustainably.

"ESG probably ought to mean efficiency, security and growth," he said, adding that the sustainable finance community needs to show its going to create better economic fundamentals for people, more jobs and more work. "The new paradigm has to be first economic. Jobs. Income. Make life better."

Kerry last year joined energy transition-focused investment firm Galvanize Climate Solutions as co-executive chair. He was addressing a gathering of finance professionals, governments, NGOs and philanthropists to discuss sustainable finance.

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