India’s securities regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has proposed a major regulatory shift aimed at attracting public pension funds, sovereign investors, and insurance institutions to participate more actively in the country’s growing REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) and InvIT (Infrastructure Investment Trust) markets. Under the draft rules released on 1 August 2025, a wider class of…
The development and deployment of safe and responsible AI is one of the defining challenges of our time. These technologies offer transformative potential but also come with serious risks, which is why ethical AI has been one of our top stewardship priorities since 2022. From algorithmic bias and misinformation to cybercrime and loss of privacy, the implications for individuals, societies…
This week in ESG news: Barclays reports £500 million sustainable finance revenue, then drops out of Net Zero Banking Alliance; new voluntary sustainability reporting standard for small companies adopted in EU; 21 states warn asset managers against considering sustainability and climate change as long-term risk factors; Deutsche Bank’s new Global Head of Sustainable Finance; new draft simplified CSRD sustainability reporting…
Barclays announced that it has decided to exit the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), marking the second UK-based bank to withdraw from the UN-backed coalition dedicated to advancing global net zero goals through their financing activities, after the departure last month of HSBC. The departures of Barclays and HSBC follow the exit of all major Wall Street banks, as well as…
The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) announced the publication of its revised Exposure Drafts of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), significantly simplifying and scaling back reporting requirements for companies under the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Among the key changes from the initial ESRS, the new standards remove all voluntary disclosures, and reduce reporting datapoints by 68%,…
The Silent Crisis in a Shifting Market As global pension schemes and institutional investors consolidate, the asset management industry faces a subtle yet profound challenge: remaining relevant in a world of fewer, larger, and more discerning clients. Traditional strategies, broad marketing campaigns, generic fund updates, and macroeconomic outlooks are losing traction. This crisis, though quiet, is reshaping the industry from…
Fusion energy company Helion announced that it has started working on the site of Orion, its first fusion power plant, aimed at providing carbon-free energy to offtaker Microsoft by 2028. Fusion, the process of combining two atoms to release energy, is seen as a potential source of abundant, zero-carbon power. Unlike fossil fuels, fusion does not emit carbon, and unlike…
Clean energy developer and producer Greenvolt announced today a €150 million (USD$171 million) share capital increase, fully subscribed by alternative asset and private equity investor KKR, aimed at supporting its growth, with a particular focus on its large-scale battery storage solutions. Founded in 2021, Portugal-based Greenvolt was acquired by KKR in 2024 for €1.2 billion. The company operates in 20…
Solar deployment solutions provider Planted Solar announced that it has raised $12 million in a new funding round, with proceeds aimed at growing its platform to help developers accelerate the buildout of solar projects. Founded in 2020, California-based Planted Solar provides solutions aimed at helping developers and independent power producers (IPPs) deploy solar projects faster and at lower cost than…