Library | ESG issues
Law, Regulation & Compliance
The evolving legal and regulatory landscape financial organisations regarding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations comprises both voluntary frameworks and mandatory regulations. Voluntary initiatives, such as the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), provide guidelines for companies to disclose climate-related financial risks and opportunities. In contrast, mandatory regulations like the European Union’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) require financial market participants to disclose how they integrate ESG factors into their investment decisions.
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International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is a United Nations specialised agency that coordinates global information and communication technologies. It develops international telecom standards, manages radio spectrum and satellite orbits, and supports digital connectivity. ITU works with governments and industry to expand inclusive, reliable networks and reduce the global digital divide.
Horizon scanning: Financial crime risks and regulation in the UK
This report outlines emerging UK financial crime risks for 2026, highlighting AI-enabled fraud, cyber-enabled crime, sanctions evasion, and organised networks. It examines evolving regulatory expectations, stricter enforcement, and expanded oversight, emphasising the need for proactive risk management, robust controls, and enhanced compliance frameworks.
ESG regulations tracking tool
Fitch’s ESG Regulations Tracking Tool monitors global ESG-related regulatory developments affecting corporates. It provides structured, regularly updated insights on policy changes, jurisdictional trends and compliance requirements, supporting finance professionals in assessing regulatory risk, aligning strategies and understanding evolving ESG obligations across multiple markets and sectors.
Mind the gap: An insurance climate vulnerability assessment
APRA assesses Australia’s home insurance protection gap under climate scenarios, finding affordability pressures may increase uninsured households from one in seven to one in four by 2050. Rising weather risks and economic factors drive premiums, widening financial system risks, particularly in regional areas, with implications for households, insurers and banks.
Governing for net zero: The board's role in organisational transition planning
This report guides Australian boards on integrating net zero transition planning into strategy, governance, disclosure and stakeholder engagement. It outlines directors’ legal duties, mandatory climate reporting requirements, and practical oversight questions to help organisations manage climate-related risks, opportunities and implementation.
Heightened human rights due diligence
UNDP’s training guide explains heightened human rights due diligence for companies in conflict-affected contexts, outlining frameworks, legal expectations and practical steps to assess, mitigate and remedy impacts on human rights and conflict, supported by case studies and tools to guide implementation.
Sustainable Finance Roundup March 2026: Markets, Climate Risk, and the Transition in Practice
This month’s sustainability roundup captures a shift from framework development to real-world application, where climate and nature risks are increasingly embedded across financial systems, legal accountability, and decision-making. It highlights how intensifying physical climate signals, evolving disclosures, and maturing litigation are converging with insights on sovereign risk, energy systems, and corporate strategy. Together, these developments show how sustainability is moving beyond principle—being tested, priced, and enforced across markets, regulation, and the real economy.
Managing risks created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Enhanced due diligence and advanced know your-customer policies
The report advises firms to strengthen due diligence and advanced know-your-customer checks to prevent sanctions evasion and re-exports supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine. It highlights front-company red flags, recommends stronger internal controls and information-sharing, and uses case studies to show how diversion risks can be detected.
European Central Bank (ECB)
European Central Bank (ECB) is the central bank of the eurozone, responsible for monetary policy, price stability and financial supervision. Based in Frankfurt, it sets interest rates, manages the euro and oversees banking systems. ECB provides data, research and policy insights relevant to economists, investors and finance professionals.
Regulating finance for biodiversity: An assessment for the global biodiversity framework
This report assesses how financial regulation in Indonesia, Brazil, China, the EU and the US aligns with Global Biodiversity Framework targets, finding biodiversity integration generally weak and recommending stronger disclosure, due diligence, taxonomies, sanctions and sector-specific rules to redirect finance away from forest-risk activities.
ASRS first year has landed: Here's what we’re seeing in the market
This article examines how Australian organisations are approaching the first year of mandatory ASRS climate disclosures. It highlights common implementation patterns, areas of misallocated effort, and emerging practices that prioritise financially material, decision-useful climate reporting.
Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)
Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is Singapore’s central bank and integrated financial regulator. MAS oversees banking, insurance, securities and payment systems, conducts monetary policy, issues currency and manages foreign reserves. It promotes financial stability, supports fintech innovation and develops Singapore as a global financial centre through regulation, supervision and policy guidance.
Disentangling materiality and climate reporting
This article explains how the concept of materiality applies in AASB S2 climate disclosures and why it is often misunderstood. It distinguishes between material information, climate risks, emissions reporting, and ESG double materiality assessments, offering practical guidance for preparing compliant climate reports.
Sustainable Finance Roundup February 2026: Disclosure, Carbon Trade, and Transition Economics
This month’s sustainability roundup traces a rapidly evolving landscape in climate governance and industrial transition, highlighting the convergence of ISSB-aligned disclosure standards and emerging carbon trade measures alongside shifting cost curves in transport and critical minerals. It underscores how tighter emissions accounting and border policies are embedding carbon competitiveness into capital allocation, while advances in electrification, AI-driven power demand and expanding legal accountability are integrating climate and nature risk into mainstream financial decision-making.
Integrating human rights due diligence (HRDD) in finance and investment
Guide outlining how investors integrate human rights due diligence (HRDD) into ESG processes, particularly listed equities. It explains regulatory drivers, investor risks and opportunities, practical integration steps, barriers and case studies, emphasising saliency, stewardship, remediation and governance to manage human rights risks and align with evolving global standards.
OECD Climate Action Dashboard
The OECD Climate Action Dashboard is an interactive tool showing key indicators of national climate action and progress towards objectives such as net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. It provides comparable, country-level data to track climate mitigation, emissions trends and policy responses.