Library | ESG issues
Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder engagement in sustainable finance ensures financial decision-making is informed by stakeholder perspectives, improving ESG risk management and responsible investment. Financial institutions, investors, and asset managers engage with communities, regulators, and civil society to assess material risks, enhance stewardship, and align capital flows with sustainability goals. Proactive engagement mitigates financial risks related to ESG issues, strengthens accountability, and supports regulatory compliance. It also creates investment opportunities in sustainable finance, including impact investing, climate transition funding, and nature-positive strategies.
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Can sustainable investing save the world? Reviewing the mechanism of investor impact
The paper delves into how sustainable investing (SI) contributes to social and environmental goals. It highlights shareholder engagement as a well-supported mechanism, partial support for capital allocation impact, and limited empirical backing for indirect mechanisms. Policymakers are suggested to facilitate the spread of sustainable companies to amplify impact.
Women's empowerment principles: Global trends report 2018
This report provides an analysis of data submitted by businesses using the Women's Empowerment Principles Tool, which measures companies' commitments to gender equality. Results indicate that while companies are making efforts to advance gender equality in their leadership and workplace, improvement is still needed in marketplace and community categories.
Wealthy private investors and socially responsible investing: The influence of reference groups
The study investigates how wealthy private investors engage with socially responsible investing (SRI) and how reference groups influence their investment behaviour. Qualitative data from 55 interviews with high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and industry experts show that while family members emphasize profit, fellow SRI-oriented HNWIs prioritise similarity and reputation.
The hidden risk in state pensions: Analysing state pensions’ responses to the climate crisis in proxy voting
This report analyses the proxy voting strategies of 19 state pensions, as well as the five New York City Comptroller systems, managing over US$2 trillion in assets. Results reveal that most pensions failed to address climate-related financial risk, especially in areas such as lobbying, environmental justice, and Indigenous rights.
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.
Elevating stakeholder voices to the board: A guide to effective governance
This guide offers Australian directors valuable insights on elevating stakeholder perspectives to the board, emphasising a broader view of corporate interests. It explores stakeholder governance, effective practices, and the advantages of integrating voices from employees, customers, suppliers, and the community into board-level decision-making.
The role of women on boards in corporate environmental strategy and financial performance: A global outlook
This paper examines the relationship between board gender diversity and environmental strategy and financial performance of firms. Empirical findings indicate that women on boards promote proactive environmental strategies leading to a sustained competitive advantage in both short-term and long-term financial performance.
Sustainable corporate governance and non-financial disclosure in Europe: Does the gender diversity matter?
This study explores the link between boardroom gender diversity and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosure in European listed firms. The results show that having women directors improves ESG practices, potentially enhancing sustainable value creation for firms. The study recommends policy actions promoting gender equality in decision-making roles to further enhance corporate transparency and accountability.
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.
Climate governance study 2024: Moving from vision to action
This study reveals that Australian directors increasingly prioritise climate change as a material governance issue. However, stakeholders are pulling in a variety of directions, making it challenging for organisations to execute their climate strategies. Policy uncertainty poses the most significant obstacle for climate governance, although the implementation of mandatory climate reporting from July 2025 presents an opportunity for greater accountability.
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.
RIAA's benchmarking impact investing series
This is a series of benchmark reports providing comprehensive insights into the impact investing market in Australia. It covers investor motivations, market size, and performance metrics, aiding stakeholders in understanding and enhancing their impact investment strategies.
'Signals of seriousness' for human rights due diligence
This discussion draft proposes a list of "signals of seriousness" that could inform administrative assessments of companies' HRDD efforts under potential EU legislation. The document provides comprehensive guidance on human rights and environmental due diligence and highlights key features of HRDD practices, offering critical insights to regulators seeking to enforce the proposed legislation.
Concrete problems in AI safety
This paper explores practical research issues associated with accidents in machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) systems, due to incorrect objectives, scalability, or choice of behaviour. The authors present five research problems in the field, suggesting ways to mitigate risks in modern machine learning systems.
Toward a G20 framework for artificial intelligence in the workplace
This report advocates for creating a high-level, G20 framework using a set of principles for the introduction and management of big data and AI in the workplace. The paper identifies main issues and suggests two paths towards adoption.
Safety by design: Model clauses for due diligence arrangements and funding agreements
This document provides model clauses for due diligence arrangements and funding agreements related to eSafety for startups. It includes pre-conditions for funding agreements, covering policies, staffing, training, and external communication. Additionally, the document urges startups to complete the eSafety assessment tool and implement safety by design measures.
