Repeat offenders face increasing reputational and legal risks, but high-severity cases spike. Rising levels of sustainability-focused regulation and investor scrutiny have contributed to a decline in greenwashing activities by companies. A new report from date science firm RepRisk highlighted a 12% year-on-year decrease in companies linked to greenwashing – marking the first fall in six years. However, high-severity cases of…
Take Five: Profit Over Planet
A selection of the major stories impacting ESG investors, in five easy pieces. This week saw oil and gas firms lean further into near-term priorities. Fool me once – Reports that UK-based fossil fuel giant BP has abandoned its commitment to cut oil and gas production by 2030 were greeted with dismay earlier this week. According to Reuters, CEO Murray…
How AI Can Empower ESG Analysis
Iceberg Data Lab CTO Pierre-Olivier Haye outlines the ways technology can help financial institutions better adapt to complex and rapidly evolving sustainability obligations. The ever-increasing number of ESG regulations – including everything from the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) to California’s Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act – means the amount of sustainability-related company data is predicted to grow exponentially….
Molg Raises $5.5 Million to Tackle E-waste with Robotics
Circular manufacturing startup Molg announced that it has raised $5.5 million in seed funding, with proceeds aimed at scaling capacity for the company’s solution to tackle electronics waste. Founded in 2021 by CEO Rob Lawson Shanks and CTO Mark Lyons, Sterling, Virginia-based Molg provides circular manufacturing processes for electronics and electrical components, focused on robotics and design, including robotic microfactories…
Adapt and Thrive
Emily Hamilton, Chief Sustainability Officer at Savills Investment Management, outlines a comprehensive approach to integrating climate resilience into the real estate investment lifecycle. As climate-related risks become more pronounced, integrating climate resilience into real estate investment management is not just a strategic choice but a necessity. The growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, coupled with evolving regulatory frameworks,…
More Than a Numbers Game
Frederick Alexander, CEO of The Shareholder Commons, explains how the IFRS might fix disclosure and save the planet in the process. A decade ago, Jane Gleeson-White’s remarkable book title asked, ‘Can Accountants Save the Planet?’ So far, they haven’t, as a voracious global economy continues to deplete resources at a dangerously unsustainable pace. But the following (admittedly eye-glazing) sentence in…
Swelling Support for Water Stewardship
Through active ownership, investors can promote a more systemic approach, according to Anna Warberg, Engagement Director at the Council on Ethics for the Swedish National Pension Funds. Escalating water challenges are threatening economies and businesses across the globe. More than 30% of global GDP will likely be exposed to high water stress by 2050. This is exposing companies to growing…
S&P Global Launches Climate Center of Excellence Focused on Climate, Environmental, and Nature Research
Market data and solutions provider S&P Global announced the launch of its new S&P Global Climate Center of Excellence, aimed at advancing the company’s research and methodology development in areas including climate, environmental, and nature. Sitting within S&P’s sustainability-focused unit, S&P Global Sustainable1, the new center will include scientists and strategists, and will collaborate across the company’s divisions “to ensure…
World “Lagging” on Just Transition
Panellists warned PRI in Person delegates against the risk of stranded assets, insisting on the need to prepare society for challenges to come. Progress is heterogeneous. Canada is lagging. The world is lagging. Those were some of the warnings issued by panellists during a session at this year’s PRI in Person in Toronto examining how to achieve a just transition…
World “Lagging” on Just Transition
Panellists warned PRI in Person delegates against the risk of stranded assets, saying society should be prepared for challenges to come. Progress is heterogeneous. Canada is lagging. The world is lagging. Those were some of the warnings issued by panellists during a session at this year’s PRI in Person in Toronto examining how to achieve a just transition in emerging…