FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
Fairphone, a social enterprise and modular smartphone producer spurring a paradigm shift in the technology industry, has secured €6.5 million to scale up its mission to make fair, responsible electronics mainstream. The investment will enable Fairphone to continue innovating in the areas of material sourcing, production, distribution, recycling and product longevity.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Earlier this week, financial services group Discovery outlined the growth in scale and impact of its Vitality Shared-Value Insurance model. Since launching Vitality 20 years ago, Discovery has invested considerably in building a platform that serves a global network of insurers, providing access to the Vitality brand, product offerings, technological innovations, actuarial and data insights and program assets. The Global Vitality Network now operates in 16 countries across North America, Europe, pan-Asia, South Africa and the United Kingdom, serving around 10 million clients through seven insurers.
PRESS RELEASE -
Today, Bank of America released “Banking on a Low-Carbon Economy: The Economic Impacts of Bank of America’s $125 Billion Environmental Business Initiative.” The report, based on analysis conducted by consulting firm EY, examines the economic impacts of a $12.6 billion subset of the company’s $125 billion environmental business commi
BUSINESS CASE -
Four in 10 telecomms and consumer goods companies reporting to CDP fail to capture or report any financial value from strong environmental performance, according to new research released Wednesday by Accenture, CDP Hermes Investment Management.
WALKING THE TALK -
While it has widely been accepted that business-as-usual practices are not synonymous with a sustainable future, business still needs a nudge in the right direction, according to MARS CEO Grant F. Reid, who has called out the need for transformational, cross-industry collaboration to tackle the most pressing social and environmental challenges.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
We need a financial plan for achieving a safe world in the next thirty years. This period will be crucial as social and ecological externalities come home to roost. We need a rapid reinvention of capitalism, finance, and wealth management. We need to rethink power and purpose. Otherwise, this revolutionary moment where “the 20 percent could consciously shift trillions of dollars” will be replaced with “global meltdown, all bets are off, retreat to your bunkers, hope the military can protect you.”
MARKETING AND COMMS -
The Centre for Sustainability Excellence (CSE) has released its second annual Sustainability Reporting Trends in North America report, highlighting trends from 551 companies in Canada and the United States during the 2015-2016 period. The report reviews reporting practices, external assurance practices, the presence of carbon footprint metrics and financial performance.
NEW METRICS -
Part Six in a 10-Part Series by Reporting 3.0. See previous parts below.
WASTE NOT -
Supermarkets across the globe are doing their part to future fit the food system by rolling out new initiatives and products that aim to tackle food waste and CO2 emissions.
NEW METRICS -
US cities still have a long way to go towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to the first-ever US Cities SDG Index, which ranks the 100 most populous metropolitan areas in the US based on their performance on the SDGs.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
As socially progressive investors, we perform our own due diligence when we consider a company and its ethical, moral and social standing before it is added to our portfolio. Investors must ensure that they properly vet their investments on a large set of data and criteria. This is especially relevant as socially responsible investing (SRI) – directing capital toward companies limiting negative environmental impact and progressing social goals – continues its evolution into the mainstream.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
Certified B Corporation Thread is taking its commitment to end poverty by creating dignified jobs and responsible, high-quality fabrics to the next level with the announcement of a partnership with nonprofit Kiva. The startup, which transforms plastic bottles from the streets and canals of Haiti and Honduras into responsible fabrics, has used Kiva’s direct-to-social enterprise loan program to raise $10,000 for its zero-interest micro-loan program.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
This week, TruValue Labs unveiled its ESG Momentum™ score – the first ESG indicator that leverages artificial intelligence, big data and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board’s (SASB) materiality framework – as part of its Insight360™ suite of products. The score reveals the positive or negative direction, or trend, of ESG performance based on daily data.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
It is becoming increasingly important for companies to disclose information about long-term climate risks as more and more investors are using this information to inform financial decisions. While a general shift towards transparency is taking shape, many businesses still lag behind in sharing information about their environmental performance and impacts — as well as the consequences of a changing climate on their operations. However, the launch of the world’s first-ever climate disclosure lawsuit could help accelerate the uptake of the practice.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Efforts to safeguard workers against human rights violations continue to grow, as demand for greater supply chain transparency tightens its grip on the global economic landscape.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Sustainability and climate risk are increasingly becoming important considerations for investors, a trend that is driving the world’s largest companies to commit to reducing their impact on global forests, says a new analysis of shareholder resolutions published by the Global Canopy Program.
WALKING THE TALK -
After recently announcing plans to retrofit 4,500 Chase branches across the US in partnership with Current, powered by GE, JP Morgan has pledged to transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2020 and facilitate $200 billion in
PRESS RELEASE -
Patricia is a devoted single mother and teacher by day, with dreams of opening her own bakery to better the life of her family. For her, just a $5,000 loan for machinery would kick-start her business and provide her with a second source of income. I’m proud to say that through the Matter to a Million program, over 100 employees joined forces to help Patricia fulfil her dreams.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
Bringing together financial institutions, investors and intermediaries to continue catalyzing the impact investing moment, the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance has launched its expanded network of impact investing leaders.
The Alliance was founded last year by representatives from philanthropy, business and finance to drive impact investing in the U.S. by increasing awareness, fostering deployment of and demand for impact capital across asset classes globally and partnering with policymakers and other stakeholders to build the impact investing ecosystem.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
Recently, on National Insurance Awareness Day, I reflected on the previous week, when California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones keynoted at the Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) lunch meeting.