Traditional ESG consulting is dead. Here’s what’s replacing it

Let’s call it: traditional ESG consulting has flatlined.

The frameworks have been filed. The reports are gathering dust. The sermons have been delivered and still, the transformation isn’t happening at the scale or speed we need.

So, let’s hold a moment of silence for the cookie-cutter templates and then get to work, because we need to stop preaching and start partnering.

Here’s how we’re reshaping ESG advice at Edge.

If you’ve been in the ESG space for a while, you’ve likely felt it too, the last 12-18 months have been some of the most volatile and challenging of our careers.

Between the introduction of mandatory climate disclosures, tightening budgets, and a political landscape that seems to shift by the week, the ground beneath ESG professionals is anything but stable.

Whether you’re a long-time sustainability lead or someone newly tasked with managing ESG, you’ve probably noticed it’s no longer business as usual.

While some of these pressures may be temporary, there’s no doubt: the way organisations manage ESG risks and opportunities is shifting, and likely for the long term. And this isn’t just anecdotal. I spend most of my working days speaking with individuals managing ESG internally within organisations, and the message is loud and clear:

The type and format of ESG support that organisations need has changed.

What’s equally clear is that, broadly speaking, the ESG advisory sector has been slow to adapt.

We’re increasingly seeing signs of consultant fatigue. Organisations on their second or third ESG advisor because outputs “aren’t the right fit”, consultants are “not speaking our language”, or deliverables feel like “cookie-cutter outputs.”

How the ESG landscape has changed

1. New stakeholders

Mandatory climate disclosures have shifted internal ESG ownership. We're now spending more time with CFOs and finance teams than with sustainability leads.

These stakeholders may have less experience in ESG detail, but they bring high expectations around governance, risk, and financial literacy.

As a result, they expect their advisors to match that. Unfortunately, this shift has also resulted in some highly experienced ESG teams being made redundant as responsibility migrates from sustainability to finance.

2. Tighter budgets

With economic pressure building, ESG budgets are among the first to be cut. Projects are taking longer to get approved, and every dollar of consulting spend is being closely scrutinised.

The era of $200K+ ESG strategy projects is fading fast. What we’re seeing instead is demand for smaller, more agile, bite-sized engagements that deliver value incrementally.

3. Integration over ambition

Rising scrutiny on greenwashing and target feasibility is forcing a rethink. Organisations are shifting away from bold, visionary ESG targets and focusing more on how ESG integrates with core risk, governance, and operations. The priority is no longer setting goals, but embedding practices.

4. Stronger in-house capability

Where in-house ESG teams remain, they’re highly capable and technically literate. These teams want meaningful engagement, not templated reports. The ask is increasingly: “teach us to do it,” rather than “do it for us.” They want to grow their skills, not outsource them.

5. More scrutiny in procurement

With ESG ownership shifting to legal and finance, we’re seeing greater scrutiny over project scoping and contracting. Contract terms are tighter, sign-off times are slower, and the expectation for clarity and accountability is much higher.

These shifts go beyond technical detail.

They’re changing the entire model of how ESG advice needs to be delivered.