Stories About Finance/Insurance/Investment
Found 502 stories. Page 7 of 26.
Sustainable Funding for Private Green Businesses
FINANCE & INVESTMENT - Financing tends to be on the top of the list of hurdles for sustainable companies looking to scale. A business does not survive on a mission alone, and in order to generate profits and revenue, it needs capital to operate. But for sustainable enterprises setting out to meet the triple bottle line (“Planet, People, Profit”) while minimizing impacts, attracting and raising funding can be a particularly challenging task.
Unleashing the Power of Online Reporting
MARKETING AND COMMS - Confronted with an ever-growing demand for transparency and materiality, companies need to find an adequate format to publish both financial and pre-financial information to their stakeholders in an effective way. While traditional reporting reaches its limits, online integrated reporting features a number of key advantages that enable them to get the job done. It is fair to say that 2017 was an important year for corporate reporting. A number of events established the disclosure of relevant ecological, social and governance (ESG) specific data as the “new normal”:
CVS Health Investing in Long-Term and Sustainable Wage Increases and Benefits Enhancements
PRESS RELEASE - In a continuing commitment to investing in the growth and success of its employees, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced three major programs that will enable employees to share in the tax savings created by the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The improvements in employee wages and benefits, which are long-term and sustainable compensation investments, total $425 million annually and create continued growth opportunities for the company and its employees. The programs announced today include the following employee-focused investments:
First-Ever Carbon Neutral Mortgage Allows Borrowers to Offset Footprint of Home Ownership
FINANCE & INVESTMENT - While sustainable finance has largely focused on providing financial products and tools to investors and businesses, we’re beginning to see more opportunities arise for consumers to support and shape the development of a more sustainable economy. One example of this is the emergence of the so-called “green” mortgage, a loan product that allows borrowers to reduce their utility bill costs by allowing them to finance the cost of incorporating energy-efficient features into a new housing purchase or the refinancing of existing housing.
What We Can Learn from The Dutch City Of Nijmegen, This Year’s European Green Capital
LEADERSHIP - Right now, almost four billion people live in a city somewhere in the world. By the middle of this century, that number is set to jump by a staggering 2.5 billion, with 90 percent of that growth happening in cities located in Asia and Africa. However, with many cities doubling in size every 15 to 20 years, our urban environments currently lack the resources necessary to adapt to the forces of urbanization. Our cities will need to accommodate spiraling numbers of people, servicing their needs and stimulating trade and investment to create jobs, all within the constraints imposed by mega-challenges, such as climate change, poverty and employment. In Europe, two-thirds of people already live in cities.
New Venture Fund Aims to Rapidly Scale Ethical Supply Chain Technologies
SUPPLY CHAIN - On January 30th, Humanity United, a California-based foundation and leader in supply chain advocacy, announced the launch of a $23 million venture fund to invest in ethical supply chain innovations. The Working Capital Fund is unique in that it will not issue grants, but rather make real investments in companies with the goal of accelerating the process of building scalable solutions to improve labor practices in the global supply chain.
Clean Energy Jobs Now Outnumber Coal, Gas Jobs in 30 US States
THE NEXT ECONOMY - In case there was still any doubt that fossil fuels are on the decline, new analysis from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) confirms it: Wind and solar energy jobs now outnumber coal and gas jobs in 30 states.
Wall Street’s 2018 Push for Purpose
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE - On Monday morning, the 8th of January, Apple’s board members had probably just recovered their iPhones from their kids, who had been using them all weekend for gaming, when they saw an open letter posted online by two of the company’s major investors. The shareholders called on Apple to take action against smartphone addiction amongst children.
Forget Bitcoin, Planting Trees Can Offer Amazing Returns
FINANCE & INVESTMENT - A new report has found that money actually does grow on trees. Businesses are making money from planting trees and growing sales as rapidly as 10 times per year.
2018 Circulars Honors 7 Innovators Accelerating a Waste-Free Future
THE NEXT ECONOMY - At the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, WEF, the Forum of Young Global Leaders and Accenture revealed the winners of the 2018 Circulars. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made notable contributions to the circular economy. The fourth annual awards ceremony showcased advances from the private and public sectors that drive innovation and growth while reducing dependence on scarce natural resources.
Trending: Blackrock, Citi Respond to Turning Tide by Embracing Social Responsibility
FINANCE & INVESTMENT - Environmental and social issues are increasingly being used to shape business practice as companies recognize the link between strong ESG performance and profit. But for those that continue to put up resistance, investors and financial institutions are playing an important role in driving change.
New GIIN Report Helps Investors Ensure Sustainable Impact After Exit
FINANCE & INVESTMENT - With impact investing on the rise, the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) has published a new report highlighting a range of strategies investors can employ to strengthen their ability to exit impact investments in a way that meets liquidity objectives while continuing to promote positive, sustainable outcomes.
Trending: Barclays, TD Bank Catalyze Low-Carbon Economy Through Sustainable Finance
FINANCE & INVESTMENT - Catalyzing the transition to a low-carbon economy will require more than just innovation — capital is required to bring meaningful solutions to scale. Banks have an important role to play, providing investors and businesses alike with the tools necessary to incentivize and drive change.
Northwestern Mutual Campaign Challenges Consumers to Redefine the #GoodLife
MARKETING AND COMMS - Financial security company Northwestern Mutual has launched a new brand campaign with the aim of reframing people’s idea of the #GoodLife, by helping them plan for their financial futures and feel empowered to make the most of enjoying life every single day.
Vatican Unveils Climate Change Accelerator Finalists
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION - The Vatican might seem an unlikely backdrop for cutting-edge climate change technology, but Stephen Forte of Fresco Capital Fund and Imagine Ventures’ Eric Harr are helping turn the Holy See into a hub for sustainability through their fledgling Laudato Si startup accelerator.
Counting What Counts: The Evolution of New Metrics
NEW METRICS - We've come a long way since the first New Metrics conference seven years ago.
The Sustainability Practitioner’s (Basic) Guide to Investors
FINANCE & INVESTMENT - As a reformed banker, I tend to be alert whenever I hear folks talking about investment and investors. Over the past few Sustainable Brands events, I’ve noticed, however, that the language can sometimes be a bit muddled around this topic. Investors are often lumped into one homogenous bunch, whose needs and duties are not really understood. The differences between the types of investment product and the accompanying financial risk-reward can be confused.
2 Ways to Tie Your Sustainability Path to a Broader Movement
WALKING THE TALK - Sustainability matters, but why does it matter to your business? The vinyl industry began our sustainability journey with the recognition that meeting the needs of a fast-growing population will demand much more of the earth’s natural resources, and we wanted to be prepared to address this challenge. As a result, doing more with less is essential to the way we manufacture and market our products.
Provenance Partners with Unilever, Sainsbury’s, Banks, to Aid Smallholder Farmers
SUPPLY CHAIN - Provenance is leading a new collaboration of fintech startups to test whether blockchain technology can help unlock financial incentives that improve transparency and sustainability in agricultural supply chains.
Latest Anheuser-Busch Initiative Aims to ‘Elevate’ Craft Beer Industry Sustainability
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE - Craft beer has taken off over the past five years, with the industry now boasting over 6,000 craft breweries in the US alone, 700 of which opened in the past year. In order to continue this momentum, Anheuser-Busch (A-B) has launched Elevate, a new initiative that aims to take craft brewing to the next level by creating a stronger, safer, more sustainable category and raising awareness of its craft beer and cider brands.