Library | Resource Types

Research

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.

Refine
Resource type
Sustainable Finance Practices
ESG issues
SDGs
SASB Sustainability Sector
Finance relevance
Asset Class
Location
TAG
1037 results
REFINE
SHOW: 16

Beyond investment: The power of capacity-building support

Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)
This report explores the use of technical assistance to enhance the impact of investments in challenging sectors. With contributions from industry professionals, the report highlights motivations, uses and challenges of capacity-building support, and provides analysis to encourage discussion and shape future practice.
Research
27 September 2017

User’s guide to IFC’s sustainability assessment and improvement tool for midsize growth companies

International Finance Corporation
This tool aims to help small to mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) manage environmental and social risk and support long-term growth. The tool is contextualised for SMEs and provides comprehensive guidance focusing on environmental, social, and governance risk factors while presenting a pathway for manageable, systemic improvements.
Research
5 October 2023

Impacts of climate litigation on firm value

Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
This report examines the financial effects of climate litigation on firms. The study used a new dataset and found that climate litigation has a modest negative impact on firms' stock prices. The bulk of the corporate climate litigation were filed against the largest companies.
Research
23 May 2023

Welcome to the great unravelling: Navigating the polycrisis of environmental and social breakdown

Post Carbon Institute
This report examines the ongoing crises of environmental and social breakdown, exploring their interconnected drivers and feedbacks. It offers pragmatic and personal solutions, challenging the myth of progress, and suggesting thoughtful change as the only hope for navigating this uncertain future.
Research
7 August 2023

Making Xinjiang sanctions work: Addressing forced labour through coercive trade and finance measures

University of Nottingham
This is a comprehensive and rigorous analysis of the measures adopted and implemented to address the issue of forced labour in Xinjiang, China. Based on open-source data and expert analysis, the report highlights key themes and outlines a set of recommendations designed to improve the effectiveness of current trade and financial measures.
Research
28 July 2022

Taking stock of investor implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
This report assesses the first decade of implementation of the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights and the role of institutional investors in promoting investor responsibility to respect human rights. Enabling environments for rights-respecting investment have emerged, however, access to remedy for victims requires urgent attention, and other investment ecosystem actors must step up.
Research
18 June 2021

COMPASS: The methodology for comparing and assessing impact

Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)
The COMPASS is a methodology for investors to assess and compare impact data to maximise social or environmental returns. Upon collecting standardised data, this paper provides a step-by-step process to normalise impact information, using three key analytic figures, and to create benchmarks within peer groups to aid investment decision-making.
Research
19 May 2021

Sustainability at a turning point: Consumers are pushing companies to pivot

IBM Institute for Business Value
This research of 14,000 people from 9 countries discovered that 93% say that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed their perception of environmental sustainability. Individuals are, as a result, looking to invest in companies that prioritise environmental responsibility and expect them to communicate sustainability benchmarks and future plans clearly. In addition, more than half of consumers would work for a company that values sustainability, which is increasingly becoming a top hiring consideration.
Research
22 May 2021

Investor toolkit on human rights and armed conflict: Managing human rights impacts and international humanitarian law implications before, during and after armed conflicts arise

Responsible Investment Association Australasia
This investor toolkit provides guidance on managing human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL) risks before, during, and after armed conflicts. It helps investors identify and address these risks in their portfolios, ensuring compliance with legal obligations and promoting responsible investment practices.
Research
5 May 2023

Time to accelerate: Capital mobilisation for the SDGs in emerging markets

Global Steering Group for Impact Investment
This progress report details two years of capital mobilisation for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in emerging markets. It highlights the need for government and private investors to take action if the SDG financing gap is to be closed, and outlines strategies for scaling private investment and reducing investment risks.
Research
6 December 2023

Financing SDGs in emerging markets: The role of green, social, sustainability and sustainability-linked (GSSS) bonds

Global Steering Group for Impact Investment
The report highlights the potential of green, social sustainability and sustainability-linked bonds in funding developing countries' progress towards the SDGs, offering recommendations for increased involvement from issuers, investors, policy-makers, and development finance institutions (DFIs).
Research
26 September 2023

Pensions and impact investing: How are National Advisory Boards (NABs) for impact investing engaging with pension funds to advance the market?

Global Steering Group for Impact Investment
The Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG) runs an Engaging with Pension Funds working group to support affiliated members to deepen their engagement with pension funds to advance the impact investment market. The report reflects case studies and examples gathered from members of the working group from 2021-2022.
Research
27 July 2023

Bridging ESG silos: The intersection of climate change and modern slavery

Walk Free
This briefing for investors examines the intersection of climate change and modern slavery. It details how environmental and social risks are interconnected and can materially affect a company's long-term profitability. The report provides case studies and tools to help investors identify, assess, and respond to these risks in their portfolios.
Research
28 September 2023

Petrochemicals: Major credits, carbon risks, green bonds

Anthropocene Fixed Income Institute
This report reviews the petrochemical industry from a joint macro, credit specialist and climate mitigation perspective. It highlights that the industry has the highest energy demand and is the third-largest direct CO2 emitter. The first green bonds came out in 2020, although the sector’s environmental alignment remains questionable to investors.
Research
10 May 2021

Future-fit business benchmark: Methodology guide

Future-Fit Business
The Future-Fit Business Benchmark Methodology Guide provides a free tool to help companies pursue a vision of a flourishing future. With 23 break-even Goals, 24 positive pursuits, and complementary indicators, it offers science-based guidance on how to transform business operations, procurement practices, and products in pursuit of future-fitness.
Research
7 August 2020

Australian Social Impact Investing Taskforce: A Commonwealth strategy to build a mature and self-sustaining social impact investing market that improves the lives of vulnerable Australians

The report details a strategy to support early-stage social enterprises and foster growth in social impact investment (SII) opportunities. The report explores four action areas for government and stakeholders to accelerate SII growth and improve social impact measurement.
Research
17 November 2020
PREV
36 of 65
NEXT