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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The Authenticity Advantage
This benchmark report highlights the link between authentic sustainability and improved business outcomes in Australian organisations. The report introduces the Authenticity Index™, measuring commitments, culture, and communication, demonstrating that high-scoring businesses experience better talent acquisition, productivity, retention, innovation, resilience, and profitability.
Banking on climate chaos: Fossil fuel finance series
The "Banking on Climate Chaos" benchmark report examines global banks' financing of fossil fuel companies, highlighting trends and policy shifts impacting climate goals. This series offers critical insights into financial institutions' roles in supporting fossil fuel expansion and their climate commitments.
Bankrolling ecosystem destruction: The EU must stop the cash flow to businesses destroying nature
The report analysed the financial flows of 135 companies in ecosystem risk sectors and found that 22.1% (US$278b) of credit and 9.4% (US$65b) of investment came from EU-based financial institutions from 2015 to 2023. The report recommends that EU regulation should align finance with global environmental targets to prevent financial flows from contributing to ecosystem destruction.
The global risks report 2024: 19th edition
This report outlines global risks in 2024 and 2034, in an effort to provide insight to government and business leaders about the potential threats of the future. The report highlights potential global risks ranging from false information, economic uncertainty, climate change, AI dominance, to an increase in conflict and organised crimes.
Broadening the spectrum of investing: Opportunities and demand for investing in LGBTQ+ equity and inclusion
The report emphasises increasing demand for LGBTQ+ equity and inclusion investments in the US, particularly among investors born after 1980. Nearly half of US investors seek such opportunities, but there's a shortage of investment options catering to this demand. Asset managers could profit by developing products targeting LGBTQ+ equity and inclusion.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.