I recently discussed the growing importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns in private deals in an article and podcast for Smart Business Dealmakers. While ESG has been a popular aspect in public deals for a while, its relevance in private deals is gaining in popularity and investors are starting to demand it.

“Oftentimes, investors are not giving a choice,” I explained in the article. “If you’re wanting to raise capital, you’re going to have to incorporate ESG at least to a limited extent.” I added, “Simply put, there tends to be more capital available if you focus on ESG. And beyond access to capital . . . I think there’s also value creation that’s definitely a benefit for a company that focuses on ESG.”

The full article, “Sehrish Siddiqui Talks ESG And Private Deals,” was published by Smart Business Dealmakers on August 20 and is available online. The podcast, “Ep 125: Sehrish Siddiqui, Partner with Bass Berry & Sims, Nashville,” was released August 19 as part of the Smart Business Dealmakers podcast series and is available online or wherever you get your podcast content.