Library | ESG issues
Targets & Accountability
Targets and accountability are essential for ensuring organisations and governments follow through on commitments to sustainability, climate action, and social responsibility. Setting measurable and transparent targets such as net-zero goals, emissions reductions, diversity benchmarks, and human rights protections allows for tracking progress and holding entities accountable. Clear, data-driven targets strengthen stakeholder trust and help align financial and business strategies with long-term sustainability objectives.
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Responsible investing maturity matrix: Emerging markets
A maturity framework for VC funds and LPs to assess ESG and responsible investment integration across emerging market fund operations.
Fair Finance Ghana ESG policy assessment report
This report assesses ESG policies across five Ghanaian banks using international benchmarks. Results show low sustainability integration, particularly regarding climate change and transparency. It recommends adopting global frameworks, extending ESG accountability to lending portfolios, and improving standardised reporting to align the sector with international best practice.
The silence of the loans: Banks should adopt methane policies that cover financing and facilitating emissions
Planet Tracker examines twenty-five banks' policies regarding agricultural methane emissions. Despite methane's high potency, no banks have specific reduction targets for this sector. Most policies focus solely on direct financing, ignoring facilitated debt which constitutes 96% of corporate funding, creating significant financial and regulatory risks for lenders.
Just transition metrics benchmark
Just Transition Metrics is a benchmark series developed by Shift in collaboration with multiple organisations. It provides a foundational, sector-agnostic set of quantitative metrics designed to assess the 'justness' of companies' climate-related transition plans, covering workforce, communities, and value chain impacts.
Global report on food crises series
The Global Report on Food Crises is an annual benchmark series tracking acute food insecurity, malnutrition and forced displacement in countries facing food crises. Produced by FAO, WFP and the Global Network Against Food Crises, it delivers consensus-based, multi-agency analysis to guide humanitarian and development decision-making globally.
Plastic footprint guidelines
The Plastic Footprint Network's guidance document presents a science-based methodology for assessing corporate plastic footprints. Developed by over 100 professionals from 35 organisations, the framework comprises 11 modules covering macroplastics and microplastics, providing practitioners with a step-by-step process for measuring plastic leakage and reporting results.
Guidance on integrating deforestation into net zero strategies
This IIGCC guidance supports institutional investors in integrating deforestation, land conversion, and associated human rights risks into net zero strategies. Aligned with the Net Zero Investment Framework 2.0, it provides practical, asset class-specific action points across listed equity, sovereign bonds, real estate, and private equity and debt.
The ICJ's advisory opinion on climate change
This edited volume analyses the ICJ's July 2025 advisory opinion on climate change obligations, examining its legal framework, due diligence standards, human rights implications, and statehood findings. Contributing authors also assess the opinion's notable silences on historical responsibility, military emissions, and differentiated obligations.
Potential business cases in measuring biodiversity state and impact in agriculture
A joint Mistra FinBio and Svensk Kolinlagring report identifying three business cases linking biodiversity data to agricultural finance: baseline databanks for bank and insurance risk assessment, and an MRV system for biodiversity claims. It highlights the financing gap in regenerative agriculture and outlines potential biodiversity-linked financial products.
Credible climate financing and fossil fuel phase-out commitments are possible but remain marginal amongst major financial institutions
WBA's analysis of 400 major financial institutions finds that transition planning is emerging but capital allocation to low-carbon solutions and fossil fuel phase-out commitments remain marginal. Only two institutions demonstrate robust fossil-fuel restrictions, and low-carbon activities account for an average of just 2.7% of total financed activities globally.
State of the Sustainability Profession 2026
The 2026 State of the Sustainability Profession report by Trellis Group surveys more than 500 professionals at companies with at least $1 billion in revenue. Most large businesses are maintaining sustainability commitments despite political headwinds, though investment has slowed, communications are being scaled back and professionals report growing dissatisfaction.
DAX-AEX Futureproof Index Report
The DAX-AEX Futureproof Index Report is a benchmark series that ranks DAX and AEX-listed companies using an Integrated Value framework combining financial, social, and ecological value. It produces a Futureproofing Ratio to assess long-term corporate value creation and transition risk across sectors and economies.
Global Project Tracker
MPP's Global Project Tracker maps the global pipeline of commercial-scale, net-zero-aligned clean industrial plants across materials, chemicals and fuels sectors.
From measurement to decision: How impact valuation is changing the way leaders decide
This paper by Valuing Impact examines how 19 organisations are moving beyond sustainability measurement to use impact valuation as a decision-making tool. Covering strategy, investment, steering, operations and stakeholder engagement, it presents case studies and six practical lessons for embedding impact data alongside financial information in real business decisions.
Excessive executive compensation: Investor guidance
Published by ICCR in April 2026, this report provides investor guidance on addressing excessive executive compensation. It outlines proxy voting guidelines, pay thresholds, and stewardship frameworks to help investors challenge the growing gap between CEO and worker pay, and promote greater accountability and long-term value creation.
The G7 Net Zero Temperature Check
BSI's G7 Net Zero Temperature Check benchmarks corporate net zero progress across G7 nations, surveying over 7,000 business leaders on climate strategy and commitments.
