About | Mentor | Madeline Combe

Madeline Combe

After completing a Masters of Sustainability in 2019 at Sydney University, I began working in corporate sustainability at the Sydney Opera House before transitioning into the finance sector where I took up a position with Refinitiv, an ESG data provider, in a market development and ESG engagement function. Currently, I work in community engagement/business development for a social impact start up in the disability sector.

PROFILE

Graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of Technology Sydney and a Masters of Sustainability from Sydney University, my passion for the natural world has been a long and enduring one. It is a privilege to say that the last seven years of my career has been the adventure of a lifetime. From working on marine conservation in the Maldives and Thailand to community development and wildlife rehabilitation in Costa Rica, South Africa and Bolivia, the knowledge and insight gained from my travels has profoundly impacted my understanding of the world in all its beauty and chaos. Closer to home, my work in design and innovation, business development, corporate sustainability, ESG and the disability sector has been incredibly empowering; a welcomed contrast to the struggle and tragedy that was an unfortunate reality of my time abroad working within vulnerable and highly exploited communities.

Needless to say, we live in a very fortunate country and this is an incredibly exciting time for us as a sector, a nation and a global citizen. As we know, the next few decades are critical for humanity, so let’s get to work and build something absolutely fabulous together!

Oh, and when I’m not doing the above, you can find me: scrounging for market bargains, tending to my worm farm or practicing my trumpet.

 

 

RECENTLY REVIEWED BY MADELINE COMBE

Environmental Finance's biodiversity insight series

Environmental Finance
This series explores the evolving role of biodiversity in sustainable finance, investment strategies, and regulatory developments. It examines biodiversity risk, natural capital investment, reporting frameworks, and financial instruments supporting conservation efforts. The series provides insights into emerging market mechanisms, data challenges, and the integration of biodiversity considerations into financial decision-making.
Benchmark/series

Finance for biodiversity: Guide on biodiversity measurement approaches

Finance for Biodiversity Foundation
The report offers financial institutions insights into measuring biodiversity impacts and dependencies through selected approaches, including sector and location screening, and biodiversity footprinting. It emphasises tools like ENCORE and IBAT, with a focus on alignment with global biodiversity goals and effective biodiversity risk assessment in portfolios.
Research
23 March 2024

Investors can assess nature now: A guide to assessing water and deforestation issues in investment portfolios

First Sentier Investors
First Sentier Investors presents a five-step approach for sector and company-level assessments of nature and biodiversity with a focus on freshwater and forests.
Research
13 September 2023

Integrating nature: The case for action on nature-related financial risks

Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
The Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) has written this paper to equip senior management within financial institutions to integrate nature-related risks into financial decisions. The paper details why action needs to be taken and the steps to accelerate the integration of nature into finance.
Research
7 April 2022

Moving mountains: Unlocking private capital for biodiversity and ecosystems

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) seeks to expand private sector contribution and collaboration in biodiversity conservation by developing this guide to assist their understanding of biodiversity and role of private capital in sustainability. This guide aims to assist the private sector in developing finance solutions for biodiversity conservation and finance.
Research
14 November 2019

A market review of nature-based solutions: An emerging institutional asset class

Finance Earth
This report presents a global review of nature-based solutions (NbS), identifying and analysing 88 existing NbS investments between 2002 to 2021. The report identifies common trends of existing investments, both opportunities and barriers to NbS investments and suggests recommendations to institutional investors and policymakers.
Research
20 May 2021

New nature economy report II: The future of nature and business

World Economic Forum
This report provides an applicable agenda for businesses to contribute to the development of practical roadmaps that address the most important drivers of nature loss and build a nature-positive future. It is the second part of a three-part New Nature Economy Report series.
Research
18 July 2020

Sleeping giants: Are bond investors ready to act on climate change?

ShareAction
This bond investor report by ShareAction highlights the key findings from 22 interviews involving key financial actors based in Europe. The interviews explore their thoughts on the opportunities and responsibilities that exist for bond investors in relation to climate change and climate-related risks.
Research
31 January 2019

The little book of investing in nature

Global Canopy
Governments and investors are increasingly aware of their responsibility in promoting biodiversity through finance. This book features a comprehensive guide to developing sustainable investment strategies and planning, investment activities to pursue and avoid, case studies of current and past efforts, and an overview of the investment options which promote biodiversity.
Research
11 January 2021

Biodiversity: Unlocking natural capital value for Australian investors

Australian Council of Superannuation Investors
Commissioned by the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI), this report has been produced to support the Australian investment community's understanding of how biodiversity loss presents a risk to their portfolios. It provides recommendations about actions that Australian investors can take in response to this risk, in preparation for the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
Research
22 November 2021

