Library | ESG issues
Public Policy
Public policy refers to the actions and decisions taken by governments to address societal issues through laws, regulations, and funding priorities. It shapes the business environment by influencing regulatory requirements, market conditions, and corporate responsibilities. Policies related to taxation, labour laws, environmental regulations, and trade agreements can impact business operations, costs, and investment strategies.
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The great wake-up: Why and how investors must act on women's health - now
This paper highlights the critical need for investor action in support of women's health in the workplace and beyond. The report examines the current lack of attention to this topic in the financial sector and provides guidance for institutions to learn, set priorities, act and activate systems toward improving outcomes on women's health.
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.
A critical minerals value-adding superpower
This report explores the potential for the nation to become a leader in mining and refining critical minerals. It highlights the economic, employment, and environmental benefits that could be unlocked by prioritising onshore processing, particularly against a backdrop of global decarbonisation.
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.
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.
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.
Super-powering the energy transition in Australia: A policy blueprint to facilitate superannuation investment
This policy blueprint advocates for a shift to renewable energy, proposing over A$40 billion annual investment. It highlights superannuation funds as potential long-term capital sources for the transition, addressing barriers and recommending clear policies to achieve ambitious sustainability goals across critical sectors for a more sustainable future.
Capital markets and modern slavery
This report synthesises evidence on the role of investors in addressing modern slavery in global supply chains. Key findings reveal that data limitations pose a significant challenge for investor action. Additionally, drivers for investor action include moral standing, financial incentives, regulatory compliance, and investor-led engagement.
The global risks report 2020
This report explores the most pressing economic, environmental, technological, and public health challenges facing stakeholders amid an unstable global landscape. It proposes stakeholders should act quickly to address these challenges, in partnership with others, to mitigate risks and shape a more sustainable future.
Australia's future gas strategy: Corporate advocacy and industry narratives
This report analyses the responses to Australia's Future Gas Strategy by corporate entities and industry associations from the country's fossil fuel value chain. It sheds light on the advocacy for expanding fossil gas supply, which contradicts the science-based policies to meet global climate goals, while showing a lack of positive engagement from non-fossil fuel corporations.
Child-lens investing framework: Private equity and debt investor toolkit
The toolkit provides guidelines on investing with a child-lens impact strategy, including a child-lens taxonomy, reflection, contribution, and assessment. Six investors tested and refined the framework with case studies.
Towards financing large-scale holistic landscape restoration in Europe: Recommendations for EU policy actors to attain inspirational, social, natural and financial returns
The report provides financing recommendations for large-scale holistic landscape restoration in Europe, addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and food and water insecurity. It emphasises the effectiveness of landscape finance in promoting healthy ecosystems, offering practical frameworks for policymakers to accelerate impactful activities and align natural and community needs for comprehensive restoration.
UN Environment Programme's adaptation gap report series
The Adaptation Gap Report series provides yearly updates on global progress in climate change adaptation. It assesses the status of adaptation planning, implementation, and finance, highlighting the increasing gap between the need for adaptation and the actions taken.
Adaptation, loss and damage: A global climate impact fund for climate justice
This report delves into climate justice amid anthropogenic climate change, advocating for a pilot Global Climate Impact Fund (GCIF). The fund aims to distribute the financial responsibility for the climate change transition based on attribution and contribution studies, employing standardised criteria. The report emphasises prioritising long-term resilience and sustainable development pathways.
A well-being framework for cross-cultural assessment of development scenarios: A case study from North-Western Australia
This research paper evaluates the effectiveness of a well-being framework developed to assess alternative future development scenarios for the Martuwarra (Fitzroy River) in Western Australia. The framework was culturally sensitive and assisted a multicultural group in assessing scenarios. The study concludes that a well-being framework can support structured and transparent communication between culturally diverse groups.
