Synergising one health and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards: A scoping review

The Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards have recently gained prominence as a framework for assessing corporate responsibility and sustainability. Simultaneously, the One Health (OH) approach has emerged as a critical paradigm for addressing global health challenges. Despite their shared objectives of promoting sustainability and population well-being, ESG frameworks and OH principles have largely evolved in parallel.

This scoping review investigates the synergies between ESG principles and the OH approach. It aims to identify concrete actions that companies can implement to integrate OH principles into ESG standards.

A systematic search was conducted on Embase using eight distinct search strings in October 2024. Out of 394 articles on ESG and OH topics emerging from the initial search, 16 relevant ones were identified. We included only those articles meeting the following criteria: (i) English language; and (ii) focus on interventions or topics related to the implementation of ESG standards. Eligible studies included original research, such as descriptive, observational, and trial-based studies, with no geographical restrictions. To categorize topics, we used the United Nations One Health Joint plan of Action framework outlining 6 action tracks (ATs), each corresponding to a specific intervention area.

From the analysis of the 16 articles we identified 6 key categories representing both the most discussed themes and the areas where ESG and OH show a connection. The 6 identified thematic areas were: 1. Sustainable choices; 2. Education initiatives; 3. Collaborations and partnerships; 4. New metrics; 5. Internal organizational actions; 6. Health security. All articles fit within at least one of the 6 ATs and within the 12 ESG standards but with an uneven distribution.

The findings highlight multiple intersections between OH approach and ESG standards, demonstrating that the corporate sector can effectively integrate OH principles into the ESG standards, thus creating opportunities for private sector contributions to facing major global health challenges.