The evidence is clear: projects that embed environmental, social and governance considerations from the design phase consistently outperform those that treat ESG as a compliance requirement to be addressed later. Early integration reduces costs, improves stakeholder relationships, strengthens access to development finance, and produces more durable outcomes.
Yet many project developers in West Africa still treat ESG as an afterthought — something to address when funders ask for it. This article makes the case for a different approach.