After spending years helping their companies develop environmental, social and governance programs, general counsel now are having to become quick studies in how to defend against the growing ESG backlash coming from conservative Republicans.

Legal departments at some companies are taking a closer look at socially themed marketing campaigns that risk inflaming today’s culture wars, as one at Target recently did. One company, paint-maker PPG Industries, even has developed an internal scoring system to help determine whether and how to comment on polarizing issues that might outrage customers or employees.