STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
New announcements from two major financial institutions could expand sustainability investment and drive it towards the mainstream
S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI), the world’s leading provider of index-based concepts, data and research, has announced the launch of the S&P Green Bond Select Index which captures the most liquid and tradeable segment of green-labeled bonds issued globally. The index has been licensed to VanEck for an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
SUPPLY CHAIN -
The first-ever public ranking of corporate human rights performance launched today, seeking to highlight the moral and commercial advantages for companies with a strong human rights record.
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
Over the past three decades, investor interest in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors has moved from niche to mainstream. Many attribute this shift to a rising demand from millennials and women, two groups that are increasingly seeking investments consistent with their values. A vast industry of ratings, research, and reporting services now exists to help identify corporate sustainability leaders.
WASTE NOT -
As has been much discussed here at Sustainable Brands, roughly a third of all food produced in the world is never eaten, which has tremendous economic, social and environmental consequences.
NEW METRICS -
The question remains of how best to assess the sustainability of whole economies. If existing measurement models such as GDP, ISEW and GPI focus on size or welfare, then we need a third class of models – one that makes it possible to measure the sustainability performance of economies.
PRESS RELEASE -
Ten companies and organizations, two partnerships, and three individuals today will receive 2017 Climate Leadership Awards for their accomplishments in reducing greenhouses gas emissions and addressing climate change.
The awards, now in their sixth year, are a partnership program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, and The Climate Registry. The awards are being presented this evening at the 2017 Climate Leadership Conference in Chicago.
This year’s awardees represent a wide array of industries including finance, consumer products, retail, aviation, and technology, plus federal and local government.
PRESS RELEASE -
A "firm belief" that business growth and sustainability go hand-in-hand has seen Heineken publish its latest sustainability report alongside a financial report for the first time, with the report highlighting rapid business expansion alongside a decrease in emissions.
Heineken’s latest sustainability report, released on Wednesday (22 February), reveals a 37% reduction in carbon emissions in production against 2008 levels, just short of the 40% target for 2020. When looking at absolute carbon reductions, a 5% reduction has been recorded in the same timeframe, despite Heineken growing its business volumes by 52%.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
President Donald Trump issued two executive orders last week geared at scaling back or replacing financial regulations that he deems a burden to commerce and growth.
The move signals a big win for Wall Street —whose elite are up for top spots in Trump’s cabinet — and comes at the expense of the working class. It exposes investors and the average American to a less-regulated landscape reminiscent of the pre-financial crisis era — and the risks that go along with it.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
As the Trump administration threatens to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement and double up on efforts to revive a slowing fossil fuels industry, the rest of the world is pulling out of coal projects and redirecting investment towards renewables in an effort to make good on climate pledges.
LEADERSHIP -
One year after adopting an ambitious Circular Economy Package, the European Commission has partnered with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to establish the Circular Economy Finance Support Platform, to help bring investors and innovators together and keep up the momentum in the transition to a circular economy.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
With rainforest destruction and forced labor still urgent concerns in palm oil cultivation, a diverse group of NGOs and investor organizations, organized by Ceres, today released shared guidance for corporate reporting on company commitments towards responsible palm oil sourcing and production.
COLLABORATION -
CDP, on behalf of the We Mean Business coalition, has convened a panel of utilities and investment leaders from across the G20 under the Carbon Pricing Corridors initiative - the world’s first industry-led initiative aimed at defining the carbon prices needed for the power sector to meet the Paris Agreement.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
The business case for sustainability, particularly the circular economy, is a strong one, and more and more researching is backing it up. A recent report by the Business & Sustainable Development Commission pointed to sustainable business models as the key to unlocking trillions of dollars in economic opportunities, and WRAP revealed that brands across the UK saved over £100 million simply by reducing food waste.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
A new report by the Business & Sustainable Development Commission (the Commission) points to sustainable business models as the key to unlocking US$12 trillion in economic opportunities and creating up to 380 million jobs a year by 2030.
PRESS RELEASE -
Nestlé Pakistan has signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) that will see it give financial backing to mango growers who employ drip irrigation systems, while also partnering with a leading research institute to help improve farming practices.
The first MoUs signed with the Punjab Agriculture Department involves taking on Mango Research Institute, Multan, as a research partner in its
Chaunsa Project, which aims to improve the livelihood of farmers through what is referred to as “Creating Shared Values (CSV) intervention”.
COLLABORATION -
More than 530 companies and 100 investors – from iconic Fortune 500 firms to small family-owned businesses – are calling on the Trump administration and the new Congress to continue to support policies to accelerate a low-carbon future that will help curb climate change.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Six African SMEs have been nominated as finalists for the African Finance & Investment Forum (AFIF) Entrepreneurship Award 2017, supported by the Rabobank Foundation. Out of the 51 projects from around the continent and following a few rounds of selection, the jury has selected these ground-breaking projects from Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania for their social, economic and ecological impact, and their potential for growth and jobs creation nationally and regionally.
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
The incoming administration has suggested it will take a sharp turn away from President Obama’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, causing uncertainty regarding the factors that have made energy strategy a top priority among businesses in recent years.
NEW METRICS -
The ESG ratings industry is in full transition. Driven by demand from institutional investors and the awakening of the retail investment market, asset managers increasingly consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues an integral part of their investment approach.
COLLABORATION -
This week, Duke Energy Carolinas announced that it will invest nearly $1.4 million to help protect wildlife habitat and land conservation efforts in South Carolina into the foreseeable future.
The Oconee County Conservation Bank will benefit from $618,000 to support regional land conservation and habitat preservation efforts, while the Foothills Conservancy Program will receive $762,000 for the Keowee-Toxaway Habitat Enhancement Program (KTHEP), which supports projects that create, enhance and protect fish and wildlife habitats along the shores of Lake Keowee and Lake Jocassee, as well as in their watersheds.