Library | ESG issues

Social

The social pillar in ESG (environmental, social, and governance) assesses a organisation’s impact on people and society. It covers labour practices, diversity and inclusion, human rights and community engagement. Prioritising social responsibility not only benefits society but also mitigates risks, strengthens reputation, and creates long-term value for businesses and investors.

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The debt-fossil fuel trap: Why debt is a barrier to fossil fuel phase-out and what we can do about it

Debt Justice
This paper explores the links between indebtedness and fossil fuel exploitation in developing countries. The briefing concludes with recommendations for achieving debt justice, preserving the environment, and tackling climate change.
Research
2 August 2023

Are pharma companies addressing sexual and reproductive health access barriers for women and girls?

Access to Medicine Foundation
This report examines the role of pharmaceutical companies in addressing access barriers hindering women and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) globally. It assesses their research on new SRHR medicines and products, pricing strategies, company capacity building efforts, and inclusive business models.
Research
12 February 2022

Chapter Zero New Zealand Board Toolkit

Chapter Zero New Zealand
This toolkit is published to provide tools, support, and encouragement to prioritise climate change on boards and within organisations. The resource outlines 5 steps to ensure boards are well-equipped to address climate change, with relevant industry sector case studies.
Research
28 March 2023

Making change: What works?

Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR)
This paper investigates to understand what makes social movements successful in creating change. The report concludes that having more and better evidence is crucial to encourage change, but evidence alone will not secure change. Instead, social movements must change the hearts and minds of the public and increase the power of those who stand to benefit from change.
Research
16 November 2021

Who cares wins: Connecting financial markets to a changing world

United Nations Global Compact
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.
Research
27 December 2004

Diversity washing

European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)
This paper investigates the phenomenon of "diversity washing," whereby companies appear to prioritise diversity and inclusion (DEI) in their public discourse to a greater degree than their internal practices suggest. The authors use an empirical approach to evaluate the prevalence and effectiveness of this phenomenon.
Research
30 December 2023

Geopolitics of the energy transition: Critical materials

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
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.
Research
5 September 2023

A guide to SDG interactions: From science to implementation

This report examines the nature of interlinkages between Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underpinned by a framework for understanding sustainable development goal interactions. Policymakers, practitioners and scientists working on implementing SDGs are the intended audience for this report.
Research
12 May 2017

Beyond investment: The power of capacity-building support

Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)
This report explores the use of technical assistance to enhance the impact of investments in challenging sectors. With contributions from industry professionals, the report highlights motivations, uses and challenges of capacity-building support, and provides analysis to encourage discussion and shape future practice.
Research
27 September 2017

What is tax fairness and what does it mean for investors?

Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
This report is a discussion paper on tax fairness and its impact on institutional investors. Six principles guide the initiatives to bring transparency and systematic approach in dealing with tax issues in the investment industry. It also outlines past legal and regulatory efforts and recommendations for future stakeholder engagement to improve tax arrangements.
Research
24 March 2022

Women in business leadership boost ESG performance: Existing body of evidence makes compelling case

International Finance Corporation
Increase in women's representation in business leadership positions intensifies environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. 70 peer-reviewed papers published from 2008 to 2017 proportionally associate higher diversity with better firm performance. The compendium of available material evolves into a pressing case for more women in boards and other leadership roles.
Research
26 February 2020

The great wake-up: Why and how investors must act on women's health - now

Preventable Surprises
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.
Research
13 June 2023

New pathways to achieve social and environmental goals: How leading corporations use impact investing to align capital and purpose

Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)
This report examines how leading corporations use impact investing to pursue environmental and social goals. It contains case studies of companies such as PayPal and Schneider Electric, showcasing their impact investing practices and strategies.
Research
10 November 2023

Making Xinjiang sanctions work: Addressing forced labour through coercive trade and finance measures

University of Nottingham
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.
Research
28 July 2022

Taking stock of investor implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
This report assesses the first decade of implementation of the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights and the role of institutional investors in promoting investor responsibility to respect human rights. Enabling environments for rights-respecting investment have emerged, however, access to remedy for victims requires urgent attention, and other investment ecosystem actors must step up.
Research
18 June 2021

Sustainability at a turning point: Consumers are pushing companies to pivot

IBM Institute for Business Value
This research of 14,000 people from 9 countries discovered that 93% say that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed their perception of environmental sustainability. Individuals are, as a result, looking to invest in companies that prioritise environmental responsibility and expect them to communicate sustainability benchmarks and future plans clearly. In addition, more than half of consumers would work for a company that values sustainability, which is increasingly becoming a top hiring consideration.
Research
22 May 2021
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