2026 State of ESG Surveys

A comprehensive view of ESG priorities, practices, and expectations across private market investors and their portfolio companies.

As ESG expectations continue to evolve across private markets, understanding how different stakeholders approach ESG is more important than ever.

The 2026 State of ESG Surveys capture perspectives from:

General Partners (GPs) implementing ESG programs,
Limited Partners (LPs) evaluating managers and ESG performance, and
Portfolio Companies executing ESG initiatives on the ground.

Together, these surveys provide a market-level view of where ESG stands today – and where it is heading in 2026.

Survey Window:
Open: January 13, 2026
Close: February 6, 2026

Why Participate in the 2026 State of ESG Surveys?

The private markets ESG landscape is shaped by multiple perspectives. By participating, you help continue to a clearer, more representative picture of:

ESG program maturity and implementation challenges
Evolving LP expectations and evaluation criteria
Data quality, reporting practices, and regulatory readiness
The practical realities of ESG execution at the portfolio company level

All survey responses are confidential and aggregated. Findings will be shared in a consolidated market report following the close of the surveys.

2026 State of ESG – GP Survey

The GP survey focuses on how private market managers are designing, implementing, and scaling ESG programs across their funds and portfolios.

Topics include:

ESG governance and oversight
Portfolio company engagement and monitoring
ESG data collection and reporting practices
Regulatory preparedness and LP engagement

GP Incentive: GP participants will have the opportunity to receive a complimentary ESG benchmarking exercise, providing insight into how their program compares with peers across key dimensions.

Click here to participate in the GP Survey

2026 State of ESG – LP Survey
New for 2026

New this year, the LP survey captures how allocators are evaluating ESG across private market investments.

The survey explores:

ESG considerations in manager selection and due diligence
Expectations around ESG reporting and data credibility
Use of ESG information in monitoring and engagement
Alignment between ESG policies and investment decision-making

LP Incentive: LP participants will be offered a complimentary readout of the survey results, providing insight into emerging trends and allocator perspectives across private markets.

LP participation helps surface allocator priorities and provides critical context for how ESG expectations are evolving across private markets.

Participate in the LP Survey

2026 State of ESG – Portfolio Company Survey

The portfolio company survey focuses on the operational side of ESG – capturing how ESG initiatives are implemented in practice within private equity-backed businesses.

Topics include:

ESG data collection and reporting challenges
Resource allocation and internal ownership
Value creation initiatives tied to ESG
Interaction with GP ESG requirements

Portfolio Company Incentive: Portfolio company participants will have the opportunity to receive a complimentary ESG benchmarking exercise, offering insight into how their ESG practices compare with peer companies.

This perspective provides critical insight into how ESG expectations translate into real-world execution at the company level.

Participate in the Portfolio Company Survey

Confidentiality and Use of Responses

All survey responses are treated as confidential and analyzed in aggregate. Individual responses will not be attributed to specific firms or participants.

The results will inform Malk’s 2026 State of ESG Report, providing market-level insights across private markets.

Help Shape the 2026 State of ESG in Private Markets

Your perspective – whether as a GP, LP, or portfolio company leader – contributes to a more transparent and informed ESG dialogue across private markets.

Surveys close Friday, February 6, 2026.