In December 2018, the world celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Two of the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact are derived directly from the Universal Declaration. The United Nations Global Compact is advocating for businesses to stand up for human rights, promoting uptake of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The research explores the moral, financial and economic justification for responsible investment, and the academic evidence underpinning future action. It concentrates on how ESG factors materially impact investment risk and returns, clarifying the agency of investors over non-financial value creation.

Companies and institutional investors are being asked to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through their business activities, asset allocation and investment decisions. The SDG investment case tries to answer the question: Why are the SDGs relevant to institutional investors?

This paper makes the case for why businesses should implement inclusive business models and engage low-income populations along their value chains. It identifies common market constraints of inclusive business models and how to overcome them.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is among the leading professional services networks in the world. They help organisations and individuals create the value they’re looking for, by delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services.

Understanding how investors are applying the growing supply of corporate ESG information into their investment decision-making is increasingly important. This report aims to help investors navigate the rapidly changing responsible investing landscape by developing a typology that classifies approaches to environmental, social and governance (ESG) integration.

This research identifies the potential for increased green bond issuance to support the green investment needs of large global publicly traded companies across all sectors. Comparing companies’ business as usual (BAU) to pathways aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), case studies illustrate how green bonds can support transitions to low-carbon business models.

A 2018 report on worldwide investments in harmful cluster munitions. Two arms manufacturers recently ended production of cluster munitions, and more financial institutions and states are acting to end money going to producers. Despite declining investment from financial institutions, there are seven companies in the report still manufacturing.

United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) is is a voluntary initiative committed to global sustainability through their support to companies and stakeholders. UNGC was formed to promote the implementation of ten key principles of sustainability, to businesses globally, and support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is the world's leading proponent of responsible investment. It works to understand the investment implications of environmental, social and governance factors and to support its network of investor signatories in incorporating these factors into their investment and ownership decisions.

Investment Leaders Group (ILG) is a project to help shift the investment chain towards responsible, long-term value creation, such that economic, social and environmental sustainability are delivered as an outcome of the investment process alongside satisfactory, long-term investment returns. Jointly conceived by the University of Cambridge and Natixis Asset Management.

This paper informs asset owners about the current state of sustainable investing for US institutional investors. Drawing on the experiences of over 100 asset owners and investment professional as well as evidence from WRI’s own endowment the paper constructs a detailed outline of sustainable investing. It highlights the underlying motives and drivers, governance structures, relevant data and standards, investment vehicles, and key barriers that shape opportunities for implementation.

PAX works together with committed citizens and partners to protect civilians against acts of war, to end armed violence and to build a just peace.

This article defines responsible investment, highlights the ways in which it is currently applied to managing assets, and outlines the key forces driving its growth. Additionally, it discusses common misconceptions about responsible investment.

This report is intended to help investors understand how climate change can influence their investment performance in both the short and long term. The research uses scenarios from the Cambridge Econometrics transition-risk climate model, to consider three scenarios; 2⁰C, 3⁰C and 4⁰C temperature increases, with evolved pathways and magnitude.

This white paper highlights whether integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into the investment process has had a positive effect on corporate financial performance (CFP), whether the effect was stable over time, how a link between ESG and CFP differs across regions and asset classes and whether any specific subcategory of E, S or G had a dominant influence on CFP.