Library | ESG issues

Environmental

The environmental pillar in ESG (environmental, social, and governance) assesses an organisation’s impact on the planet. It includes issues such as climate change, biodiversity, waste management and water management. Strong environmental practices help businesses reduce risks, comply with regulations, and drive long-term sustainability.

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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

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

Understanding and aligning with beneficiaries’ sustainability preferences

Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
This report explores how engaging with beneficiaries can improve investments' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. It outlines a four-step process for investment professionals to understand and align with beneficiaries' sustainability preferences, ultimately strengthening a fund's performance and maintaining social license.
Research
16 April 2021

The investor’s guide to hazardous chemicals: An introduction to harmful substances, ChemScore and the Investor Initiative on Hazardous Chemicals (IIHC)

ChemSec
The investor guide to hazardous chemicals explains the dangers of chemical pollution, how to identify companies with high chemical footprints, and the tactics that investors can use to engage with these firms. The report also presents the 2022 ChemScore rankings, and a list of questions to ask chemical companies.
Research
24 January 2023

What is tax fairness and what does it mean for investors?

Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
This report is a discussion paper on tax fairness and its impact on institutional investors. Six principles guide the initiatives to bring transparency and systematic approach in dealing with tax issues in the investment industry. It also outlines past legal and regulatory efforts and recommendations for future stakeholder engagement to improve tax arrangements.
Research
24 March 2022

Women in business leadership boost ESG performance: Existing body of evidence makes compelling case

International Finance Corporation
Increase in women's representation in business leadership positions intensifies environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. 70 peer-reviewed papers published from 2008 to 2017 proportionally associate higher diversity with better firm performance. The compendium of available material evolves into a pressing case for more women in boards and other leadership roles.
Research
26 February 2020

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

Guide to banking and sustainability - edition 2

United Nations Environment Programme
This guide provides advice, best practices, and case studies for banks to integrate sustainability principles into their operations and services, ultimately enhancing the long-term value of their businesses
Benchmark/series
30 May 2017

Holistic portfolio construction with an impact lens: A vital approach for institutional asset owners in a changing world

Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)
This report highlights the importance for Institutional Asset Owners (IAOs) to apply an impact lens approach to their portfolio construction. By creating impact philosophies and policies, IAOs can align impact thematic(s) and drive an evolution towards providing both impact and financial returns to their beneficiaries.
Research
19 December 2023

A guide to SDG interactions: From science to implementation

This report examines the nature of interlinkages between Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underpinned by a framework for understanding sustainable development goal interactions. Policymakers, practitioners and scientists working on implementing SDGs are the intended audience for this report.
Research
12 May 2017

Fossil fuel divestment strategies: Financial and carbon-related consequences

This study examines financial and carbon-related impacts of fossil fuel divestment strategies. Empirical analysis of a Canadian stock index suggests ethical divestment reduces carbon exposure and performs as well or better than the benchmark.
Research
8 February 2019

On purpose: Towards a unified theory of responsible investment

This paper presents a framework for evaluating responsible investment (RI) approaches that re-align investment practice with purpose. It unifies the field, generates a coherent framework for designing quality RI offerings, and supports meaningful comparison of diverse RI offerings. It is essential reading for investors interested in RI.
Research
1 October 2020

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
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