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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Financial services and modern slavery: Practical responses for managing risk to people
This report provides a guide on how to identify and treat human rights violations in the financial services sector. It is broken down into four parts to help the sector address modern slavery risks and develop more transparent reporting practices.
Vanguard Group: Passive about climate change
As the world’s second largest asset manager, Vanguard Group Inc. has the potential to become a climate action leader. Despite Vanguard’s commitment to the Net-Zero Asset Manager initiative, the report argues that Vanguard’s significant share in fossil fuel exposed companies demonstrates a passive attitude towards climate change.
Blueprint for responsible policy engagement on climate change
This paper makes the investment case for businesses and investors alike to implement policies that align with the latest science on climate change. It provides a framework that stakeholders can use to mitigate climate risks and manage the transition to a net-zero carbon economy by 2050.
Final report: Independent assessment of social and economic conditions in the Murray–Darling Basin
Commonly known as the 'Sefton report', it provides recommendations to the Australian government on the social and economic conditions of the Murray Darling Basin. The report provides an independent assessment in regional and rural communities while highlighting the positive and negative effects of water reform.
Healthy competition: Why the safest bet for investors is healthier retail markets and how to get there
This second briefing report explores ShareAction’s Healthy Markets campaign, featuring the UK food retailers most exposed to the childhood obesity agenda. The brief is designed to inform and support investor stewardship and company engagement through an analysis of their disclosure policies and practices for healthy eating.
Governing the commons: The evolution of institutions for collective action
Elinor Ostrom examines the management of common-pool resources such as rivers, bridges and grazing areas. Ostrom discusses the ‘tragedy of the commons’ and environmental, economic and social threats to common-pool resources. Ostrom applies political and economic theory and policy literature to discuss potential solutions and challenge conventional approaches.
Indigenous investment principles
This investment framework is for Indigenous organisations with accumulated capital. It outlines principles that empower local organisations to take control of their financial assets. It guides thinking about the purpose, governance and investment of financial resources to better protect interests for current and future generations, particularly for culture and heritage.
From the stockholder to the stakeholder: How sustainability can drive financial outperformance
This 2015 report is a meta-study of over 200 sources of research on ESG (academic studies, industry reports, newspaper articles and books). It finds a positive correlation between diligent ESG and economic performance – i.e., companies with robust sustainability practices demonstrate better operational and financial market performance.
How can investors help prevent corporate policy capture?
This project aims to make corporate political capture a central component of investors’ approach to ESG stewardship and integration. It leverages information on the state of play for key sectors and shares lessons learned from past investor engagements, including a 12-step process for ESG investors to address negative corporate lobbying.
Winning without win-win? Recommendations on financial market strategies for biodiversity and nature
Expert recommendations for investors regarding financial market strategies to address urgent risks in biodiversity and nature, including examples of meaningful market actions and critique of 'win-win' thinking in investment decision-making. Recommendations drawn from a private cross-sectoral dialogue hosted by Preventable Surprises in February 2021.
Waste and opportunity 2020: Searching for Corporate Leadership - 50 corporations ranked on plastic packaging pollution
The 2020 published report by As You Sow investigates 50 corporations and ranks them based on their performance in leadership and ambition relating to sustainable packaging of their products, while also taking into account their contributions and support to increase recycling rates and engage in producer responsibility efforts.
As You Sow
As You Sow is a leader in creating positive change in corporate decision making by utilising the power of shareholder advocacy to produce environmentally and socially beneficial impacts. Their goals and initiatives are in adherence to sustainable financing principles while implementing inclusive and holistic lenses when engaging with relevant stakeholders.
Implementing the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations: A guide for asset owners
The guide sets out a practical framework to support asset owners in implementing the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations. The guide focuses on the actions that asset owners can take to improve processes around governance, strategy, risk management and metrics/targets for managing climate risks and opportunities.
Towards sustainable packaging materials: Examining the relative impact of materials in the natural source water and soft drinks value chain
This report examines the impact of packaging materials for natural source water and soft drinks. The materials examined include plastic bottles, aluminium cans, glass bottles and multi-material cartons. To reduce impact, findings highlight that businesses should increase circularity and levels of recycled material for all material types.
Global investor study: The rise of the sustainable investor
The report highlights key findings from Schroder’s Global Investor Study. It provides an insight into global investor attitudes towards sustainable investing and the obstacles preventing widespread adoption of sustainable investing. The report emphasises the notion that sustainable investing is gaining momentum around the world.
From poor working conditions to forced labour: what's hidden in your portfolio? A guide for investor engagement on labour practices in agricultural supply chains
This guide provides a comprehensive tool for engaging food and beverage companies on labour standards. It incorporates learnings from collaborative investor-company engagement focused on supply chain reporting and third-party resources. Outlining seven expectations for investors to focus on supported by relevant resources and case studies.