Episode 184

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Published on:

17th Feb 2026

ESG: Clearing the jargon overload

This week on TGW, host Michelle Baltazar welcomes ESG and responsible investing leader Dr Ian Woods to discuss 'ESG Unlocked', a new book he has co-authored with Josh Dowse, which was written to address the disconnect between how companies and investors understand and apply ESG.

Woods explains that the book’s aim is to demystify ESG by reducing jargon, joining the dots between corporate and investment perspectives, and showing how ESG integration can support both sustainability outcomes and profits and investment returns.

00:42 Meet Dr. Ian Woods + introducing the book 'ESG Unlocked'

02:07 How the book was born: Bridging the company–investor disconnect

03:52 From climate pioneer to ESG mainstream: What changed over time

06:18 Case study: IAG’s investor-aligned climate journey

08:00 Common ESG investing myths: Divestment, materiality and performance

11:50 The ticking clock: Physical climate risk vs transition risk

14:34 Natural, social, human and financial capital: making ESG relevant

16:21 Behind the scenes: Writing during COVID + making ESG readable

19:04 The next decade: No more “ESG teams”?

Links: ESG Unlocked



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OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
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About the Podcast

The Greener Way
Conversations about people, planet and profit-for-purpose in a complex world, brought to you by the publishers of FS Sustainability.
The Greener Way is your podcast for exploring the big environmental, social and governance questions. Each week, The Greener Way will focus on deep conversations with investment and corporate experts who are deeply engaged in managing the sustainability challenges facing our planet.

From climate change to biodiversity, human rights and modern slavery to corporate purpose and governance, we tackle head-on the nuances and trade-offs of our complicated world.

The Greener Way is the podcast of FS Sustainability, the premier weekly trade publication that covers how investors and companies are changing real world outcomes across environmental, social and governance issues.