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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Diving deep: Finance, ocean pollution and coastal resilience

United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)
This report explores how financial institutions can drive sustainability in ocean-linked sectors, focusing on coastal infrastructure and waste management. It highlights sustainable financing principles, encouraging banks, insurers, and investors to mitigate environmental risks and support nature-based solutions for climate resilience, biodiversity, and economic prosperity in the blue economy.
Research
1 March 2022

Nature Finance

Finance / Corporate Focused NGOs & Think Tanks
NatureFinance focuses on advancing sustainable finance to address global environmental challenges, particularly biodiversity loss and climate change. It promotes innovative financial tools, policies, and partnerships that align financial systems with nature-positive outcomes.
Organisation
1 research item

Regen Melbourne

Other Industry / Sector Specific Groups & Sponsored Organisations
Regen Melbourne is a collaborative network focused on creating a sustainable and regenerative city. Through community-driven solutions and partnerships, it addresses urban development challenges, climate resilience, and social equity. Regen Melbourne promotes systems thinking, circular economy practices, and long-term sustainability for the benefit of all residents.
Organisation

Circle Economy's circularity gap report series

Circle Economy
The Circularity Gap Report series, launched annually since 2018 by Circle Economy, offers key insights into the global circular economy. Each report focuses on vital topics driving action, from the first global metric in 2018 to industry and country perspectives in subsequent years.
Benchmark/series

Turning strategy into reality: ESG implementation challenges in Australia’s finance sector

Action Exchange
The report highlights the challenges financial institutions face in embedding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies. It covers topics such as governance, skills gaps, data issues, and the critical role of the front office in driving sustainability goals, offering practical steps for overcoming these hurdles.
Research
20 October 2023

Action Exchange

Commercial Organisations
Action Exchange connects professionals and organisations to collaborate on tackling complex sustainability challenges. The platform facilitates partnerships, sharing resources and expertise to drive impactful solutions across various sectors. It supports meaningful, action-oriented progress towards environmental and social goals.
Organisation
2 research items

Applying the OODA loop for leadership and company engagement

Expert Guide for: Banking and financing, Investment
As the global demand for climate action rises, financial institutions and professionals are navigating a new paradigm. Stakeholders need to be thinking strategically to navigate these complexities with precision and agility, adopting best-in-class strategic models to facilitate decision-making for a more sustainable future.
Expert guide
29 August 2024

Regenerative development and design

The report explores the necessity and principles of regenerative development, aiming to create thriving living systems that evolve toward greater health and vitality. It emphasises aligning human actions with natural systems, integrating ancient wisdom with modern science, and fostering holistic, co-creative partnerships between people and the planet for sustainable and thriving futures.
Research
13 June 2024

Qualitative assessment of complex and interacting climate risks

This report highlights the limitations of solely relying on quantitative climate risk assessments and emphasises the importance of qualitative methods. It discusses complex interactions between hazards, vulnerabilities, and exposures across built, social, natural, and economic domains, advocating for systems thinking and intersectional approaches to better capture and mitigate climate risks.
Research
3 May 2024

A new economy: Exploring the root causes of the polycrisis and the principles to unlock a sustainable future

Ernst & Young (EY)
The report examines the systemic flaws of the current economic model, highlighting ecological, social, and geoeconomic crises. It proposes transitioning to a regenerative economy based on principles of sufficiency, circularity, systems thinking, equity, and redefining value to achieve sustainable and equitable growth.
Research
31 May 2024

International Cooperative Alliance (ICA)

Other Industry / Sector Specific Groups & Sponsored Organisations
The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) promotes, develops, and advocates for cooperatives globally. ICA supports sustainable economic growth through member-driven enterprises.
Organisation
1 research item

Friends of the Earth

Issue Focused NGOs & Think Tanks
Friends of the Earth (FOE) is a prominent environmental organisation dedicated to advocating for sustainability and conservation. Visit them to access resources, campaigns, and initiatives aimed at addressing environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
Organisation
2 research items

Environmental sciences, sustainable development and circular economy: Alternative concepts for trans-disciplinary research

This report discusses the challenges and opportunities of trans-disciplinary research in environmental sciences. It explores three alternative environmental concepts: "environmental sciences", "sustainable development", and the increasingly popular "circular economy". The article clarifies their meaning and inter-relationship, helping trans-disciplinary researchers to understand the opportunities and challenges of each.
Research
22 March 2016

Constructive corporate engagements: From a corporate perspective

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
This research focuses on constructive corporate engagement. This report analyses survey results from 100 senior company directors and interviews with ten executives to examine the drivers of successful engagements. Insights include the importance of collaborating with companies, focusing on material issues, and using standard metrics for success.
Research
8 September 2023

A pilot study on systems thinking in asset management

Stockholm Environment Institute
This pilot study analyses systems thinking in sustainable finance from a multidimensional perspective, highlighting six key dimensions for investment and asset management to consider. The study reveals the challenges of applying such approaches in finance while emphasising the importance of understanding sustainability impacts on all levels.
Research
21 April 2023

A little less conversation, a little more action: 10 lessons learned from 10 years of helping investors to tackle climate

ISS
This report presents 10 lessons for investors on tackling climate change. Through this summary, the authors offer insights on methodologies for climate scenario analysis, the intersection of reporting and acting, an effective climate voting process, the role of regulators in transparent carbon neutral investments, among other topics.
Research
20 August 2021
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