Business
ESG Communication Is Risk Management, Says Ludmila Vilar
The founder of Banca Comunicação e Impacto discusses shifting from journalism to data-driven corporate narratives.
Ludmila Vilar explains how her 16-year journalism background shaped her approach to ESG communication. She details why corporate sustainability must be treated as risk management, reputation, and concrete indicators.
Ludmila Vilar, founder of Banca Comunicação e Impacto, explained in a conversation with Bruno Gimenes on Marketing - The Podcast how her journalistic background and humanistic perspective guide her work in communications focused on sustainability and corporate governance.
With a 16-year career in newsrooms—including six years at Marie Claire magazine, where she served as international editor—Vilar initially founded her agency focusing on corporate communications and marketing. Beginning in 2018, she deepened her focus on ESG projects for brands, corporations, and the non-profit sector.
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In the video above, the full interview provides practical examples of how to build corporate narratives without falling into empty rhetoric.
From newsrooms to impact communication
Experience in print and digital journalism provided the foundation for tackling complex topics and social issues. Vilar notes that international coverage and debates on gender equity at Marie Claire served as training to understand social dynamics before bringing that expertise into the corporate world.
"I worked in newsrooms for 16 years, and when I left, I founded my communications agency, Banca, called Banca Comunicação e Impacto," Vilar says. She explains that communication is one of the most powerful drivers of societal change, which demands responsibility when handling information.
ESG as risk management and data measurement
Addressing the integration of business and sustainability, Vilar moves away from idealized views, emphasizing that the ESG agenda must be grounded in management processes, clear indicators, and data analysis.
"In my view, ESG is nothing more than management—risk management and business reputation management," Vilar states. She points out that companies must balance their operations with the impact created on the planet and people, using metrics to map trade-offs and mitigate risks.
Indicators and the role of the three pillars
For Vilar, a technical understanding of environmental, social, and governance pillars prevents distortions and oversimplifications in the corporate market, such as chasing superficial, quick-fix transformations that ignore the actual time required for a process to mature.
"ESG is simply a snapshot, an X-ray where you measure indicators so you can manage your business," Vilar explains. She highlights that this methodology helps diagnose both negative impacts requiring correction and positive outcomes the company already delivers across its operations.
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