ESG Programme Decision Log
This is a practical guide to building a decision log for an esg programme project — a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why, adapted to the realities of delivering an environmental, social and governance programme.
What a Decision Log is
A decision log is a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why. For the full concept and how it works in general, see Decision Log. On an esg programme project it plays the same role, tuned to this kind of work.
Why it matters for an ESG Programme project
ESG Programme projects live or die on delivering an environmental, social and governance programme. A well-built decision log gives the team a shared, explicit reference for exactly that — reducing ambiguity, aligning stakeholders, and making problems visible early enough to act. Skipping it, or doing it generically, is how esg programme projects drift into avoidable delay and cost.
What to include
- Decision
- Date and owner
- Rationale
- Alternatives considered
- Impact
ESG Programme-specific considerations
Tailor the decision log to the risks that most often derail esg programme projects:
- Data availability
- Evolving standards
- Stakeholder scrutiny
Example
On a real esg programme project, the decision log would be shaped by delivering an environmental, social and governance programme. In particular, it should explicitly account for the project’s biggest risks — data availability, evolving standards, stakeholder scrutiny — rather than treating them as afterthoughts.