The report outlines practical frameworks for integrating climate adaptation into financial decision-making, linking physical risk assessment to credit, investment, sovereign risk and financial products. It promotes the ABC framework, data transparency and adaptation-inclusive transition plans to improve resilience, pricing and capital allocation.

Greenpeace East Asia is a regional environmental campaigning organisation focused on climate change, toxic pollution, sustainable food, forests and ocean protection across East Asia. Active since 1997, it conducts research, advocacy and non-violent campaigns to influence policy and promote renewable energy and environmental sustainability.

CFA Institute Research and Policy Center (RPC) is a finance research hub turning investment research into insights that strengthen capital markets, advance ethics and improve investor outcomes. RPC publishes policy analysis, research reports and industry perspectives for investment professionals, regulators and policymakers, grounded in CFA Institute expertise and market trends.

Oxford University Press (OUP) is a global academic and educational publisher. It operates as a department of the University of Oxford, producing textbooks, scholarly works, English language resources and reference works. OUP emphasises digital innovation, sustainability commitments, and broad international reach in research and education.

This study analyses whether investor engagement on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues reduces firms’ downside risk. Using data from 1,443 engagements with 485 global firms (2005–2018), it finds that successful engagements, particularly on environmental and climate issues, significantly lower downside risk and related environmental incidents.

This report analyses the link between ESG integration and global investor returns, drawing on cross-regional data and sector comparisons. It assesses how environmental, social, and governance factors correlate with performance, highlighting variations across markets and asset classes. The study provides evidence-based insights on ESG’s financial materiality for investors worldwide.

NGO campaigns alleging environmental and social “E&S-washing” lead to negative stock and media responses, especially on financially material issues. Firms reduce direct emissions following climate-related allegations—often shifting them to supply chains. NGOs also prompt investor engagement, suggesting a monitoring role despite unintended consequences such as increased indirect emissions.

The report outlines AI’s growing use in finance—especially in underwriting, fraud detection, and customer support—highlighting regulatory challenges around explainability, governance, and data security. It discusses evolving global guidance and the need for risk-based, proportionate oversight, particularly as generative AI gains traction in high-impact applications.

This report explores how institutional asset owners integrate impact goals into portfolio strategy. Through four case studies, it examines aligning financial returns with social and environmental outcomes using an impact lens. It highlights investment approaches addressing climate change, health, regional development and systemic inequality across diverse asset classes and geographies.

The report examines recent regulatory shifts in Europe and the UK affecting sustainable funds. It outlines rebranding impacts, highlights inconsistencies in fund categorisation, and stresses the need for broader sustainability definitions beyond the EU Taxonomy to avoid constraining investment opportunities and to better accommodate transition-related financial products.

This benchmark series tracks the progress of institutional investors across Asia in integrating climate considerations into governance, investment, engagement, disclosure and policy advocacy. It provides a consistent and structured assessment framework to evaluate investor alignment with net zero pathways and climate-related financial risks and opportunities.

Wealthy private investors increasingly align their portfolios with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), seeking both measurable impact and financial returns. Investors favour SDGs linked to higher expected profits, leading to underinvestment in less profitable goals. Findings are based on portfolio data, surveys, and interviews with 60 high-net-worth individuals.

The report examines the engagement strategies of ESG funds in Asia, highlighting the unique challenges posed by regulatory constraints, concentrated ownership, and political influences. Using a structured engagement pyramid, the study categorises ESG fund strategies, ranging from investment screening to direct corporate control. Despite obstacles, notable regional features can support ESG initiatives, such as shareholder voting mechanisms and strategic collaborations. The report provides insights into how ESG funds navigate these challenges to influence corporate governance and sustainability outcomes in Asia.

This report provides guidance for corporate boards on effectively engaging stakeholders to uphold human rights. It outlines strategies for meaningful engagement, addressing stakeholder concerns, and integrating human rights considerations into corporate governance and decision-making processes.

This report compares national sustainable finance taxonomies in Asia, highlighting the variability in standards and approaches. It underscores the need for greater alignment with international frameworks to reduce inconsistencies, enhance clarity, and promote sustainable investments. Differences in fossil fuel treatment and transition finance provisions pose challenges to harmonisation and investor confidence.

The report examines the relationship between corporate climate disclosures, cheap talk, and actual climate initiatives. It highlights how voluntary disclosures often suffer from superficiality, while targeted climate actions reduce cheap talk. Findings suggest cheap talk correlates with higher emissions and reputation risks, offering insights into the credibility of climate commitments.