The report argues that socioeconomic inequality poses systemic risks to investment performance. It highlights that addressing inequality aligns with investors' fiduciary duties by reducing financial risks and improving long-term returns. The report provides evidence that inequality impacts corporate performance, supply chains, and macroeconomic stability.

The report calls for integrating social risks into financial strategies. It emphasises the interconnectedness of social and environmental issues and recommends enhancing research, standards, and tools to address socio-economic inequalities, promoting financial stability and sustainability.

This report investigates whether high-interest payday loans are predatory by exploring borrower behaviour and the impact of regulatory measures. Using an experiment with payday loan borrowers, the study finds that while inexperienced borrowers are often overoptimistic about repayment, more experienced ones anticipate future borrowing accurately.

This report provides a comprehensive review of leveraged buyouts (LBOs), covering their motives, value creation mechanisms, and trends in public-to-private transactions. Key factors discussed include agency cost reduction, tax benefits, stakeholder wealth transfers, and corporate restructuring processes. It also highlights empirical evidence from the US, UK, and Europe, examining the resurgence of LBOs in the early 2000s.

The toolkit helps investors identify, assess, and manage nature-related risks and opportunities in their portfolios. It provides guidance on how to engage with stakeholders, evaluate investment impacts on nature, and explore emerging tools for nature-positive outcomes. The toolkit also highlights strategies to mitigate risks and seize nature-related investment opportunities.

This report critically examines the rise of predatory fintech lending practices in the US. It highlights how fintech firms exploit regulatory gaps through partnerships with banks, resulting in high-cost loans that disproportionately impact financially vulnerable households. The report also discusses potential regulatory reforms to protect consumers from these harmful practices.

The report examines how disparities in bargaining power affect trade credit negotiations in emerging economies. The findings highlight that financially constrained firms often provide trade credit to more powerful counterparts, leading to inefficiencies and negative outcomes for suppliers, challenging the notion that trade credit is beneficial for growth.

The report outlines the critical role of climate-resilient infrastructure in addressing the increasing impacts of climate change. It emphasises the need for integrated planning, financing, and the adoption of nature-based solutions to enhance infrastructure resilience. The report also highlights the economic benefits and policy recommendations for building robust infrastructure systems globally, especially in developing countries.

This discussion paper explores the importance of scope 3 emissions in corporate climate targets. It discusses challenges in current scope 3 target-setting practices, potential solutions, and strategies for decarbonising value chains. The report aims to enhance corporate climate action, aligning businesses with global climate goals while promoting stakeholder engagement for future standards.

The report examines the integration of ESG factors into mainstream finance in the Asia-Pacific region. It highlights challenges like greenwashing, regulatory uncertainty, and macroeconomic instability. It also outlines opportunities for sustainable finance growth, driven by data integrity, net-zero commitments, and evolving regulatory frameworks.

The report highlights the challenges financial institutions face in embedding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies. It covers topics such as governance, skills gaps, data issues, and the critical role of the front office in driving sustainability goals, offering practical steps for overcoming these hurdles.

Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act requires firms to disclose if they source conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The report shows that increased public attention leads to responsible sourcing, which mitigates conflicts in mining regions. Certified smelters play a key role in these efforts.

This report investigates how the International Tin Supply Chain Initiative (ITSCI) allegedly launders conflict minerals from mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It highlights serious failings in the traceability system, enabling smuggling, militia involvement, and child labour in the mineral trade. Recommendations include structural reforms and stricter enforcement by governments and companies.

This paper introduces an assessment framework for corporate disclosures on climate transition strategies. It identifies 64 indicators from 28 frameworks, develops a natural language processing (NLP) tool to automate disclosure assessment, and analyses disclosures of carbon-intensive companies. The findings reveal that companies often prioritise reporting targets over concrete implementation actions.

The IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining and Mineral Processing 2.0 (Draft Version) outlines best practices for mining, mineral development, and processing to enhance environmental and social responsibility. It aims to improve industry standards, promote transparency, and support compliance with local and international regulations.

The Standard for Responsible Mining sets out best practices for industrial-scale mining. It focuses on social, environmental, and economic aspects, providing third-party certification for responsible performance. The Standard covers areas such as community engagement, human rights, and environmental management, aiming to promote transparency, improve mining practices, and support positive legacies for communities and ecosystems.