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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Investor influence in private markets: How investors activities can result in changes in outcomes for people and or the natural environment
This report examines how private market investors influence social and environmental outcomes through investment decisions and firm-level actions. It proposes a framework to assess pathways, outcomes and causality, supporting impact management beyond portfolio company effects.
Forecasting the fallout from AMR: Economic impacts of antimicrobial resistance in humans
This report analyses AMR's economic impacts, projecting US$159 billion annual health costs by 2050 in business-as-usual scenario. Interventions like better treatment and new antibiotics could save US$97 billion in costs, add US$960 billion to GDP, at US$63 billion yearly cost with 281 ROI.
Assessment of the health impacts and costs associated with indoor nitrogen dioxide exposure related to gas cooking in the European Union and the United Kingdom
The report estimates premature mortality, years of life lost and asthma cases in the EU and UK attributable to indoor nitrogen dioxide from gas cooking. Using modelling of indoor exposures and concentration–response functions, it quantifies associated economic costs and highlights potential health gains from transitioning to cleaner cooking energy
Moving forward imagining a sustainable transport system
The report outlines a universal basic services approach to UK transport, highlighting inequitable access, high emissions, and car dependence. It assesses current government reforms and recommends long-term, publicly oriented investment to expand affordable, integrated, low-carbon mobility, prioritising public transport and active travel within environmental limits.
Blueprint to close the women’s health gap: How to improve lives and economies for all
The report outlines a global framework to reduce the women’s health gap by improving data, research, care delivery, inclusion and investment. Focusing on nine high-impact conditions, it quantifies health and economic gains achievable by 2040 and proposes measurable actions to enhance outcomes for women and strengthen economies.
The Equality Trust
The Equality Trust is a UK charity focused on reducing economic and social inequality. It produces research, policy analysis and advocacy on income, wealth and power distribution, informing public debate and decision-making. Work supports evidence-based policy, social justice and improved wellbeing across the UK.
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation providing protection and assistance to people affected by armed conflict. It promotes international humanitarian law, conducts emergency relief operations, and supports detainees, civilians, and missing persons worldwide through neutral, impartial action, with global reach and sustained operational presence.
McKinsey Health Institute (MHI)
McKinsey Health Institute (MHI) is a global health research institute embedded within McKinsey & Company. It produces public research, data tools and insights on population health, mental health, health systems and workforce productivity, supporting evidence-based decision-making across healthcare, policy and business.
Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) is an independent global health research institute based at University of Washington. IHME produces data, metrics and analysis on disease burden, mortality, risk factors and health systems, supporting evidence-based policy, planning and health impact assessment worldwide.
Sustainable Finance Roundup December 2025: Nature, Regulation, and the Hardening of Risk
This month’s sustainable finance roundup traces the shift from ambition to enforcement, as climate and nature risks become financial, regulatory and legal realities. It covers Australia’s environmental law reforms, the embedding of climate and nature risk through prudential supervision, disclosure and shareholder pressure, and insurer warnings on the limits of insurability. It also highlights how markets are responding to deforestation and biodiversity risk, and how litigation and regulation are reshaping governance and long-term financial resilience.
Our predicament: The fundamental flaws of predominant economic systems - and the cultures scaffolding them
This report synthesises interviews with global thinkers to diagnose structural flaws in dominant economic systems. It argues that extractive capitalism, growth imperatives, inequality and ecological overshoot underpin a planetary predicament, and frames the challenge as navigation towards regenerative, responsibility-based economies rather than problem-solving.
Theorising unconventional climate advocates and their relationship to the environmental movement
This study theorises “unconventional climate advocates” and analyses their position within Australia’s environmental movement using social network analysis. It finds these advocates are peripheral yet potentially effective in engaging climate-hesitant constituencies by operating independently from conventional environmentalists.
Tackling the transformation: The challenges of operationalizing corporate sustainability goals and how to overcome them
ERM’s Transformation Survey analyses global corporate progress in operationalising sustainability goals. It finds stronger performance on social issues than climate or nature, identifies weak sustainability-linked incentives as the main barrier, and highlights underinvestment in training, incentives, and ESG data systems.
Corporate sustainability reporting
This conceptual paper examines corporate sustainability reporting, distinguishing investor-focused sustainability-related financial disclosure from broader impact reporting. It argues investor interests are imperfectly aligned with societal goals and concludes that complementary financial and impact reporting standards are needed to support accountability, capital allocation and sustainability transition.
Globally representative evidence on the actual and perceived support for climate action
Using a survey of 130,000 people across 125 countries, the study finds strong global support for climate action, but widespread underestimation of others’ willingness to act. This perception gap may hinder cooperation; correcting it could materially strengthen climate action.
Navigating the corporate ego: Understanding the association between ESG performance and organizational narcissistic rhetoric
This study analyses 1,659 FTSE 350 observations to explore the link between ESG performance and organisational narcissistic rhetoric. Findings indicate that high ESG performance correlates with increased self-promoting language, though greater board gender diversity mitigates this effect. Additionally, strong financial results are positively associated with narcissistic corporate narratives.