Finance & Investment
The latest in the spheres of socially responsible investing, impact investing, and other ways investors and shareholders are asserting their desire for ethical investment options.
Blended Finance Schemes Are Catalysing Real Impacts in Sustainable Development
To deliver the rapid decarbonisation and conservation we need, and to enable communities to grow in a sustainable way, we have to catalyse new finance for good — and we need to maximise that impact, so we know how much good is achieved and how we can improve.
ESG 2.0: From Corporate Proclamations and Doing Less Harm to Putting Our Money Where Our Mouths Are
“ESG in its fullest form hasn’t really been done yet. Its full potential is at the intersection of ESG and impact investing, where we can move from passive divesting and screening out of negative investments to proactive investments that generate long-term, sustainable profits.” — Alix Lebec
Alternative Proteins May Be Best Investment for Slowing Climate Change
New report finds that with 25% of global GHG emissions caused by the food value chain, the shift to alternative proteins may be the most capital-efficient and high-impact solution to addressing the climate crisis — and over 30% of consumers are ready to make the switch.
Water Risk Is a Financial Risk: Companies Will Soon Have the Tools to Calculate, Disclose and Mitigate It
For too long, investors have lacked the data and analytics to make well-informed investment decisions around the financial risks of water impacts. That is about to change.
How Brands Can Help Turn the Tide on Plastic Pollution in the Caribbean
Our vision is to embed effective recycling across the region’s islands and enable value-added processing of materials where it makes commercial sense — but we’ve been held back by many challenges. For businesses and brands that sell into the Caribbean, it’s an opportunity to be part of our mission and walk their talk around plastic pollution reduction and circularity.
Ando Launching World's First 100% Fossil-Free Insurance Program
Through partnerships with leading providers including Allstate, Nationwide and Travelers, Ando aims to expand the scope of financial independence from fossil fuels available to sustainability-conscious consumers.
Shein Acknowledges Textile Waste with $50M EPR Commitment; But Critics Say It’s Small Change
Cross-Posted from Waste Not. What some are calling 'a significant step toward accountability' for fast fashion brands, others say is lip service and an inadequate approach to supporting waste-management efforts in communities deeply impacted by textile waste.
War in Ukraine Takes Toll on East Asian Economies, Prospects for Achieving SDGs
As ever, it is the most vulnerable people around the world who suffer greatest from slow growth, rising inflation, and the energy and food system disruptions stemming from the war in Ukraine. Bridging the finance divide, while ensuring that resources catalyze the necessary transformations, will be key for putting the SDGs back within reach.
Rise in ‘Balance Sheet Activism’ Swells CNote’s Community Investment Platform to $300M
Apple, Netflix, Xylem and others are putting corporate cash to work in financially underserved communities by moving money to CDFIs, LID credit unions and MDIs throughout the US.
New Guide to Aid US Food Sector’s Climate Transition Plans as Investors Ramp Up Pressure
Cross-Posted from Walking the Talk. Investors can use the guide to engage companies by emphasizing the importance of disclosing their full-scope GHG emissions and setting 1.5°C emissions-reduction targets — ahead of forthcoming mandates.
4 Ways to Unlock Carbon Finance in Agriculture to Drive Climate Action
Cross-Posted from Walking the Talk. Too many corporate carbon offset schemes rely on measuring soil organic carbon — which is highly variable, hard to measure and easy to lose. Here is a four-step framework for companies looking to create tangible impacts on the ground (pun intended).
Over 100 NGOs Join Forces to Escalate Climate Pressure on Vanguard
Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. The world's second-largest asset manager received the worst possible score in a new climate scorecard as NGOs, grassroots groups, and finance experts ramp up pressure for it to act on climate.
BlackRock ‘Anticipates’ 75% of Portfolio Edging Toward Net Zero by 2030
While the announcement from the world’s largest asset manager could potentially have significant influence on lowering global emissions, BlackRock’s passive approach is a missed opportunity to actively drive the transition to a low-carbon, net-zero economy.
40 Acre Co-Op Sowing Seeds for Financially Sustainable Future for Black Farmers
The first national Black farmer co-op since the Reconstruction era is on a mission to revive and support Black farmers — which have dwindled to a mere 1.4% of farmers in the US — and cultivate a national network of growers of regeneratively farmed hemp.
Refreshing Optimism from IPCC: ‘We Can Halve Emissions by 2030.’ But Will Banks Play Their Part?
Cross-Posted from The Next Economy. Without immediate, deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible to limit global warming to 1.5°C. We have the tech and know-how to halve emissions by 2030, and the impacts are already being seen — but fossil fuel financing must end.
New Tools Helping Companies Better Track, Meet Ambitious Climate Goals — with No Time to Waste
Cross-Posted from Product, Service & Design Innovation. The emergence of a host of new carbon-monitoring and -tracking tools is better equipping companies with the data to achieve their climate goals — but time is running short to turn this into meaningful action.
What SEC ESG Disclosure Mandates Might Mean for Your Business
Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. Earlier this month, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose convened 17 CEOs and key legal leaders to discuss newly proposed environmental and social governance disclosure requirements from the SEC. Here are four key takeaways from the conversation.
Look for These 3 Attributes When Buying High-Quality Carbon Credits
Cross-Posted from The Next Economy. For carbon markets to be effective, a dedicated effort must be made by corporate buyers and project developers to align on a high standard of excellence. Companies exploring offsets should look for these three attributes of a project to feel confident they are purchasing high-quality carbon credits.
Proposed SEC Rules to Enhance, Standardize Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors
Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. The rules — which would require companies to include information about their GHG emissions and climate-related risks likely to have a material impact on their business, results of operations or financial condition — have garnered mixed reviews from stakeholders.
680+ Investors Call on Over 10K Companies to Share Environmental Data
While more companies are reporting through CDP every year, many still do not disclose enough data on their environmental impact. Non-disclosure will not be an option for many companies for much longer, with a series of mandatory environmental disclosure requirements coming this year around the world.
