Library | ESG issues
Governance
The governance pillar in ESG (environmental, social, and governance) refers to the systems, policies, and practices that ensure an organisation is managed responsibly and ethically. It includes issues such as board structure, reporting & disclosures, shareholders & voting, and risk management. Strong governance reduces risks, enhances trust, and supports long-term business sustainability.
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Optional shareholder voting
This paper examines optional shareholder voting by institutional managers (IMs) using newly available SEC data on say-on-pay votes. Only 44% of IMs vote, yet their aggregate voting footprint is twice that of mutual funds. IMs use voting as a monitoring tool, with larger positions associated with greater opposition to management.
Rankings of America's Most Just Companies
The Rankings of America's Most Just Companies evaluate the largest publicly traded US corporations on stakeholder performance and ethical behaviour.
Cracking the code: Using nature data to understand the impact of the ASX200
This report analyses the nature-related impacts of Australia's ASX200 companies. It finds that utilities, energy, and materials sectors exert the highest direct environmental pressures, whereas financials and retail sectors possess significant supply chain impacts. The report advocates for TNFD-aligned disclosures and proactive investor stewardship to mitigate systemic risks.
Reining in big tech corporations: Why platform governance requires structural regulation
This paper argues that big tech platform corporations function as state-empowered artificial legal entities rather than private contractual arrangements. Highlighting their structural and governance power, the author suggests that these organisations require structural regulation and democratic oversight to recalibrate the delegated powers granted by states.
LP Scan
ImpactAlpha’s LP Scan is a dealflow and market intelligence resource that tracks limited partner (LP) activity, fund allocations and investment trends across impact investing. It provides insights into institutional investors, capital flows and fundraising activity to help market participants identify opportunities and understand developments in sustainable and impact finance.
Reliability of sustainability claims: Addressing greenwashing through regulations
This report analyses 23 regulatory instruments across 12 jurisdictions to assess global responses to greenwashing. It highlights the reliance on cross-sectoral consumer protection laws and identifies challenges in substantiation. Recommendations include adopting proportionate approaches, investing in data infrastructure, and clarifying the role of voluntary sustainability standards.
Getting political finance right: Preventing corruption with UNCAC CoSP resolution 11/7
This report analyses the implications of UNCAC Resolution 11/7 on political finance, detailing key transparency measures, safeguards against illicit funding, and strategies to ensure state neutrality. It provides practical guidance for legislators and watchdogs to effectively implement oversight mechanisms and prevent corruption globally.
Employment and social trends: May 2026 update: Growing labour market risks of the Middle East crisis
This report analyses the global labour market risks of the Middle East crisis. It estimates significant potential declines in working hours and real labour incomes, highlighting heightened vulnerabilities in the Arab States and the Asia-Pacific region due to disrupted energy markets, supply chains, and transport routes.
Standards for integrity in political finance: A global policy position
This report outlines global standards for integrity in political finance. It advocates for comprehensive reforms spanning transparency, limits on donations and expenditure, gender equality in funding, state neutrality, and robust accountability to prevent corruption and level the electoral playing field worldwide.
Counting what counts: A compass of progress for people and planet
This report presents a new framework and a dashboard of 31 indicators proposed by the UN High-Level Expert Group to measure societal progress beyond GDP. It emphasises equitable, inclusive and sustainable well-being, offering actionable recommendations for global adoption and enhanced statistical capacity by 2027.
Advancing extreme event impact attribution: Attributing multi-hazard impacts of Hurricane Ida in south Louisiana to past, present, and future climates
This report examines the impacts of Hurricane Ida in south Louisiana, using a multi-hazard framework to attribute economic damages to historical and projected climate change. It finds that total damages were 19% higher in 2021 due to historical climate change and could be 76% higher by 2071.
Digitalisation and innovation: Opportunities and risks for financial health
This report examines the impact of digital innovation on financial health. It outlines opportunities in payments, credit, savings, and insurance, whilst highlighting emerging risks such as fraud, overindebtedness, and ill-suited investments. The authors propose policy responses to enhance regulatory frameworks and promote responsible digitalisation in financial services.
OHCHR Knowledge Gateway
The OHCHR Knowledge Gateway provides access to human rights knowledge, practices, and resources to support implementation of international standards.
ASCOR Tool
The ASCOR Tool is an investor-led framework for assessing how countries manage the low-carbon transition and the impacts of climate change.
U.S. billion-dollar weather and climate disasters database
Climate Central’s database tracks the most costly U.S. weather and climate disasters since 1980, providing data on events causing $1 billion in damage.
The impact of extreme temperatures on respiratory mortality in Brazil: Evaluating regional adaptations to different thermal environments
This report analyses the impact of extreme temperatures on respiratory mortality across 646 Brazilian municipalities from 2010 to 2020. Findings reveal a J-shaped exposure-response curve, with heat-related deaths dominating in tropical northern regions, whilst cold-related mortality predominates in the subtropical south, underscoring the need for region-specific climate adaptation policies.