Beyond the Green Curtain: Decoding the ESG-SDG Illusion:
In the era of climate action and global equity, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have emerged as touchstones for measuring sustainability. Yet behind these acronyms lies a reality riddled with contradictions. This article makes efforts to go deep into the reality checks and compares Mukti’s efforts in remote areas of Bengal to express the disparities between regulation and reality, ambition and behaviour, and policy and practice.
Many organizations meet the formal requirements of ESG and SDG standards without embracing their true purpose. Some widely promoted “conscious” product lines make misleading sustainability claims. Meanwhile, a major fossil fuel company scored well on some ESG indices while lobbying against climate regulation. These are examples of ‘box-ticking sustainability,’ where appearances trump substance. True commitment demands cultural shifts, not just compliance reports.
In contrast, MUKTI has always been trying to go beyond box-ticking compliance to embed sustainability into its organizational philosophy. By taking launching initiative of the Net-Zero Model Village project in Lataguri, MUKTI is committing to real carbon neutrality through renewable energy, waste recycling, and climate-resilient infrastructure—demonstrating a cultural shift rooted in grassroots empowerment.
Many individuals vocalize support for sustainability while making contradictory lifestyle choices. A reusable cup is common, yet frequent international flights go unquestioned. Urban vs. rural surveys show different levels of SDG awareness, but both exhibit low behavioral change. Behavioral economics highlights this ‘intention-action gap,’ where convenience often overrides conviction.
MUKTI intends to bridge this intention-action gap through Climate Education programs in schools, regional sustainability workshops, and initiatives like household kitchen gardens and solar lighting in Sunderban villages—aiming everyday adoption of sustainable habits.
Policies like plastic bans or fuel taxes often face public resistance due to poor groundwork and education. Without embedding values of sustainability into the public consciousness, top-down regulations falter. Cultural readiness, behavioral nudges, and psychological framing must accompany mandates to be effective.
Recognizing that mandates must align with values, MUKTI is showing efforts to conduct Behavioral Change Communication (BCC) campaigns like ‘Mukto Chinta Mukti Katha’, trains Green Teachers, and builds Eco-Clubs in rural schools to instill sustainability as a cultural ethos, not an external demand.
Complete adherence to all ESG and SDG goals is nearly impossible. Small businesses lack resources; multinationals struggle with conflicting priorities. For example, economic development (SDG 8) may clash with climate action (SDG 13). A 2023 UN report showed only 15% of SDG targets are on track globally.
MUKTI acknowledges the constraints faced by small organizations and communities, and hence attempting to works with local Panchayats and SHGs to design pragmatic, adaptive climate solutions— to ensure progress without perfection.
Sustainability agendas often overlook the socio-economic realities of marginalized communities. In slums, gig workers prioritize survival over carbon footprints. A policy like EV subsidies benefits upper classes while the informal sector still burns biomass. Equity must be integral to ESG-SDG design.
To ensure inclusivity, MUKTI places the most vulnerable—marginalized women, small farmers, and fishers—at the center of planning. Programs like Women SHGs and sustainable livelihood training help bridge the divide between policy intent and real-world access.
Marketing has transformed ESG into a branding tool. Some high-profile campaigns promoting sustainability or environmental responsibility often exemplify narrative over substance. Surveys reveal that most people cannot accurately define ESG or SDGs, allowing corporations to shape discourse unchallenged.
MUKTI is aiming to rely on community-led impact verification, participatory audits, and transparent reporting mechanisms. Its work—such as reforestation of mangrove belts and organic farming initiatives—is directly documented and monitored by local committees to avoid greenwashing.
From influencers on private jets promoting green products to companies hosting tree-planting days while polluting rivers, sustainability has become performative. CSR budgets are spent on optics rather than change. Virtue signaling creates an illusion of impact and delays systemic reform.
MUKTI is stimulating to ground its initiatives in lasting changes. Its mangrove plantation projects are part of an integrated ecosystem revival plan, where planting is followed by monitoring, training, and biodiversity assessment—ensuring action, not spectacle.
Infrastructure projects that meet global sustainability metrics may still displace indigenous communities or destroy local economies. NGOs in Kenya and India report conflicts between top-down SDG projects and community needs. Development must involve bottom-up implementation to be truly inclusive.
To avoid the trap of one-size-fits-all development, MUKTI visions for co-designs of each intervention with local communities—whether it’s the implementation of climate-resilient homes, or rainwater harvesting systems through pond rejuvenation—ensuring that global goals are adapted meaningfully to regional needs.
Corporate sustainability reports rarely reflect the human cost embedded in their supply chains. Some supply chains for commodities like palm oil have been linked to labor abuse, while critical minerals sourced for electronics often involve exploitative conditions in regions like Congo. Whistleblower reports often expose the facade of ESG compliance when compared to on-ground realities.
MUKTI is trying to flip the ESG narrative by showcasing stories of grassroots guardians—women farmers, coastal volunteers, schoolchildren—who directly implement and evaluate the impact.
As Epilogue:
Sustainability must go beyond checklists and optics—it requires systemic transparency, cultural alignment, and behavioral change; and should not shift focus from the grassroots reality. ESG and SDG compliance should be seen as evolving journeys, not final goals. Structural design and policy must embed eco-friendly choices into daily life. True impact lies in continuous, context-driven progress—not perfection or performance; in context Mukti is aligning its vision with the mission of true sustainability.
Dr Amit Kumar Dey
Program Manager- Environment, MUKTI