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.
Trending: BofA, Lloyds, CBL Foster Clean Investments with Bond, Lending, Emissions Credits
Projects that reduce emissions, generate clean energy or aid sustainable development could benefit from more financial support this year thanks to recent announcements from financial firms in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. From Bank of America (BofA) issuing its fourth and largest green bond to date, to Lloyds Banking Group’s new £2 billion scheme to offer discounted financing and a partnership that will see more emissions reduction credits listed on CBL Markets (CBL)’s global exchange, it’s been a good month for green investments.
Will We Soon See a More Sustainable Financial System?
It's now nearly 10 years since news broke of the Lehman Brothers collapse, which served as a precursor for this century's biggest-ever financial crisis. Underpinned by reckless borrowing and the untold dangers of the sub-prime mortgage sector, the Great Recession brought the world to its knees and altered the global economic landscape forever. While the global economy has largely enjoyed sustained (if slightly sluggish) growth since this time, the goal of creating a truly transparent financial market has yet to be fully realised. We've seen some progress in this respect, of course, but there is still much work to be done if we're to ensure that we fully heed the lessons of the Great Recession.
How Blockchain Is Helping The Plastic Bank Create a Global Economy of 'Social Plastic'
As much hype as cryptocurrencies and digital tokens are getting these days, their real-world, practical uses remain few and far between. But one Vancouver-based organization, The Plastic Bank, is working to exchange plastic waste for digital currency in some of the world’s poorest places.
Even Though Bitcoin Wastes Power, Blockchain Can Be Sustainable
When you hear the word “cryptocurrency,” what’s the first thing that springs to mind? For many of us, it’s Bitcoin — the original, most highly valued, and most widely discussed cryptocurrency. And for many of us who care about conserving energy and innovating with sustainable solutions to climate change, Bitcoin isn’t exactly a household brand.
Startup Allows Neighbors to Generate Returns Through Investments in Their Community
“A lot of people want to participate in Detroit’s recovery, but unfortunately, they feel that because they’re not a billionaire, millionaire, celebrity or politician, they feel they can’t,” Kwaku Osei told Fast Company.
New Principles Aim to Drive Investment in Sustainable Fisheries
At the World Ocean Summit held last month in Mexico, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and three impact funds – Meloy Fund, Encourage Capital and Althelia Ecosphere – announced the first-ever set of Principles for Investment in Sustainable Fisheries, aimed at bringing more money into an increasingly critical sector and growing global challenge.
$94B Needed to Realize RE100 Renewable Energy Targets by 2030
Bloomberg New Energy Finance has released a new report that reveals that signatories of the RE100 initiative have a long way to go to achieve their 100 percent renewable energy targets by 2030. For the initiative’s 128 members to meet their goal, they will need to spend an estimated $94 billion. According to Bloomberg, this is enough to procure 172 TWh of renewable power and add 87 gigawatts of new wind and solar power capacity.
UK Government Calls on Top Pension Funds to Disclose Climate Risks
The UK’s Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) is calling on top pension funds in the UK to disclose information on the risks that climate change poses to pension savings. The move was prompted by an admission from the Department for Work and Pensions that there is widespread misunderstanding amongst trustees on the scope of their fiduciary duty in relation to environmental risks.
400+ Resolutions Show Investors Stepping Up to Tackle ESG Issues
As You Sow, the Sustainable Investments Institute and Proxy Impact have published an updated Proxy Preview report for 2018. The report offers a comprehensive look at more than 400 shareholder resolutions filed on environmental, social and sustainable governance (ESG) issues.
Beyond Supply and Demand: The Dynamic Equilibrium Between Global Thresholds and Allocations
As a monetary adviser, I spent many years questioning bankers on the authenticity of their balances sheets. What stood out most for me in these discussions was this: the social demand for commodities is often claimed by banks as having a direct link with the ecological supply of resources which are extracted, produced and sold as commodities. But this just isn’t true. Bank reserve assets are not discounted to reflect the decline of the world’s non-renewable resources. In fact, as society’s ecological debt continues to mount, no one is actually keeping track.
Sustainable Funding for Private Green Businesses
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.
First-Ever Carbon Neutral Mortgage Allows Borrowers to Offset Footprint of Home Ownership
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.
450 Business Leaders, Investors Create Roadmap to Low-Carbon Future
More than 450 investor, company and capital market leaders convened at the Investor Summit on Climate Risk last week to map out the next steps for increased action on climate change. The strong showing of leaders, ranging from institutional investors to state and city pension fund fiduciaries and corporate executives, demonstrated the growing mainstream attention to one of the world’s most pressing problems.
Forget Bitcoin, Planting Trees Can Offer Amazing Returns
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.
Finance & Investment
Here we highlight 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.
Trending: Blackrock, Citi Respond to Turning Tide by Embracing Social Responsibility
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
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
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.
The Sustainability Practitioner’s (Basic) Guide to Investors
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.
225 Global Investors Team Up to Spur Most Polluting Companies Into Action on Climate Change
Climate risk poses a considerable threat to investors, who stand to lose millions If companies fail to address unsustainable elements in their supply chains. Yet despite growing pressure for action, a vast majority of companies have yet to make meaningful changes.