Library | ESG issues
Corporate Strategy
Corporate strategy involves the comprehensive plan a company employs to achieve its long-term objectives, encompassing decisions on resource allocation, market participation, and competitive positioning. Integrating sustainability into corporate strategy enables organisations to create long-term stakeholder value. This approach offers advantages such as enhancing brand value, meeting consumer demands, increasing efficiency, attracting top talent, and opening new market opportunities.
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State of the Banking Transition
This benchmark series reviews the progress of 36 large global banks on the low-carbon transition. Produced by the TPI Centre, it evaluates transition plans and decarbonisation targets using the Net Zero Banking Assessment Framework and Carbon Performance for Banks to measure alignment with international climate goals and the Paris Agreement.
Futuremaker's toolbox
An open-access foresight collection by Sitra, providing frameworks for trend analysis, scenario building, and strategic decision-making to help professionals navigate and shape future economic and environmental landscapes.
Sustainable Signals: Institutional Investors
Sustainable Signals is a benchmark series produced by the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing. It explores global market trends in sustainable investing through surveys of institutional investors. The series examines perspectives on asset allocations, risk management, and thematic priorities to provide a comprehensive overview of the evolving investment landscape.
Coasian stakeholder theory
This report introduces Coasian stakeholder theory, defining stakeholders by their "shutdown power" over specific transactions. It applies the Coase theorem to show how identification, bargaining, and coalition costs affect value creation. The research provides a strategic framework for managing stakeholders through governance design and consolidated opposition.
The people premium: Human capital as a driver of value creation in private markets
This research examines how private market investors leverage human capital as a strategic driver of value. Analysing firms representing nearly $4 trillion in assets, it details leadership underwriting, platform-scale talent programmes, measurement methodologies, and AI integration. It highlights the necessity of regional adaptation and systematic interventions to realise long-term returns.
The connected reporting landscape: GAA Connectivity in Reporting Series
This report examines the conceptual and practical frameworks for connected reporting. It emphasises the strategic role of accountants in integrating financial statements with sustainability disclosures. By addressing organisational silos and regulatory requirements, the document provides actionable guidance for achieving coherent, decision-useful corporate information for investors and key stakeholders.
Investment sector kaupapa Māori market scan
This baseline assessment examines kaupapa Māori within Aotearoa New Zealand’s investment sector. While 22 of 32 surveyed organisations view Māori values as critical, only five have formal frameworks. The report introduces three strategic Pou—Mātauranga, Ara Ake, and Te Haumi—to bridge the gap between intent and enduring practice.
The true cost of impact-first investing: A comparative analysis of the economics and subsidy structure of impact-first investing
This research by the Miller Center and partners analyses 362 deals to illuminate the true costs of impact-first investing. It finds these funds are operationally efficient but face a structurally underfunded 'premium for inclusion'. The study argues fund-level subsidies are essential for bridging the enterprise-level Valley of Death.
Corporate net zero targets: have they achieved anything?
This research evaluates the impact of corporate long-term net zero targets on emissions and governance. Analysing nearly 2,000 companies, it finds limited evidence of immediate emissions reductions. However, adoption correlates with improved strategic management, suggesting targets formalise emerging organisational transitions rather than triggering sudden decarbonisation.
A network on nature in transition planning: A concept brief to enable and scale implementation
This concept brief proposes a new network to embed nature into transition planning. Highlighting that over $58 trillion of GDP depends on nature, it outlines a collaborative model to build evidence, enable implementation, and shape policy. The network aims to accelerate credible, nature-positive, and climate-resilient economic transitions.
Global climate investing survey series
Robeco’s Global Climate Investing Survey is an annual research series examining institutional and wholesale investors’ approaches to climate change and sustainable investing. It explores climate-related risks and opportunities, net-zero commitments, portfolio decarbonisation, investment strategies, active ownership and climate transition finance, alongside evolving regulatory and market conditions.
Industrial policy via the IPO market
This research examines how China uses initial public offering regulations as an industrial policy tool. Between 2002 and 2022, favoured industries saw significantly higher listing activity and proceeds. These firms command a persistent valuation premium, as investors treat government support as a durable fundamental rather than temporary sentiment.
National development banks: Policy integration for climate
This research analyses the integration of national development banks (NDBs) into climate policies across 103 economies. It highlights that only 17.5% of countries explicitly reference NDBs in climate commitments. The report provides recommendations for governments and NDB leadership to strengthen institutional alignment and improve climate finance effectiveness.
Venture capital backing and ESG disclosure in private firms
This research examines the association between venture capital backing and voluntary ESG disclosure in U.S. private firms. It finds that VC-backed firms develop disclosure gradually through professionalisation. Conversely, non-VC-backed firms exhibit strategic disclosure increases immediately before initial public offerings to reduce information asymmetry.
Artificial intelligence adoption in Chinese enterprises: Productivity effects, workforce implications, and policy challenges
This research explores artificial intelligence adoption within Chinese enterprises using qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys. It identifies significant productivity gains, various organisational models, and workforce impacts, including income anxiety and skills gaps. The report highlights the human–AI collaboration paradigm and offers policy recommendations for skills development and governance.
The governance of dual-class firms
This research examines the governance of dual-class firms, documenting a significant rise in their prevalence among US initial public offerings between 2000 and 2025. It identifies that these structures are increasingly concentrated in founder-led, venture-backed technology companies, while empirical evidence suggests they do not necessarily lead to CEO entrenchment.
