Library | ESG issues
Systems Thinking
Systems thinking is a holistic approach to problem-solving that focuses on how different parts of a system interact and influence each other over time. It helps leaders see beyond individual components like departments, markets, or financial statements to understand the broader dynamics, feedback loops, and long-term impacts of decisions. This perspective improves risk management, strategic planning, and operational efficiency by recognising interconnected relationships rather than isolated events.
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Global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security: A national security assessment
This UK national security assessment finds global biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse pose high risks to food security, economic stability and geopolitics. Degradation is widespread, with potential ecosystem collapse from 2030–2050, intensifying migration, conflict, supply chain disruption and strategic competition without decisive intervention.
The i-frame and the s-frame: How focusing on individual-level solutions has led behavioral public policy astray
The report argues that behavioural public policy has over-emphasised individual-level (“i-frame”) solutions, often aligning with corporate interests and weakening systemic reform. It contends that structural (“s-frame”) interventions, alongside institutional changes in research and policy design, are necessary to address entrenched social and economic problems effectively.
Portfolios on the ballot
Portfolios on the Ballot (POTB) is a tool by The Shareholder Commons that tracks shareholder proposals with potential system-wide economic impacts. It supports portfolio-level analysis of proxy votes, focusing on long-term market, social, and environmental risks relevant to diversified investors.
Impact Thinking Canvas
The Impact Thinking Canva is a simple, printable framework to structure impact valuation projects, helping organisations define objectives, map impact pathways, identify key data needs and align stakeholders early in the process. It guides impact measurement and data collection at the start of an impact valuation exercise.
NatureAlign
NatureAlign is a decision-support tool by Nature Finance that helps financial institutions identify, assess and respond to nature-related risks and opportunities by aligning portfolios, strategies and governance with nature-positive outcomes.
Food systems investing in East Africa: The roles of funds in financing food systems transformation
This report analyses 23 impact funds investing in East African food systems, assessing their design, impact alignment, and financing roles. It identifies gaps, good practices, and recommendations to strengthen agroecological and regenerative food systems investing.
Doing business within planetary boundaries
This report argues that corporate reporting must incorporate absolute, location-specific environmental impacts aligned with planetary boundaries. It proposes science-based disclosures and the Earth System Impact score to improve assessment of cumulative nature-related risks, support credible investment decisions, and enhance comparability beyond carbon-focused metrics.
Time to plan for a future beyond 1.5 degrees
The report argues that limiting warming to 1.5°C is no longer realistic and may hinder preparedness. It calls for acknowledging higher warming scenarios, accelerating mitigation, and adopting disruptive policy, financial, and governance approaches to manage climate and nature risks in a likely 2°C-plus world.
Developing an approach to nature risk in financial services
The report outlines how financial institutions can assess and manage nature-related risks by integrating climate–nature interactions, systemic risk concepts and TNFD-aligned approaches. It highlights data gaps, tipping points, and scenario analysis to support prudent risk management and strategic decision-making.
Growing resilience: Unlocking the potential of nature-based solutions for climate resilience in sub-Saharan Africa
The report assesses nature-based solutions for climate resilience in sub-Saharan Africa, reviewing nearly 300 projects. It finds growing adoption but insufficient scale, highlighting financing, policy, and capacity gaps, and recommends integrating NBS into infrastructure planning, diversifying funding, and strengthening social inclusion and local capability.
Connecting planetary boundaries and planetary health: A resilient and stable earth system is crucial for human health
The Lancet comment argues that integrating planetary boundaries and planetary health frameworks is essential to protect human health. It outlines health risks from Earth system destabilisation, stresses justice and equity, and calls for coordinated research, policy alignment, and improved monitoring and communication.
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.
Investing in tomorrow: A guide to building climate-resilient investment portfolios
This guide outlines how investors can integrate physical climate risks into listed equity and debt portfolios, strengthen portfolio resilience, and mobilise capital for adaptation through asset allocation, due diligence, engagement, and collaboration across policy, finance and the real economy.
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.
Starting in and transitioning into sustainable finance careers
This guide explores ways to get started in and transition into sustainable finance careers. It focuses on how professionals can build foundational knowledge, apply transferable skills, and take opportunities to create impact. Through expert insights it highlights strategies to navigate evolving roles and align finance with real sustainability outcomes.
Integrating human rights due diligence (HRDD) in finance and investment
This guide provides practical steps for successful investor collaborations, helping investors navigate challenges, align on objectives and leverage collective influence. Drawing from expert insights and real-world case studies, it outlines effective governance, engagement strategies and resource management to drive measurable corporate and policy change through coordinated investor action.
