Issuance of green, social and sustainability (GSS) bonds from corporates and the launch of new dedicated sustainable strategies both moderated in 2023 compared to previous years. In this context, ESG regulatory uncertainty is another key factor which weighed on both investors’ and issuers’ sentiment. A series of tailwinds, however, could support the sustainable corporate bond … Read more
Sir Keir Starmer has rolled back his previous pledge to spend £28bn to accelerate the UK’s new-zero ambitions. He is not alone. The UK government has already pared back commitments to electric vehicles and heat pumps. Around the world cash-strapped governments are balking at the cost of green measures. This is just one of the … Read more
Conscious and unconscious biases against LGBTQ+ executives lead to stockmarket participants and investors failing to appreciate the financial performance and potential of LGBT-led firms, according to a report co-authored by academics from Northumbria University. As a result, companies are substantially underestimated and undervalued on the stockmarkets in what is dubbed a ‘rainbow ceiling’ phenomenon in … Read more
A quarter of all Article 8 funds could be accused of greenwashing based on their sustainability framework and practices, according to MainStreet Partners 2024 ESG Barometer report. The 24% of funds classified as a greenwashing risk marks a four percentage point increase from the 20% flagged at the end of 2022. The research draws on … Read more
Capital Group has launched a set of multi-thematic sustainable funds available for investors in Europe and Asia. The Capital Group Sustainable Global Opportunities fund (LUX) will invest in global equities, while the Capital Group Sustainable Global Corporate Bond fund (LUX) will target fixed income exposure. The launch also includes a multi-asset offering – the Capital … Read more
FTSE’s latest annual Women Leaders Review shows a year of steady gains for women in leadership roles at FTSE 350 companies, with representation on FTSE 350 boards increasing beyond the 40% target ahead of the 2025 deadline. According to the report, progress has been achieved through an entirely voluntary and business-led approach, with the UK … Read more
Across industries, meaningful decision-making on issues relating to sustainability is being challenged by noise and rhetoric, which obscures nuance. Academics, policymakers, and media wonder whether ESG is at its end, often without defining the term beyond ‘environmental, social, and governance’. Each of those concepts is interpretable, and so measurable, in many different ways. Just as … Read more
For the last two decades, ESG ratings from data providers have been an easy-to-use measure to assess the sustainability profile of companies on several ESG criteria. However, while climate-related data has become more widely available, biodiversity-related data points still lack comprehensive coverage leading to some industry experts to conclude that KPIs could provide a more … Read more
When our head of multi-asset approached me regarding the question of investing in commodities, I must admit, as a responsible investor, uttering the words ‘commodities’ and ‘ESG’ in the same sentence made me feel a bit uncomfortable. How do we create a credible and authentic approach to responsible investing in commodities? How can we balance … Read more
While carbon emissions remain the primary measure of how climate damaging or climate friendly products and businesses are, the huge question of indirect emissions continues to be puzzling. Deborah Ng, head of ESG and sustainability at GMO, explained how the asset manager is taking on the challenge of cracking Scope 3 and how their methodology … Read more