Navigating the Sustainable Investment Landscape. “A survey of over 100 investment professionals shows that institutional investors – including pensions, foundations, universities, and NGOs – are increasingly considering the material importance of social, environmental, and governance factors in constructing their portfolios… Despite the enthusiasm and more capital flowing, WRI found key gaps in the market that…

S&P Global COP 22 Report – Aligning 2016 Green Finance Expectations with Green Bond Indices. “Over the past 18 months, a number of industry- and policy-led initiatives have been launched that support the mainstreaming of private-sector capital to address sustainable investment, green finance challenges, and long-term value creation, to mention just a few: the G-20 Green…

3 trends propelling the spread of sustainable business. “Audrey Choi, CEO of Morgan Stanley′s Institute for Sustainable Investing, cited the result of a study indicating that 93 percent of equities face climate risk.” [COMMENTARY] The above quote indicates how massive the task is for investors to understand the impact of climate change on investments. This…

Luxembourg Launches World’s First Green Stock Exchange: LGX, ’The Full Green Monty’. “Today, less than six weeks before COP22 , the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) becomes the first stock exchange globally to introduce a platform for green financial instruments. Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX) is for issuers who dedicate 100% of the raised funding to green…

Climate change is ‘overblown nonsense′ and not a material risk, says industry representative. “The latest Pensions Buzz poll – conducted by Professional Pensions between 22 August and 23 August among 101 trustees, scheme managers and pension professionals – found more than half (53%) did not see climate change as a financially material risk to their…

In Pleas to SEC, Businesses Slam Sustainability Disclosures. “In a letter sent to the agency on July 20, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness harshly criticized the push for ESG disclosures, arguing that requiring more of this information from companies would exceed the materiality standards for disclosure set by federal securities…

US SIF Foundation Releases Report On Impact Of Sustainable Investment. “Sustainable, responsible and impact investors have influenced the investment industry, companies, governments and other actors to address environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges in four major areas, according to The Impact of Sustainable and Responsible Investment, a report released today by the US SIF Foundation.”…

Investors and Their Financial Advisors Need More Education, More Communication about Responsible Investments — TIAA Global Asset Management Survey. “Over three quarters (77 percent) of affluent US investors say that they want their assets to have a positive impact on society. Many may see investing as an extension of their focus on social issues, with…

2016 Country Sustainability Ranking by RobecoSAM and Robeco. “The country sustainability score is based on 17 environmental, social and governance indicators, which receive a weight of 15%, 25% and 60% of the total score, respectively. The score ranges from 1 to 10 and should be interpreted as a grade, with the highest grade being 10…

Controlled Companies Underperform, Boards Less Diverse New Study Finds. “The study finds that controlled companies generally underperformed non-controlled firms over all periods reviewed in terms of total shareholder returns, revenue growth, and return on equity.” [COMMENTARY] Controlled firms refer to companies controlled by a major stockholder. The study suggests that diversity of boards and ownership provides…

The SEC Turns A Blind Eye On Corruption In CSR Payments. “In its implementation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the U.S. corporate watchdog recently proposed a new rule to explicitly allow resource extractive businesses to exclude public disclosure of payments made in connection with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR ) initiatives…

The SEC Isn′t Enforcing Climate Risk Disclosures By Fossil Fuel Companies. “Peabody Energy is not the only fossil fuel company to fail to disclose climate change risks. ExxonMobil, the largest oil and gas company in the U.S., is being investigated by both California and New York for not disclosing climate risks to investors and the…

Investment Managers Raising ESG Offerings To Meet Demand, Study Says. “Over 75 percent of investment managers are increasing their use of environmental, social and governance products and impact investing to meet customer demand, according to a survey released this week by Tiburon Strategic Advisors.” [COMMENTARY] The 75% figure is the highest I’ve seen among such surveys.…

Companies with greater carbon efficiency outperform markets. “According to a new report published by the world′s largest asset manager BlackRock, businesses that have been at the forefront of improving their carbon efficiency for the last three years have dramatically outperformed the ones that have been laggards in this area. The report analyzed the stock market…

Three New Climate Change Index Series Launched by S&P Dow Jones Indices and Toronto Stock Exchange. “S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI), one of the world’s leading providers of financial market indices, and Toronto Stock Exchange have today announced the launch of three new climate change index series for Canada: S&P/TSX 60 Carbon Efficient Index,…

Major U.S. banks call for leadership in addressing climate change. “Bank of America, Citi, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo – have issued a joint statement calling for cooperation among governments in reaching a global climate agreement. The statement, published today by the sustainability advocacy nonprofit Ceres, voiced support for policy frameworks…

Corporate responsibility efforts boost more than just reputation. “A study by IO Sustainability and Babson College… determined that well-designed CSR programs have the potential to increase a company′s revenues by up to 20 per cent, strengthen customer loyalty by 60 per cent and allow for premium prices to be charged on products and services.” [COMMENTARY] The…

365 Companies and Investors Announce Support for EPA′s Clean Power Plan. “In an unprecedented show of business support for tackling climate change, 365 companies and investors sent letters today to more than two-dozen governors across the United States voicing their support for the Environmental Protection Agency′s Clean Power Plan for existing power plants and encouraging…