This report summarises discussions from a roundtable on Islamic finance’s potential to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It explores the alignment of Islamic finance principles with the SDGs, highlighting the need for regulatory clarity, technical capacity building, and incentives to strengthen Islamic finance markets.

The Net Zero Investment Framework (NZIF) 2.0, updated in June 2024, provides guidelines for investors to align their portfolios with the Paris Agreement goals. It includes detailed methodologies for various asset classes, governance, strategic asset allocation, and policy advocacy, focusing on achieving real economy emissions reductions through independent fiduciary decisions.

The report clarifies the responsibilities of investors regarding human rights under the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It highlights how investors can align their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) approaches with these responsibilities, emphasising the integration of human rights considerations in ESG criteria to support sustainable and ethical investment practices.

This study explores how corporate climate change mitigation actions influence the cost of capital for Japanese firms from 2017-2021. It finds that higher carbon intensity increases the cost of equity, debt, and overall capital. Climate-related disclosures lower the cost of equity and overall capital, despite raising debt costs.

GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark) is an organisation providing ESG data and insights for the financial sector. It helps investors and managers evaluate ESG performance, enhance sustainability practices, and improve transparency in real estate and infrastructure investments.

This guide by PRI summarises human rights relevance for asset owners, offering strategies for policy, governance, stewardship, and disclosure. It includes case studies, international standards, and practical resources to promote human rights in the financial system.

The report discusses the use of unstructured data and AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), in investment processes. It discusses the benefits of fine-tuning these models to improve investment strategies and includes a case study on using AI in ESG investing.

The report outlines key performance indicators (KPIs) for responsible corporate tax conduct, highlighting green and red flags. Key aspects include transparent financial statements, robust tax commitments, public Country-by-Country disclosures, disclosure of uncertain tax positions, and consistent corporate cash taxes paid over five years. It aims to guide investors in assessing tax conduct.

This report investigates the implications of 'Scope 4' emissions accounting claims, which refers to greenhouse gas emission reductions or removals due to a decision or action. This study suggests that extant Scope 4 assessments do not fit the established framework for scope-based emissions accounting, and calls for cautious claims of this nature and the need for more research.

The report examines Australia's need for significant investment in renewable energy infrastructure. It argues that despite high costs, the green transition's inflationary effects will be minimal and manageable, contributing to long-term macroeconomic stability and a more sustainable future.

This report analyses the phenomenon of greenwashing in companies due to investors' pro-environmental preferences and their penalties for exposing past environmental controversies. The study presents the optimal communication, abatement policies, and greenwashing strategies of corporations, highlighting how investment decisions can clamp down on this practice. Policymakers can make use of these tools to reduce greenwashing and promote environment-friendly policies.

This guide offers banks and financial institutions a framework to address child labour within their clients' operations and value chains. It emphasises enhancing due diligence, improving client engagement, and participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives to mitigate child labour risks.

This investor guidance examines the role of contracts in human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD). It provides investors with tools to engage with companies on responsible contracting practices, aligning with international standards and evolving legislation.

This report from The Investment Integration Project (TIIP) summarises findings from five case studies of leading system-level investors. It begins by explaining the concept of system-level investing, describes how investors adopt this approach, and introduces five early adopters. It also discusses implications for future investment practices and processes.

The database of Asian mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in high-emission sectors reveals a steady, not increasing, trend from 2020 to April 2024. This shift of high-emission assets from public to private ownership, totalling USD 5-9 billion annually, raises concerns about reduced transparency and accountability in emissions reporting. While not accelerating, this trend has negative implications for investor stewardship and emissions disclosure.

This practical guidance report provides a principles-based approach that equips corporates with an understanding of the value of nature, identifies key frameworks, and encourages a call to action. It suggests implementing “no regrets” actions for risk mitigation while progressing work on key frameworks. It further recognises that taking actions now will create business value.