Library | ESG issues
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are interconnected principles aimed at fostering fair treatment and full participation within organisations. Diversity refers to the presence of differences among people, including race, ethnicity, gender, age, and other attributes. Equity involves ensuring impartiality and fairness in processes and programs, striving to provide equal possible outcomes for every person. Inclusion is the practice of creating environments where all people feel a sense of belonging, ensuring they are comfortable and supported in being their authentic selves. Effective DEI practices enhance organisational performance, productivity and employee retention.
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Guidance and questionnaire for assessing client sustainability preferences and motivations
This report presents guidelines for investment firms to assess client sustainability preferences and motivations, and select financial products accordingly. The guidance outlines a three-step process toward a product recommendation and identifies keyword categories of sustainability preferences and motivational characteristics.
Materiality: The word that launched a thousand debates
This report explores the concept of materiality in the context of corporate sustainability disclosure. It discusses evolving definitions of materiality in the US and abroad, the need for a common language and structure for disclosure frameworks, and SASB's role in providing decision-useful and financially material information to investors and financial capital providers.
Seeing through the green: A guide to greenwashing risks for asset managers
This report is an in-depth analysis of the risks and pitfalls of greenwashing in sustainable investments. It provides an overview of the current regulatory landscape, common greenwashing practices, and best practices for addressing them.
Sustainable Development Goals Disclosure (SDGD) recommendations
The Sustainable Development Goals Disclosure (SDGD) Recommendations features guidelines for corporate reporting to promote best practices and encourage corporate accountability and governance aligned with SDGs. The document includes fundamental concepts and principles of SDG disclosure, recommendations, and steps to guide implementation, offering insights for assurance providers, governments, investors, and reporting organizations of all sizes
Impact investing for pensions
This report analyses the growth of impact investing strategies among European pension funds. The report examines challenges and opportunities, regulatory restrictions, impact measurement and management, private equity case studies, and emerging investments in affordable and social housing.
Impact due diligence and management for asset allocators: A field guide
This report provides practical guidance for asset allocators to evaluate and manage private market funds that invest for positive impact. It covers the pre and post-investment stages, including conducting diligence of impact managers and monitoring and engaging with them
Navigating impact investing: The opportunity in impact classes
This working paper aims to bring greater clarity and understanding to the impact investing field, which is characterized by diversity and complexity. Omidyar Network led this field-building initiative, with contributions from 45 expert interviews. The report outlines a concept for building “impact classes,” or common structures for assessing impact investing options.
Financial crime compliance to fight modern slavery and human trafficking
This blueprint urges financial institutions to tackle human trafficking and modern slavery, suggesting that both are a financial crime and compliance risk, and warns against wholesale de-risking. This report outlines strategies for detecting financing of such illegal activities, reducing risk, and government action towards AML/CFT risk assessments, ahead of regulatory fines and sanctions in jurisdictions worldwide.
Investor engagement to fight modern slavery and human trafficking
This report provides insights on how investors can engage with businesses to fight modern slavery and human trafficking. Such efforts are underpinned by building and utilizing leverage on companies. It provides guidance on identifying salient modern slavery risks and making divestment decisions if efforts to engage are unsuccessful in addressing modern slavery and human trafficking risks.
Consideration of social risks and opportunities by occupational pension schemes
The UK government is calling for evidence on how occupational pension schemes can appropriately consider financially material social risks and opportunities when making investment decisions. Trustees must adhere to legal requirements to take account of ESG factors in their policies but there is concern that they lack the knowledge to manage financially material social risks.
Exploring philanthropy's role in addressing the affordable housing crisis: A synthesis of the evidence
This report explores how philanthropic funds can be leveraged to tackle financial and non-financial barriers in affordable housing. Desk research, case studies, and financial modelling have been used to highlight the role philanthropy can play in bridging the gap for various affordable housing models.
The role of women on boards in corporate environmental strategy and financial performance: A global outlook
This paper examines the relationship between board gender diversity and environmental strategy and financial performance of firms. Empirical findings indicate that women on boards promote proactive environmental strategies leading to a sustained competitive advantage in both short-term and long-term financial performance.
Sustainable corporate governance and non-financial disclosure in Europe: Does the gender diversity matter?
This study explores the link between boardroom gender diversity and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosure in European listed firms. The results show that having women directors improves ESG practices, potentially enhancing sustainable value creation for firms. The study recommends policy actions promoting gender equality in decision-making roles to further enhance corporate transparency and accountability.
Increasing female participation on boards: Effects on sustainability reporting
This study explores the relationship between board gender diversity and sustainability reporting using data from 2,116 banks over a ten-year period. Results indicate that having 22–50% female board members positively affects ESG disclosure, but beyond 50%, negative effects appear. It suggests that banks should mandate quotas to promote sustainable disclosure.
Climate governance study 2024: Moving from vision to action
This study reveals that Australian directors increasingly prioritise climate change as a material governance issue. However, stakeholders are pulling in a variety of directions, making it challenging for organisations to execute their climate strategies. Policy uncertainty poses the most significant obstacle for climate governance, although the implementation of mandatory climate reporting from July 2025 presents an opportunity for greater accountability.
A well-being framework for cross-cultural assessment of development scenarios: A case study from North-Western Australia
This research paper evaluates the effectiveness of a well-being framework developed to assess alternative future development scenarios for the Martuwarra (Fitzroy River) in Western Australia. The framework was culturally sensitive and assisted a multicultural group in assessing scenarios. The study concludes that a well-being framework can support structured and transparent communication between culturally diverse groups.
