This report summarises global sustainable investment trends from 2016 to 2018, noting a 34 per cent increase to USD 30.7 trillion. Japan saw the fastest growth, while Europe remained the largest market. The leading strategies were ESG integration, exclusionary screening, and shareholder engagement across major investment regions.

This report summarises how integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors is now a fundamental part of fiduciary duty. It finds that ESG issues are financially material, embedded in global regulation, and essential for prudent, loyal and transparent investment decisions by institutional investors.

MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute) is a Swiss-based publisher of open access, peer-reviewed journals, established in 1996. MDPI publishes over 470 academic journals across science, technology and medicine, with authors covering article processing charges to enable unrestricted global access.

This report summarises private shareholder engagements in Japan by Governance for Owners Japan between 2009 and 2019. Findings show high success rates and positive abnormal returns, with quiet activism proving more effective than public campaigns. Evidence indicates such private engagements support Japan’s governance reforms and long-term shareholder value.

Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI) is a Japanese policy think tank founded in 2001. RIETI conducts theoretical and empirical economic research, bridges academe and government, and offers evidence-based trade, industry and economic policy recommendations.

The report by Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) evaluates how engagement by external asset managers has affected investee companies from 2017–2022. Using causal inference analysis across over 26,000 engagements, it finds positive links between engagement and improvements in corporate value, governance, decarbonisation, and diversity.

Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) is an independent administrative institution in Japan. It manages and invests pension reserve funds under Japan’s Employees’ Pension Insurance and National Pension Acts. GPIF seeks long-term, diversified returns while emphasising ESG investment and stewardship in public pension finance.

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 from the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change analyses place-based just transition policies in India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan. It outlines market-specific policy baselines, labour and social dynamics, financing needs and case studies, providing investors and policymakers with insights into ensuring equitable low-carbon transitions in Asia.

This report reviews global ESG and responsible investing practices, focusing on definitions, regulation, climate finance, and institutional investor roles. It evaluates evidence from academic research and PRI data, highlighting investor influence, governance, and engagement strategies, while noting challenges around ratings, greenwashing, and measuring real outcomes.

The Point of No Returns benchmark series assesses the world’s largest asset managers on responsible investment across climate, biodiversity, social issues, governance, and stewardship. Published by ShareAction, the series provides rankings, sector-wide analysis, and examples of practice to guide improvement and accountability.

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.

Water Footprint Network is a non-profit, global collaboration platform advancing fair and smart freshwater use. It champions science-based water footprint assessment, offers open-access tools and data for businesses, governments and communities, and guides sustainable, equitable water governance to address water scarcity and pollution worldwide.

This report examines the barriers to bringing new antibiotics to market, highlighting funding gaps, regulatory uncertainty, and weak commercial incentives. It outlines policy solutions to improve access and development, aiming to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by supporting viable pathways for pharmaceutical innovation.

This report outlines pathways for mobilising institutional capital towards the Sustainable Development Goals and a Just Transition. It focuses on investment vehicles, emerging markets, and private asset classes, providing practical recommendations, case studies, and frameworks to integrate environmental, social, and community considerations into scalable, impactful financial strategies.

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) is a global network of 2,500+ cities, towns and regions across 125+ countries. It supports local governments with technical assistance, peer exchange and tools to accelerate climate action, sustainable urban development, biodiversity protection and resilient, equitable and circular outcomes.