The ASEAN Taxonomy Board (ATB), representing ASEAN finance sectoral bodies, has released the second version of its sustainable finance taxonomy. The ASEAN Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance Version 2 expands on the first version published in November 2021 with a complete framework comprising detailed methodologies for assessing economic activities. It also includes technical screening criteria for … Read more
As the chief digital officer for a Fortune 300 company, I saw first-hand during the late 2010s the surging demand for climate data being driven successfully by investors. This trend quickly became an access to capital concern for boards and C-suites across the globe. In conversations I would have with these investors, two things became … Read more
Political twists and turns around ESG investing are creating uncertainty for ESG-orientated financial advisers in the US, Coco Zhang, vice-president, ESG research at ING says. Here, Zhang tells ESG Clarity US about playing catch up with EU regulation, decarbonization opportunities and how advisers can navigate political uncertainty. Where does US stand when it comes to … Read more
Why is it so important for us to direct capital towards a sustainable water future? Water is a basic human need. Whether we’re talking about drinking water or sanitation, we know access to water is something that’s going to be crucial to the longevity of the human race. We also know the stresses on the … Read more
Across the globe last year we witnessed record high temperatures that also created huge disruption to farming globally. Global warming has in recent years caused droughts, flooding, heatwaves on an unprecedented scale in addition to new pests that are now able to migrate due to the changing climate. A combination of these events has had … Read more
Increasingly the focus of investor attention, human rights issues appear to be on the radar for more companies this year, according to ShareAction’s Workforce Disclosure Initiative (WDI). The annual report received 167 responses from companies this year, down from 173 the year before. Rosie Mackenzie, senior company engagement manager at ShareAction, described the fall in … Read more
Last year proved difficult for multi-asset investors, who had few places to hide amid a global rout of both equity and fixed-income assets. Among sustainable and ESG-integrated funds, this was amplified by a structural bias towards growth-orientated equities, which were hit hardest. The key driver of negative returns in 2022 stemmed from higher inflation and … Read more
We were delighted to see the launch of the UK’s Taskforce on Social Factors several weeks ago. With support from the department for work and pensions (DWP), the advisory group will seek to support pension scheme trustees and the wider industry in effectively managing social issues in investments. With some time having passed since first … Read more
There are a number of misconceptions around adaptation and how investors can address the problem in portfolios, according to J.P. Morgan Asset Management (JPMAM)’s global head of sustainable investing Jennifer Wu. Speaking at the company’s 2023 media summit in March, Wu said not enough attention is placed on adaptation by investors with many dismissing the … Read more
Mirova, the sustainable finance arm of French investment manager Natixis, has promoted Zineb Bennani to CEO of its US business and global head of business development. Bennani (pictured), who starts her new role in May, is currently chief operating and development officer at Mirova. She will spearhead Mirova’s next growth phase in the US out … Read more