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We summarise credible research and reports on sustainable finance and ESG issues. Our summaries, along with our AI ChatBot saves members time reading large reports, to focus on knowledge building and action.

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Modeling ghost GDP: Macro-financial risk and diversified portfolios in the age of artificial intelligence, automation, and populism

The Predistribution Initiative
This PDI working paper stress-tests four AI-driven labour displacement scenarios against US macro-financial data, modelling cascading losses across household debt, corporate credit, equities, pensions, insurance, and fiscal channels. Total economy-wide value at risk ranges from approximately $15–18 trillion (Light) to $62–72 trillion (Aggressive). Predistributive mechanisms are proposed as structural solutions.
Research
8 June 2026

What a waste 3.0: Global snapshot of solid waste management toward circularity until 2050

The World Bank
What a Waste 3.0 provides a global assessment of municipal solid waste management across 217 countries and economies. It analyses waste generation, collection, treatment, recycling, financing, employment, climate impacts and circularity pathways to 2050, highlighting rising waste volumes, infrastructure investment needs, resource recovery opportunities and policy frameworks for sustainable waste systems.
Research
19 March 2026

Navigating global risks in the Pacific 2026

Marsh
A Pacific-focused commentary drawing on the World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2026, examining how geopolitical fragmentation, digital transformation, climate volatility and workforce pressures are reshaping operating environments across Australia, New Zealand and the broader Pacific region.
Research
25 March 2026

A guide to the New Zealand emissions trading scheme: 2026 update: Design, evolution, and current state

Motu Economic and Public Policy Research
This guide outlines the design, evolution, and current state of the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme as of March 2026. It covers sectoral coverage, unit supply, price controls, free allocation, forestry, and emissions trends, including recent legislative changes to agricultural obligations and the 2050 biogenic methane target.
Research
17 April 2026

The hidden benefit of ESG

This study examines 2,386 U.S.-listed firms from 2016 to 2021 and finds a causal link between higher ESG scores and fewer financial statement restatements in the post-2019 Business Roundtable Statement period. The findings position ESG as a rational risk management tool and challenge the premise underlying anti-ESG legislation.
Research
9 March 2026

State of the Sovereign Transition 2025

London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
The State of the Sovereign Transition 2025 assesses 85 countries on climate targets, policies and finance using the ASCOR framework. Most have set net zero targets, but near-term ambition and transparency remain inadequate. Progress is concentrated in low- and middle-income countries, while the US has seen significant policy retreat.
Research
6 November 2025

Five differentiators of outperforming family-owned businesses in India

McKinsey & Company
McKinsey analysed about 300 publicly listed Indian family-owned businesses to identify five differentiators of top performers: core operational excellence, effective generational transition, portfolio diversification, talent and culture, and robust governance. FOBs contribute more than 75 percent of India's GDP and outperform non-family-owned businesses on revenue growth and shareholder returns.
Research
2 August 2024

Passing the baton: Creating value through CEO succession at family businesses

McKinsey & Company
This McKinsey report analyses CEO succession at family-owned businesses, drawing on 200 publicly traded and 170 private FOBs globally. It finds that succession on average erodes shareholder value, but top-performing FOBs can achieve the opposite by applying 11 critical practices spanning five foundational and six distinctive areas.
Research
3 February 2026

Voice without influence? Global investor voting rationale disclosures in Korea

European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)
This study examines whether global institutional investors’ voting rationale disclosures influence Korean firms’ gender diversity and climate-related policies. It finds stronger investor focus on board gender diversity than climate risk, limited influence on large firms, greater impact on smaller firms’ emissions reductions, and evidence that voting rationales affect the credibility of sustainability reporting.
Research
17 May 2026

Trust, financial literacy, and financial behaviors: Shaping retirement security

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
This NBER working paper examines how trust in financial institutions and government programmes, and financial literacy, shape retirement security for Americans aged 50+. Using 2020 Health and Retirement Study data, it finds trust in financial institutions supports retirement saving, while trust in government programmes reduces private saving, with notable racial disparities.
Research
7 May 2026

Sustainability-related disclosure guidance

Financial Markets Authority (FMA)
New Zealand's Financial Markets Authority guidance on sustainability-related disclosure for financial product issuers. Covers fair dealing obligations under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013, addressing greenwashing and greenhushing risks, with practical guidance on clear claims, substantiation, consistent messaging and third-party management.
Research
18 May 2026

Beyond net zero: The rise of transition plans and what they tell investors

Sustainable Fitch
This Sustainable Fitch report examines the rise of corporate transition plans, driven by regulatory requirements and investor demand. It reviews six mainstream transition planning frameworks, finding alignment on core principles but variation in detail, and analyses around 40 entities, revealing strong Scope 1 and 2 targets but patchy Scope 3 commitments and limited transition revenue.
Research
13 April 2026

The criticality of gender equality in the race for critical minerals

International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
This report explores how the rising demand for critical minerals risks exacerbating long-standing gender inequalities within the mining sector. It provides factual recommendations for governments and organisations to implement gender-responsive impact assessments, inclusive consultation, and equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms to safeguard women's rights globally.
Research
13 May 2026

Investing in the arms race: The companies building nuclear weapons and their financiers

Impax Asset Management
This report analyses 25 companies producing nuclear weapons and their financial backers. Highlighting over $1 trillion in total investments and financing from 301 institutions, it urges the financial sector to use its leverage to reject nuclear armament and make choices that benefit global security and humanity.
Research
20 April 2026

From fragmentation to insight: Why data convergence matters for scaling impact

Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)
This report examines the need for data convergence in impact investing to address fragmentation. It advocates adopting a structured, Theory of Change-based data model to standardise information across portfolios. Such a structure enhances interoperability, streamlines data management, and enables advanced analytics, ultimately improving decision-making and scaling impact effectively.
Research
24 April 2026

Productivity and decent work: Achieving synergies between social and economic dimensions at the enterprise level

International Labour Organisation (ILO)
This research brief examines the relationship between corporate social responsibility and human resource management in enhancing enterprise productivity and decent work. It provides an overview of current literature, explores how aligning social and economic dimensions creates synergies, and identifies key gaps for future research to support sustainable development.
Research
19 May 2026
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