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Definitions

ESG is an acronym for English words Ambient (from the English Environment), Sociale (from the English Society) and Gobierno (from the English Corporate Governance).

This term refers to the three main areas of activity of companies, organisations and investors within which they should be guided by the principles of sustainable development and responsible business practices respecting the broad interests of individual stakeholders. In practice, this means that companies and organisations that implement ESG requirements take into account, measure and report on the environmental, social and governance aspects of their business. Similarly, ESG investors consider the environmental, social, and managerial aspects of a company alongside their financial attributes when deciding whether (and how) to invest in them. The analysis of the value generated by the company or investment requires an integrated accounting of financial results and in the scope of ESG.
ESG is a kind of continuation of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The acronym ESG has gained popularity due to numerous sustainability regulations (including at EU level), which use the term to describe measurable requirements and parameters and to take an analytical approach to this broad field.
The abbreviation ESG is used in the context of describing requirements/factors/indicators or evaluation criteria for an entity's commitment and performance in sustainable development activities. Hence, the concept of ESG Risk analysis or ESG Ratings is gaining popularity.
The foundations of ESG include the 17 UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Global Compact initiative, the UN Guidelines on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. As the acronym ESG itself indicates, it can be divided into three main areas: the environment, society and corporate governance.
For: https://odpowiedzialnybiznes.pl/hasla-encyklopedii/esg/?cn-reloaded=1

Sustainable Finance (from English) Sostenible Finance) refer to the process of considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects when making investment decisions in the financial sector, leading to more long-term investments in sustainable economic activities and projects.

Environmental considerations may include climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as the environment more broadly, for example, biodiversity conservation, pollution prevention and a circular economy. Social considerations can relate to issues of inequality, social inclusion, labour relations, investment in people and their skills and communities, as well as issues of human rights. The management of public and private institutions — including governance structures, labour relations and executive compensation — plays an essential role in ensuring that social and environmental aspects are taken into account in the decision-making process.
For: https://finance.ec.europa.eu/sustainable-finance/overview-sustainable-finance_en
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News

AI, fragmentation of the world, arms race - here are the megatrends that will change business
Wywiady

AI, fragmentation of the world, arms race - here are the megatrends that will change business

The biggest megatrend is AI - it has not yet made a revolution in Poland, but it is gradually priming business models, the labor market and politics.
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A bitter diagnosis for Polish business. Low margins and lack of people, transformation recedes into the background.
Wywiady

A bitter diagnosis for Polish business. Low margins and lack of people, transformation recedes into the background.

Polish SMEs operate on low margins and often do not have the people or capital to translate the big slogans of transformation into concrete decisions within the company.
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The Polish Economy in 2035: How to Survive the Great Remodeling
Wywiady

The Polish Economy in 2035: How to Survive the Great Remodeling

Is the world we used to know going down the drain? In the latest episode of the series of conversations with economists, we analyze four forces that will redefine Polish business and society over the next decade.
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Transformation under a magnifying glass: Is ESG “tightening the screw” on European industry?
Wywiady

Transformation under a magnifying glass: Is ESG “tightening the screw” on European industry?

We invite you to read the next installment of the series of conversations of the editors of Bankier.pl and POLSIF...
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POLSIF Talks - Episode 38
Podcast

POLSIF Talks - Episode 38

Have you ever wondered how Polish investment funds deal with the challenges of sustainable development? We have hard data for that. At the end of 2025, we published as POLSIF the Report which is the first such market study in Poland.
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Fund market (ESG) in Poland
(December 2025)
Report

Fund market (ESG) in Poland
(December 2025)

2025 was a very successful year for funds declaring compliance with Articles 8 and 9 of the SFDR conventionally called “sustainable” and colloquially known as ESG funds. In 12 months, the value of assets accumulated in them increased by 49% to PLN 33.8 billion at the end of December 2025.
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