Library | Sustainable Finance Practices
Product development and trends
Insights into the creation and evolution of sustainable financial products, such as managed funds, green bonds, and ESG-linked loans, highlight innovations aligned with sustainability goals and benchmark evolving practices, consumer demand, and stakeholder expectations.
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RIAA's from values to riches series
This research series gauges Australians' and New Zealanders' awareness, attitudes, and practices around responsible and ethical investing. It provides insights into consumer sentiment and expectations regarding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in investment decisions.
200 and counting: Global financial institutions are exiting coal
Financial institutions (FI) across the world are increasingly recognising the risks and opportunities connected to coal, and many are reducing their exposure to the industry. The number of FIs withdrawing from coal is rapidly increasing, and this report catalogues the global trend towards coal withdrawal.
Do high-ability managers choose ESG projects that create shareholder value? Evidence from employee opinions
Are ESG projects compatible with shareholder value? Managers face a challenge when they decide which ESG projects to select with limited clarity on allowed investments. The paper uses MSCI ESG ratings and Glassdoor employee ratings to demonstrate that high-calibre managers put their resources towards ESG projects and thereby enhance shareholder value.
The materiality of sustainability for investors
This report discusses five sustainability trends that could impact investment portfolios over the long-term: climate change, multi-stakeholder driven society, resource degradation, demographic challenges, and technological revolution. The paper provides thought-provoking insight on the impacts of sustainability trends have on investment performance and how they are evolving investment decision-making frameworks.
Sustainable banking in ASEAN
This 2019 report analyses the sustainability strategies of 35 ASEAN banks based on environmental, social and governance indicators. This year's update highlights the increasing recognition of ESG integration into mainstream finance, although progress must be made, particularly in climate-related risk management.
Do investors care about impact?
Investors care about sustainable investments, but not enough to pay substantially more for more impact. A framed field experiment revealed investors’ preference was an emotional rather than a calculative valuation of impact. This preference is driving the market, as managers provide little quantitative evidence of sustainability impact, according to the report.
Assessment of the six largest pesticide companies’ approaches to addressing biodiversity loss
This assessment evaluates the approaches of six leading pesticide companies toward addressing biodiversity loss. None of the companies has committed to phasing out highly hazardous pesticides, and progress in reporting and disclosure is limited. Investors are urged to heed recommendations and use the report to guide engagements.
Seriously stressed and stranded: The burden of non-performing assets in India's thermal power sector
India's thermal power sector holds $40-60bn of non-performing or stranded assets, taking away capital from critical sustainable investment. Low-cost renewable energy and a reliance on coal-fired generation is creating difficulties for the banking sector. The economics of low-cost renewables will bring significant financial implications for the country's thermal power reliance.
Innovation and resilience: A global snapshot of social enterprise responses to Covid-19
This report offers a global overview of social enterprise responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. It identifies innovation and agility as critical factors for survival. However, it notes that women-led and youth-led social enterprises face higher closure rates, greater reductions in activity, and more limited access to government support.
Raising the bar: A baseline review of finance sector action on deforestation
The report provides a baseline review of 557 financial institutions' actions on deforestation, revealing that only a few are addressing commodity-driven deforestation and associated human rights abuses. Despite COP26 commitments, most lack comprehensive policies. Financial institutions must take urgent, concrete steps to eliminate deforestation and meet global climate targets.
Impact investing decision-making: Insights on financial performance
This report explores the financial performance of impact investments in private debt, private equity, and real assets, based on a scoping exercise of the industry's published research. Nearly nine in ten impact investors find that their portfolios are either meeting or exceeding their financial performance expectations.
Leaders or laggards? Tax and revenue transparency of ASX listed mining, gas and oil companies
This report investigates the tax and revenue transparency disclosure policies of 20 ASX listed mining, gas and oil companies. It examines indicators deemed as "best practices" for conformity to standards, such as country-by-country reporting, mandatory disclosure legislation and The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. Recommendations are to move towards mandatory regulation and better disclosure.
Business reporting on the SDGs: An analysis of the goals and targets 2022
This report offers a comprehensive overview of the Sustainable Development Goals and how businesses can align their practices with these goals through transparent disclosures and disclosures reporting. This 2022 edition provides actionable steps for businesses to contribute to sustainable development.
Point of no return 2023: Part IV: Climate and biodiversity
This report assesses the climate and biodiversity policies and practices of 77 of the world’s largest asset managers, who collectively hold over $77 trillion in assets. The report finds that asset managers need stronger and more comprehensive net-zero targets, consistent with limiting biodiversity loss, and a greater focus on climate scenario analysis.
Study on sustainability - related ratings, data and research
This study on sustainability-related ratings, data and research seeks to explore the sustainability data landscape and the issues related to the assessment and evaluation of sustainability performance. It examines various sustainability-related rating systems, methodologies, and data providers, with insights from asset managers, asset owners, and benchmark administrators.
The U.S. power sector and climate policy
This reports on the 25 largest Investor-Owned Utilities' engagement with climate policy in the US highlights a sector that is fragmented in terms of climate policy. It identifies Edison International, Exelon Corporation, and Public Service Enterprise Company as the leading utilities, and Southern Company and CenterPoint Energy as the laggards.