Measuring What Matters: ESG Metrics for Customer Experience
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Customers expect more than promises; they want proof that brands are serious about sustainability, social impact, and transparency. Tracking the right ESG metrics is no longer just about compliance. It is a way to build trust, strengthen loyalty, and create a better customer experience.
Why Measurement Drives Meaningful Change
You can’t manage what you don’t measure.
While Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) values are now woven into many corporate mission statements, they don’t mean much without data to back them up, especially when it comes to customer experience (CX).
In fact, 91% of business leaders believe their company has a responsibility to act on ESG issues.
So how do you know if your brand is truly delivering on its ESG promises across the customer journey? It starts with choosing the right metrics and being willing to act on what they reveal.
At BARE International, we help brands collect, analyze, and respond to meaningful CX data every day. Because metrics don’t just inform strategy—they inspire impact.
Breaking Down ESG in the CX Context
Environmental Metrics
These reflect your brand’s physical impact on the planet during customer interactions.
Relevant metrics include:
- Emissions from logistics and shipping (especially expedited delivery)
- Packaging waste per transaction
- Energy usage at customer-facing locations
- Digital carbon footprint (e.g., data center sustainability)
Example: A retail chain tracks and reduces packaging materials per order, then highlights this on receipts and during checkout to show customers their eco-conscious progress.
Social Metrics
These assess how your brand engages with people including customers, employees, and communities.
Relevant metrics include:
- Accessibility of customer service and physical locations
- Inclusivity in service delivery (across race, gender, age, ability)
- Employee wellbeing and training on equitable service
- Customer satisfaction across demographic groups
Example: A hospitality brand runs mystery shops focused on ADA compliance and inclusive language, using results to improve staff training and guest experience.
Governance Metrics
Governance is all about trust and transparency. It’s where policy meets perception.
Relevant metrics include:
- Clarity of pricing and return policies
- Compliance with consumer protection laws
- Timeliness and fairness in customer complaint resolution
- Transparency in ESG reporting
Example: A financial services firm tracks CX scores before and after rolling out clear, plain-language disclosures, resulting in improved client satisfaction and fewer complaints.
Why ESG Metrics Elevate CX Strategy
Tracking ESG in CX isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress and accountability.
When customers feel that a brand is measuring what matters, and doing so consistently, they’re more likely to engage, trust, and remain loyal.
78% of people are more likely to purchase a product that is clearly labeled as environmentally friendly.
What’s more, internal teams benefit too. Clear ESG benchmarks keep everyone from marketing to frontline employees aligned on what “good” looks like, and how it’s evolving.
BARE’s Approach to ESG + CX
As a global CX research firm, BARE International helps brands:
- Design evaluation programs that track ESG-relevant behaviors
- Use mystery shopping to uncover social equity gaps in service
- Create scoring models that integrate ethical and sustainable criteria
- Benchmark improvements and set realistic, impactful goals
Because if customer experience is the “what,” ESG is the “how.” And together, they define a brand’s legacy.
Final Thoughts: Metrics That Move the Needle
ESG shouldn’t live in a spreadsheet no one reads. It should be a living, breathing part of how you serve your customers and show up in the world.
By selecting the right metrics and putting them to work across the CX journey, companies can lead with values, back them with data, and drive real-world results.
At BARE International, we pride ourselves on helping businesses decode customer behaviors. Whether it’s uncovering hidden trends or designing feedback loops for continuous improvement, our research empowers brands to stay ahead of the curve.
Reach out to us today to explore how our tailored research can take your CX strategy to new heights.
Tell us about your business and what keeps you up at night. We can help.
