If we permit the term ‘responsible investment’ as sustainable finance practitioners, does that mean there are ‘irresponsible’ (reckless or other) investments? If so, what do those investments then look like?
Guest Post – Materiality Assessments: Expectations and Best Practices
By: Jessica Lobo, Sustainability Advisor, and Kosmas Papadopoulos, Head of Sustainability Advisory, Americas, ISS-Corporate Materiality Assessments Evolve as Key Tool for Corporate Sustainability Management Over the past decade, the business world has made significant strides in establishing standardized and methodical approaches for corporates developing their sustainability strategies and relevant disclosures. Today, a materiality assessment for identifying and prioritizing key issues…
Over Half of CFOs Fear Greenwashing Risk as Sustainability Data Problems Persist: EY Survey
A majority of company finance leaders globally say that they are concerned about perceived greenwashing risks from sustainability reporting in their industries, and most do not believe that their organizations will hit their major sustainability ambitions, as nearly all report problems with the integrity of their nonfinancial data, according to a new survey released by global professional services firm EY….
Sustainable Heating Startup Vamo Raises €7 Million
Sustainable heating startup Vamo announced that it has raised €7 million in new capital, expanding its seed round to over €10 million (USD $10.8), after having raised €3 million in 2023, with proceeds aimed at advancing its solution enabling households to deploy heat pumps. Heat pumps are rapidly emerging as an energy efficient and climate-friendly alternative to furnaces and air…
LRQA Acquires Human Rights Advisory Ergon Associates to Strengthen ESG Capabilities
London-based assurance services provider LRQA announced that it has acquired Ergon Associates, which provides organizations with consulting services on ensuring compliance with issues surrounding labor standards, human rights and gender equality, in a move described by LRQA as enabling the delivery of “industry-leading expertise, enabling businesses to better integrate ESG factors into their decision-making processes.” Operating for the past 18…
RIFT Raises €11 Million for Decarbonized Industrial Heat Solution
Netherlands-based cleantech startup RIFT announced that it had raised €11 million (USD $11.9 million) in Series A funding aimed at advancing its technology to decarbonize industrial heat. Industrial heating uses high amounts of energy, often from fossil fuel-based sources, in order to transform materials into products such as metals and plastics. While solutions to replace fossil-based energy sources have emerged, including…
Southwest Airlines Eliminates 1.5 Million Pounds of Single-Use Plastic from Flights
Southwest Airlines announced today the introduction of new items to replace single-use plastic from its flights, including a new bamboo cup for inflight cold beverages and a wood stir stick. According to the airline, the new items are anticipated to reduce its inflight single-use plastics by more than 1.5 million pounds annually. The introduction of the new items follows the…
Bureau Veritas Acquires Aligned Incentives to Bolster Scope 3, Product Carbon Footprint Capabilities
France-based testing, inspection and certification services provider Bureau Veritas announced the acquisition of AI-powered sustainability planning solutions provider Aligned Incentives, with the move aimed at enhancing its sustainability metrics capabilities in areas including Scope 3 emissions analysis and product life cycle assessment (LCA). Founded by CEO Yann Risz and COO Craig Cammarata in 2015, Massachusetts-based Aligned Incentives offers an AI-powered…