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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Tackling governance and financing for sustainability transitions
The report argues current financial systems misallocate capital towards resource-intensive activities, hindering sustainability transitions. It recommends policy, governance and financial reforms to redirect investment towards resource efficiency, low-carbon development and equitable transition pathways, particularly in resource-dependent economies.
Discussion paper on the state of nature measurement
Discussion paper outlines integrating state of nature metrics into TNFD, GRI and SBTN frameworks. It proposes embedding consensus metrics from the Nature Positive Initiative across assessment, disclosure, transition planning and target-setting, highlighting ecosystem extent and condition as central to evaluating nature-related dependencies, risks and opportunities.
Indigenous wisdom and co-creation towards decolonisation: A review of Indigenous inclusion in management education
This review finds Western business schools have often excluded Indigenous knowledge, and argues decolonising management education requires Indigenous self-determination, truth-telling, trust-building, co-created curricula and relational pedagogies grounded in Indigenous wisdom and communities.
Impact trickles down: A general equilibrium theory of stakeholder exit and engagement
Develops a multi-sided matching model showing stakeholder exit or engagement depends on whether harm scales with productivity. When it does, high-productivity stakeholders exit, triggering reallocation spillovers that reduce harm economy-wide. Firm-level analyses underestimate impact by missing these general equilibrium “trickle-down” effects.
Harnessing Climate and SDGs Synergies
UN resources on climate–SDG synergies examine how integrated approaches to climate action and sustainable development can deliver social, economic and environmental co-benefits. They highlight policy alignment, investment efficiency, and cross-sector strategies to support national planning, reduce costs, and address significant climate and SDG financing gaps.
Systemic Impact Investment Standard
The Systemic Impact Investing Standard is an independently audited framework enabling asset owners to assess whether asset managers’ strategies, processes and outcomes align with delivering systemic impact. It supports improved investment decision-making by emphasising sourcing, management and measurement practices that generate credible, system-level social and environmental outcomes.
A systems approach to sustainable finance: Actors, influence mechanisms, and potentially virtuous cycles of sustainability
This review applies systems thinking to sustainable finance, analysing key actors, influence mechanisms and feedback loops. It identifies barriers such as weak ESG metrics and poor risk integration, and highlights opportunities for collaboration to align capital flows with sustainability and ecological resilience.
Sectoral roadmaps as the backbone of transition planning: Linking NDCs, finance and the real economy
Sectoral roadmaps translate national climate targets into sector-specific decarbonisation pathways, guiding policy, investment and corporate transition plans. They align real-economy activity with finance, reduce uncertainty, and support risk assessment and capital allocation, strengthening the credibility and implementation of whole-economy transition planning.
Tipping points: Decision making under deep uncertainty
Examines climate tipping points and their implications for financial decision-making under deep uncertainty. It outlines risks of abrupt, nonlinear climate shifts, limitations of traditional valuation models, and emerging approaches including scenario analysis, resilience planning and climate intervention, emphasising challenges in pricing, timing and managing long-term systemic risks.
Sustainability at a crossroads
Survey of 844 experts finds the sustainability agenda at an inflection point, with most calling for major revision amid low confidence in progress and rising backlash. It highlights actionable levers across policy, finance, business, and civil society to drive a low-carbon, resilient transition.
Investing to reconnect financial value with people, nature and the real economy: An iterative blueprint for capital markets actors, policymakers and regulators
This report outlines a blueprint for reforming capital markets to better reflect human, social and natural capital. It proposes changes to fiduciary duty, financial analysis and policy frameworks to reduce systemic risks and align investment practices with long-term economic, environmental and social outcomes.
Applying the OODA loop for leadership and company engagement
This guide explains applying the OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loop to strengthen strategic leadership and company engagement in sustainable finance, enabling adaptive decision-making, stakeholder alignment, and iterative responses to ESG challenges, illustrated through practical steps and a case study of corporate transition.
Nourish and flourish: Water solutions to feed 10 billion people on a livable planet
This World Bank report outlines transforming agricultural water management to feed 10 billion people sustainably. It introduces a water-food nexus framework, highlights inefficiencies in current systems, and emphasises data-driven, service-oriented irrigation and financing reforms to improve productivity, resilience, and environmental outcomes.
Guidance for applying absolute environmental sustainability assessment on activities at different scales (BETA version)
Provides beta guidance for applying Absolute Environmental Sustainability Assessment, comparing activities’ environmental burdens against planetary boundaries. It outlines a three-phase, nine-step framework, supported by case studies (buildings, cement, EU consumption), and aligns with existing accounting standards while addressing methodological gaps in allocating environmental limits.
Communicating climate impacts through adaptation: Tips and activities for women's institute climate ambassadors
Guide outlines evidence-based strategies for communicating climate impacts through adaptation, emphasising values-led narratives, trusted messengers, and relatable imagery. It provides practical activities and case studies enabling community engagement on risks such as flooding, drought and heatwaves, encouraging locally relevant, action-oriented responses.
Climate-nature scenario development for financial risk assessment
This report develops integrated climate-nature scenarios for financial risk assessment, showing that combined climate and nature policies provide a fuller view of agricultural, biodiversity and ecosystem-service risks than separate approaches, with implications for central banks, supervisors and future stress-testing frameworks.
