A new report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has revealed a significant global increase in demand for environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) services, with employers’ organisations stepping up support to help businesses meet rising sustainability expectations.
According to the Employers’ Activities (ACT/EMP) Survey Report, ‘Leading the ESG agenda: Global and regional insights for EBMOs’, Employer and Business Membership Organisations (EBMOs) are ramping up their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) work as demand from businesses rises across regions.
The survey confirms a clear upward trend: eight in 10 surveyed EBMOs report that demand for ESG services has increased over the past five years, and four in five expect demand to grow further in the next one to three years.
Regions that saw slower growth previously, such as Africa and the Arab States, now anticipate stronger increases, pointing to a broadening and deepening need for ESG support.
Across regions, companies most often turn to their EBMOs for support in meeting regulatory requirements and understanding the business benefits of ESG.
In response, EBMOs are scaling up training, workshops, events, and information-sharing to help members navigate evolving sustainability standards and disclosure requirements.
This shift is being supported by the LEADER Programme, which equips EBMOs with data and practical guidance to strengthen ESG as a core service area.
The survey showed that medium and large enterprises are the main users of EBMO-provided ESG services, with small firms also engaged in many contexts.
By sector, it said manufacturing is the most frequent user globally, followed by agriculture, forestry and fishing, construction, and financial and insurance activities, with notable regional variation.
According to it, the patterns reflect both regulatory drivers and the search for efficiency and market access, adding that ESG is now central to business competitiveness and resilience.
Director of the ILO Bureau for Employers’ Activities (ACT/EMP), Deborah France-Massin, said: “ESG has become a key framework for sustainable business, helping enterprises manage risk and build trust. Our global survey shows that eight in ten EBMOs have seen rising demand for ESG services, and four in five expect further growth. These findings confirm that ESG is now central to business competitiveness and resilience, and they highlight the role of EBMOs as trusted partners helping companies navigate regulation, build reputation, and turn sustainability into measurable results.”
