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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Greenlight or gaslight? The transition minerals dilemma for Australia
This report highlights the risks associated with the global dependency on transition minerals for a carbon-free future. It explores potential oversupply and undersupply risks, supply chain ethics, and the environmental impacts of mining such minerals in Australia.
Rules of the game: An introduction to the standards-related work of the International Labour Organization
This report introduces the standards-related work of the International Labour Organization, aimed at improving labour conditions and protecting workers' rights worldwide. It describes the processes for adopting labour standards and includes an outline of the topics covered by these standards, along with a discussion of their benefits.
Toward ESG alpha: Analyzing ESG exposures through a factor lens
This paper investigates the relationship between environmental, social and governance (ESG) exposures and factor returns for 1,312 US equity mutual funds. The study suggests that factor tilts, rather than pure ESG considerations, drive factor returns. ESG components unrelated to factors carry insignificant excess return premiums that are economically small.
Sustainable investing in pensions: Top tips for sponsors of pension schemes
This report provides insight into embedding social and environmental risk into pension schemes to meet the growing economical demand. This guidance provides actionable top-tips for any sponsor to take the necessary steps to align their organisation's values with their pension scheme.
Managing nature risks and investing in the opportunities: Top tips for pension fund chairs and trustees
This report provides top tips to pension fund chairs and trustees on managing nature risks and investing in opportunities. With insights from industry professionals, it highlights the importance of nature for long-term market returns and discusses emerging regulation to guide action, while offering practical advice on how to identify risks and integrate nature into stewardship plans.
Enabling FPIC through voluntary standards: An ISEAL innovations fund project
This report explores ways to enable Free, Prior, and Informed Consent through voluntary standards. It reviews existing literature and provides a framework for companies and assurance providers to verify and monitor successful implementation of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent from the perspective of affected communities.
Climate emergency – tipping the odds in our favour: A climate-change policy briefing for COP27
This paper is a policy briefing for COP27 which presents potential solutions for stabilizing the climate, assessing the level of risk inherent in the current approach to climate change, and explores how society can accelerate climate action. It uses a risk-management approach to assess how climate change is being managed.
Who cares wins: Connecting financial markets to a changing world
The report outlines recommendations by leading financial institutions for integrating environmental, social, and governance factors in financial analysis and investment decisions. Produced under the auspices of the United Nations Global Compact, this report reflects the commitment to corporate responsibility and sustainable development by twenty endorsing institutions.
Geopolitics of the energy transition: Critical materials
This paper explores strategic approaches for ensuring a sustainable energy transition by investigating the geopolitical aspects of critical materials including their supply chain, responsible efficiency, emergence of new technologies, their impact on labour rights, as well as suggesting ways to mitigate their risks and boost cooperation between countries.
Impacts of climate litigation on firm value
This report examines the financial effects of climate litigation on firms. The study used a new dataset and found that climate litigation has a modest negative impact on firms' stock prices. The bulk of the corporate climate litigation were filed against the largest companies.
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.
The private wealth industry and tax: Politically biased, ethically compromising and failing clients
This report identifies that the private wealth sector is politically biased, ethically compromising, and failing clients with tax positive views. The report calls for significant changes to industry practice to better serve clients and ensure a more equitable society.
Guide to banking and sustainability - edition 2
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
Holistic portfolio construction with an impact lens: A vital approach for institutional asset owners in a changing world
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.
Making Xinjiang sanctions work: Addressing forced labour through coercive trade and finance measures
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.
Climate change: Legal implications for Canadian pension plan fiduciaries and policy-makers
This report outlines the legal obligations of Canadian pension plan fiduciaries to consider the financial risks and opportunities presented by climate change in their investments. It provides practical guidance, based on recent case law and expert recommendations, for fiduciaries to fulfill their responsibilities to plan beneficiaries.