Global Canopy

Issue Focused NGOs & Think Tanks
Global Canopy is a not-for-profit organisation aiming to support transparency and reporting standards enforced in global supply chains and industries. Using quantitative evidence, Global Canopy supports sustainable finance by developing portfolios and reports based on environmental data initiatives in partnerships with research institutions for governments and financial institutions worldwide.
Organisation
12 research items

Finance for Biodiversity Foundation

Finance Industry Groups
The Finance for Biodiversity Foundation (FfB) supports integrating biodiversity-related objectives into financial institution activities and their collaboration with current and future biodiversity-related initiatives. The FfB and Finance@Biodiversity community launched the Finance for Biodiversity Pledge ('the Pledge') where 84 signatories committed to five initiatives focused on biodiversity conservation through financial activities.
Organisation
12 research items

Environmental Finance

Specialist News Services
Environmental Finance is an online subscription-based specialist news service that offers reports, resources, and analyses about political and economic developments in the sustainable finance industry. The service consists of a daily updated news centre, channels hosting broader sustainable finance topics, and a quarterly-released magazine which summarises the quarter’s content.
Organisation
1 research item

Global sustainable investment review 2020

Responsible Investment Association Australasia
This report maps the state of sustainable investment in the global financial markets and demonstrates that sustainable investment is a major force that is shaping the global capital markets. It also highlights the rapid developments within sustainable investment industry and emphasises moving the industry towards best standards of practice.
Benchmark/series
29 July 2021

Finance and biodiversity: Overview of initiatives for financial institutions

Finance for Biodiversity Foundation
In collaboration with international organisations, the Finance for Biodiversity Pledge has developed an overview of the main biodiversity-related initiatives currently targeting financial institutions. The Overview features a summary of twelve major initiatives and defines its key activities, collaboration, delivery, and goals it aims to achieve.
Research
19 January 2022

Handbook for nature-related financial risks: key concepts and a framework for identification

Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
The Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) has created this handbook and a framework for the identification of nature-related financial risks. It builds on the Dasgupta Review of the economics of biodiversity, enabling financial institutions to begin embedding nature into mainstream financial models, risk frameworks, and portfolio strategies.
Research
12 December 2021

RECENTLY PUBLISHED BY MADELINE COMBE

Point of no returns: A ranking of 75 of the world’s largest asset managers’ approaches to responsible investment

ShareAction
In this first of a series of reports released by ShareAction, 75 of the worlds largest and most influential asset management companies from across Europe, the United States, Africa and the Asia Pacific are ranked according to an analysis of their performance on stewardship, transparency and governance.
Research
31 March 2020

The impact principle: Widening participation and deepening practice for impact investment at scale

Global Steering Group for Impact Investment
Developed from the contributions of The Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG) working group and case studies, this report aims to accelerate and scale impact investment. Split into two sections, the first explores priorities for action to drive positive impact and the second assists actors to translate the priorities into action.
Research
31 October 2018

Global Steering Group for Impact Investment

Other Industry / Sector Specific Groups & Sponsored Organisations
The Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG) is an independent global steering group catalysing impact investment and entrepreneurship to benefit people and the planet. GSG seeks to build momentum behind the impact movement towards a resilient and sustainable investment system for the long term.
Organisation
4 research items

Climate-related risk scenarios for the 2050s: Exploring plausible futures for aquaculture and fisheries in New Zealand

Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler International (KPMG International)
Adopting an organisational risk lens, this report explores the potential extent and interconnectedness of climate-related impacts to New Zealand Fisheries through two, alternate scenarios (reflecting 2ºC and 4ºC of global warming) set in the year 2050. The report aims to support strategic decision making about sustainable utilisation of New Zealand's ocean resources.
Research
1 July 2020

RECENTLY POSTED BY MADELINE COMBE

What's the TNFD?

The Task Force on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) provides a framework for organisations to report and act on evolving nature-related risks and opportunities, thus supporting a shift in global financial flows away from nature-negative outcomes and toward nature-positive outcomes. This article provides an update on the development of the TNFD and explains why it matters to investors.
Article
7 September 2022

Investing in Australian Livestock Agriculture: With strong headwinds closing in, do the risks outweigh the rewards?

For investors in Australian livestock, significant headwinds have begun closing in; a changing climate, the spread of animal borne diseases, the rise of antibiotic resistance, animal welfare concerns, and the growth in alternative protein markets all point to a future fraught with uncertainty.
Article
11 August 2022