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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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An integrative approach to responsible investment

First Sentier Investors
This report by First Sentier Investors outlines a holistic approach to responsible investment that integrates environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. It argues that considering synergies and trade-offs across ESG issues enables better risk management and long-term value creation. Case studies illustrate practical applications across supply chains, infrastructure and resource sectors.
Research
29 April 2025

Lazard's Levelized Cost of Energy

Lazard
The Lazard Levelized Cost of Energy+ 2025 report compares the economics of power generation, storage, and system reliability across technologies. It finds renewables remain the most cost-competitive, storage costs are falling due to market and technological shifts, and firming costs rise as renewable penetration increases, requiring diverse generation solutions.
Research
19 June 2025

Climate-related and other emerging risks disclosures: Assessing financial statement materiality using AASB Practice Statement 2

Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB)
This report summarises guidance from the AASB and AUASB on applying AASB Practice Statement 2 to climate-related and other emerging risks. It explains how such risks may be material to financial statements, outlines related accounting and auditing considerations, and emphasises the need for transparent disclosure and investor-relevant information.
Research
13 December 2018

Final report of the expert panel on sustainable finance: Mobilizing finance for sustainable growth

Government of Canada
This report summarises recommendations from Canada’s Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance to mobilise private capital for low-carbon, resilient growth: improve market clarity and standards (incl. TCFD), build national climate data (C3IA), and develop financing solutions such as green and transition instruments, infrastructure investment, and building retrofits, supported by enabling policy.
Research
16 July 2019

2019 Hutley opinion: Climate change and directors’ duties

Centre for Policy Development (CPD)
This report summarises legal opinions by Noel Hutley SC and Sebastian Hartford Davis for the Centre for Policy Development, concluding that Australian company directors must assess, disclose and manage foreseeable climate risks. It highlights growing regulatory and investor expectations, making climate oversight a key element of directors’ duties and liability exposure.
Research
26 March 2019

Global sustainable investment review 2018

Global Sustainable Investment Alliance
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.
Research
19 June 2019

Outside the safe operating space of the planetary boundary for novel entities

This report summarises evidence that humanity has exceeded the planetary boundary for novel entities, including chemicals and plastics. It finds that their production and emissions are increasing faster than global capacity for risk assessment and regulation, thereby threatening Earth system stability and requiring urgent action to reduce production and releases.
Research
18 January 2022

Fiduciary duty in the 21st century final report

United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)
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.
Research
16 May 2022

From values to value: The commensuration of sustainability reporting and the crowding out of morality

This study examines the evolution of sustainability reporting in the Netherlands, showing how moral intentions of corporate responsibility became standardised and financialised. Through commensuration, sustainability shifted from ethical values to measurable economic indicators, leading to a “crowding out of morality” as reporting prioritised comparability, performance, and investor relevance over genuine moral purpose.
Research
1 March 2023

Principles for an effective wellbeing budget

Centre for Policy Development (CPD)
This report summarises principles for developing a wellbeing-focused federal budget in Australia. It recommends integrating wellbeing goals into policy and budgeting, strengthening data and accountability, investing in long-term and preventative analysis, enhancing public service capability, and ensuring ongoing community engagement to guide decision-making and measure progress.
Research
13 September 2022

The future of emissions

This report proposes using firm-level emission futures contracts to better measure and incentivise real environmental impact from ESG investing. It finds that current backward-looking ESG ratings fail to predict emission reductions and may misallocate capital to higher-polluting firms. Market-based, forward-looking emission futures could improve measurement, incentives, and investment impact.
Research
30 January 2024

ESG: A panacea for market power?

European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)
This paper, “ESG: A Panacea for Market Power?” by Philip Bond and Doron Levit (2024), examines how firms’ social (“S”) ESG policies affect market competition. It finds that moderate ESG actions such as fairer treatment of workers or customers can reduce market power and improve welfare, while overly aggressive policies harm both firms and stakeholders. The authors show that competition in ESG policies among socially minded firms can deliver efficient, welfare-maximising outcomes, linking ESG adoption to market structure, corporate governance models, and executive incentives.
Research
4 April 2023

Impact-linked finance: Learning from eight years and ideas for the future

Roots of Impact
This report by Roots of Impact (2024) reviews eight years of experience implementing Impact-Linked Finance (ILF), a structuring approach that rewards measurable social or environmental outcomes by linking financial terms to impact performance. It outlines ILF’s evolution, design principles, effectiveness benchmarks, and opportunities to scale through collaboration and new impact-linked instruments.
Research
24 June 2024

How the concept of “Regenerative Good Growth” could help increase public and policy engagement and speed transitions to Net Zero and nature recovery

MDPI
The report introduces the concept of Regenerative Good Growth (RGG) as an alternative to extractive GDP-focused models. It argues that economic progress should regenerate five renewable capitals, natural, social, human, cultural, and sustainable physical, while ensuring fairness, engagement, and reduced environmental harm. RGG promotes inclusive, low-carbon, and nature-positive transitions through diverse public participation.
Research
22 January 2025

ESG and financial performance: Uncovering the relationship by aggregating evidence from 1,000 plus studies published between 2015 – 2020

NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business
This report summarises over 1,000 studies (2015–2020) and finds that most show a positive relationship between ESG and financial performance. ESG integration and long-term strategies tend to enhance returns and risk management, while disclosure alone has limited financial impact.
Research
2 November 2021

Outsourcing active ownership in Japan

European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)
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
14 July 2021
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