Library | ESG issues
Business Ethics
Business ethics encompass the moral principles and values guiding corporate conduct, extending beyond legal requirements to promote integrity and trust among stakeholders. Key considerations include corporate governance, conflicts of interest, insider trading, bribery, discrimination, human rights, social responsibility, and fiduciary duties.
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Monitoring internal whistleblowing systems: A framework for collecting data and reporting on performance and impact
Transparency International sets out a framework for monitoring internal whistleblowing systems, covering data collection, reporting, confidentiality, stakeholder accountability, performance indicators, retaliation complaints, trust and awareness measures, and resource tracking to help organisations assess effectiveness and improve protections and governance.
The business case for “speaking up”: How internal reporting mechanisms strengthen private-sector organisations
Explains how internal whistleblowing systems help organisations detect misconduct early, reduce legal and financial risks, and strengthen compliance, culture and reputation. It outlines key features of effective mechanisms and demonstrates their role in improving risk management, preventing losses and supporting long-term value creation.
Human rights due diligence in the financial sector: A compendium of industry case studies and practice
Examines how financial institutions implement human rights due diligence, aligned with UNGPs and OECD guidelines, using case studies. Highlights challenges in data, prioritisation and leverage, and emphasises integrating human rights into governance, risk processes and client engagement to manage impacts across lending, investment and insurance activities.
Communicating climate change and migration: A user’s guide to navigating the research
This report guides practitioners on communicating climate-linked migration, highlighting research gaps, biases and limited diversity. It emphasises critical engagement with academic literature, improved representation of affected communities, and the need for nuanced, interdisciplinary approaches to inform effective, ethical communication strategies.
Corporate enablers of Russia’s war in Ukraine: A closer look at multinational taxes and revenue in Russia in 2023
Examines multinational companies’ revenues and taxes in Russia (2021–2023), showing continued corporate activity generated significant tax contributions supporting the Russian state. Highlights sectoral drivers, limited exits, and rising fiscal pressures, concluding that ongoing operations pose financial, legal, and human rights risks.
You Built This
This article argues that modern investment strategies fuel economic extraction while often underperforming simpler alternatives. It calls on investors to realign portfolios with productive, community-oriented investments that generate real economic and social value.
Columbia Journalism Review (CJR)
Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) is a media analysis and journalism review publication produced by Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Founded in 1961, CJR examines news industry trends, press freedom, and media ethics, providing reporting, commentary, and criticism to help journalists and media professionals understand developments shaping global journalism.
Towards sustainability position on defence investments
The report sets a pragmatic policy on defence investments for Towards Sustainability-labelled funds, permitting defensive, non-lethal and dual-use activities with strict ESG due diligence, while excluding weapons producers. It affirms defence funding as primarily a government responsibility.
Guidelines for observation and exclusion of companies from the government pension fund global (GPFG)
The guidelines define ethical criteria for observing or excluding companies from Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global. They cover prohibited products, unacceptable conduct, coal thresholds, governance roles of the Council on Ethics and Norges Bank, and transparency requirements for decisions and reviews.
Agreement on international responsible investment in the insurance sector: ESG investment framework for the theme: Controversial weapons and the trade in weapons with high risk countries
The 2021 Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards establishes technical requirements and testing procedures for restraining and killing traps used to capture specific wild mammal species. It aims to ensure humane trapping practices through standardised certification, testing methodologies, and threshold injury scores, whilst providing for periodic review and multilateral cooperation amongst signatory nations.
Council on ethics for the norwegian government pension fund global
The report outlines the Council on Ethics’ 2018 work advising Norges Bank on exclusions and observation under ethical guidelines. It covers assessments of human rights, environment, climate, corruption and weapons sales, resulting in multiple company exclusions, observations and revocations, alongside ongoing sectoral investigations.
Finance for war: Finance for peace: How values based banks foster peace in a world of increasing conflict
The report analyses global financial links to arms production, showing significant funding for weapons despite rising conflict. It contrasts this with values-based banks, particularly GABV members, which largely exclude arms financing, arguing divestment supports peace, reduces risk, and aligns finance with social and environmental objectives.
Moving away from mass destruction:109 exclusions of nuclear weapon producers
The report reviews 109 financial institutions with policies excluding nuclear weapon producers, assessing policy scope and implementation. It finds 55 institutions apply comprehensive exclusions, while others retain gaps or exposures, reflecting growing financial-sector alignment with the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Investing with integrity ii: How corruption undermines environmental and social outcomes
The report guides impact investors on how corruption undermines environmental and social outcomes. It outlines linked business integrity and E&S risks, due diligence focus areas, and the importance of coordinated screening, action planning and monitoring across land, labour and pollution to strengthen governance and safeguard development impact.
FiftyEight
FiftyEight delivers research-driven technology solutions to ensure ethical working conditions across global supply chains. It partners with businesses, NGOs and governments to tackle modern slavery, forced labour and child labour. Its platforms including a mobile app for migrant workers, support transparent recruitment, safe migration and human rights compliance.
Business frameworks and actions to support human rights defenders: A retrospective and recommendations
The report reviews how businesses can better respect and support human rights defenders by strengthening policies, due diligence, and accountability. It outlines emerging frameworks, examples of company action, implementation challenges, and recommendations for companies, investors, multistakeholder initiatives, and States to safeguard civic freedoms and address risks linked to business activities.