![Michal Barzuza](/sites/default/files/styles/large_profile_photo/public/barzuza-preferred_0.jpg?h=b4d0ed1a&itok=mAcYphpS)
![Quinn Curtis](/sites/default/files/styles/large_profile_photo/public/curtis-quinn.jpg?h=b2072df5&itok=tcGsy4uh)
Chief executive officers bear significant non-diversifiable personal risks from environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) setbacks, potentially jeopardizing their job security and future career trajectories. Consequently, these risk-averse CEOs may embrace ESG, not only in response to shareholder pressure, but also defensively as a means of self-protection. This CEO-centric ESG agency dilemma is pivotal in shaping the trajectory of ESG and in devising policies to calibrate CEO incentives.