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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Net zero integrity: Assessment of the net zero pledges of Australian companies
This report assesses the net zero pledges of ten Australian companies, highlighting a gap between current voluntary commitments and the requirements of global standards. None of the firms have a comprehensive, quantified, and independently verified plan for reducing emissions in line with a science-based pathway.
Putting pandemics behind us: Investing in one health to reduce risks of emerging infectious diseases
This report discusses One Health, an approach that recognises the interdependent nature of human, animal, and environmental health. It presents an investment framework designed to mobilise finance for pandemic prevention and reduce the risks of emerging infectious diseases.
Navigating energy transitions: Mapping the road to 1.5°C
This report maps the road to 1.5°C in energy transitions, discussing pathways and policies to achieve this goal. It highlights the role of investors in driving the energy transition, and the need for mandatory disclosure requirements and robust reporting frameworks to achieve material impact.
Are corporate biodiversity commitments consistent with delivering ‘nature-positive’ outcomes? A review of ‘nature-positive’ definitions, company progress and challenges
This article examine the emerging trend of "nature-positive" in business and large corporations. The authors propose key criteria to distinguish 'nature-positive' approaches from previous iterations, analyse company sustainability reports, and examine progress from 2016 to 2021.
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.
Diversity in action: How to sustain the financial planning profession
This paper contains case studies from select firms, outlining their actions towards diversifying their workforce and delivering scalable insights for replicating their successes. A key resource for increasing diversity and inclusion in the financial planning profession.
A practitioner guide for asset managers and asset owners to assess clients’ and beneficiaries’ sustainability preferences
This report is a practical guide for asset managers and owners to assess clients' sustainability preferences. It introduces research questions based on contextual settings and presents general guidelines for conducting surveys and experiments. The report also includes key findings and insights for financial institutions and regulators to adapt to energy transitions.
A conceptualisation of sub-living wages: Liabilities, leverage, and risk
This report proposes an alternative approach for organisations to account for wages paid below the local living wage level through a firm's balance sheet, creating leverage effect as the organisation borrows from society, reflecting higher stakeholder risk. This can help investors, policymakers, customers, corporate managers and other stakeholders to assess an organisation's exposure to human capital erosion.
CIMS vs. NZBA climate target setting: Cross-fertilizing best practices
This report compares the NZBA and CIMS methodologies for climate target setting and identifies best practices for optimizing the mitigation of GHG emissions. By examining their differences and commonalities, the authors provide recommendations and suggest that combining the two frameworks could create a robust joint disclosure framework.
Impact investing in biodiversity conservation with bonds: An analysis of financial and environmental risk
This report examines the financial and environmental risks associated with impact investing in biodiversity conservation through bonds. It evaluates five case studies, analysing the projects' theories of change, potential risks, and mitigation strategies. The findings highlight complexities in achieving both financial returns and conservation impact, with concerns about vague metrics and project uncertainties.
Market review of environmental impact claims of retail investment funds in Europe
This report explores the environmental impact claims made by European retail investment funds and assesses their accuracy and possible ramifications. Findings reveal a high prevalence of misleading claims and a need for better guidance and regulation to address the issue. Short and long-term recommendations are proposed.
A sustainable finance policy engagement handbook
This handbook introduces six principles outlining institutional investors' commitment to incorporate ESG issues in investment analysis, ownership policies and practices, and promotion of acceptance and implementation of the Principles. The report explains how responsible investors can engage with policymakers to promote a sustainable financial system.
Industry influence on biodiversity policy: A pilot study demonstrating industry associations’ engagement on biodiversity-related policy and regulations
This report reveals that industry associations representing key sectors and some of the largest companies in the world are lobbying to delay, dilute, and block critically needed biodiversity policy in both the EU and US. The vast majority of engagement on specific policies and regulations is oppositional, seeking to roll back, weaken, or block policy.
Summary for policymakers of the methodological assessment regarding the diverse conceptualisation of multiple values of nature and its benefits, including biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services
This paper is on the diverse conceptualisations of multiple values of nature, its benefits, and the valuation of nature asserts that policymaking frequently ignores nature's assorted values, focusing on only a small subset, and details how diversity in valuation is salient but challenging.
Integrating nutrition and obesity prevention considerations into institutional investment decisions regarding food companies: Australian investment sector perspectives
This study investigates views of stakeholders in the Australian investment sector on the incorporation of nutrition and obesity prevention considerations within institutional investment decision-making regarding food companies and identifies several key challenges and opportunities to the integration of nutrition and obesity prevention considerations.
Intangible cultural heritage, diverse knowledge systems, and climate change
This paper explores the relationship between climate change, different knowledge systems, culture, and heritage. It discusses the importance of a historical perspective, defines and describes different knowledge systems, and addresses the limitations of the predominant scientific approach. It also presents a framework for collaboration among plural knowledge systems.