Sustainable & Responsible Investing News

For the sixth consecutive year, a global collaboration across 75 exchanges (confirmed events as of 26 February 2020) around the world plan to ring opening or closing bells to celebrate International Women’s Day 2020 (Sunday 8 March 2020). The events —  which start on Monday 2 March, and will last for two weeks – are […]

We believe that over the next 10 years, effective CSR initiatives of purpose-driven companies will be characterized by three principles: business alignment, user-centricity and co-creation. Corporate social responsibility—the practice of companies holding themselves accountable to serve a social purpose and make a positive impact—was not always the main focus of business leaders. Channel some profits […]

The importance of the work over the recent years of the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board in developing industry-specific ESG disclosure recommendations was underscored with the recent letters to company leadership from two of the world’s leading asset management firms. Corporate boards and/or executive teams received two important letters in January that included strong advice about […]

The increasingly charged and polarized politics surrounding the climate crisis have asset managers between a rock and a hard place when considering their investment strategy. Should they abruptly divest from stocks of fossil fuel industries? Should they progressively withdraw? Complete divestment from carbon-intensive industries has become a popular strategy internationally, and institutional funds—including, most recently, […]

International Business Machines has been named a Top Socially Responsible Dividend Stock by Dividend Channel, signifying a stock with above-average ”DividendRank” statistics including a strong 4.2% yield, as well as being recognized by prominent asset managers as being a socially responsible investment, through analysis of social and environmental criteria. Environmental criteria include considerations like the environmental impact […]

NEW YORK, February 20, 2020 /3BL Media/–Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP) announces Innovation Partnerships, a new model of collaboration designed to support how companies use their corporate social investment data for greater impact. Companies using software from CECP’s Innovation Partners – Benevity and YourCause, a part of Blackbaud – will have access to a standard […]

When it comes to investing for most people, the goal is to make money, not save the world. Nevertheless, sustainable or responsible investing (whichever term you prefer) has hit the big-time, particularly around the theme of climate change. Michael Baldinger, head of impact investing at UBS wealth management, which manages more than US$4 trillion in […]

Mirror, mirror on the wall – who is the most sustainable company of them all?  That memorable line from the Walt Disney Studios’ 1930s classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, is being regularly applied now by a widening range of third party players in examining the performance and achievements of U.S., North American and global companies (and […]

The U.S. Securities Exchange Commission is trying to change the rules that govern shareholder proposals and sustainable finance luminaries are pushing back. In November, the independent federal government agency whose stated mission is to “protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation” announced that it would be toughening the rules surrounding […]

GRI continues to deliver the most effective global sustainability standards, while it is focused on doing even more to support companies to provide high quality, accessible and impactful reporting. That was a key message from Jack Ehnes – Vice Chair of the GRI Board, and CEO of CalSTRS (California State Teachers’ Retirement System) – as […]

If BlackRock shows true leadership on climate change, the whole world will follow. Larry Fink, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock, poses for a picture. Photo by Jonathan Wong / South China Morning Post via Getty Images Originally published by Worth, Authored by Garvin Jabusch The world’s largest asset manager, in the person of […]

January 22, 2020 /3BL Media/ – With global leaders gathered in Switzerland for the World Economic Forum (WEF), GRI is pressing for action and commitments that support the transition to sustainable and responsible business. GRI chief executive Tim Mohin is participating in the WEF annual meeting in Davos this week. That includes a strategy session […]

BlackRock CEO, Larry Fink, in his annual letter released this week to CEOs of some of the world’s largest companies wrote: “I believe we are on the edge of a fundamental reshaping of finance.”  I agree. The actions he promises in his new letter on sustainable investing and climate risk are significant and will contribute […]

A Pew Research study revealed that social media is king when it comes to the news. In the US, 72 percent of millennials read the news via their Facebook, Twitter feed, and other social networking sites. Only 21 percent of people aged 50+ do the same. The older generation predominantly consumes news via their television. […]

BOSTON, January 14, 2020 /3BL Media/ – CEO Larry Fink’s annual letter released today announcing that sustainability is at the center of BlackRock’s investment practices is a major turning point for the world’s largest asset manager, representing nearly $7 trillion in assets under management, Ceres CEO and President Mindy Lubber said. Fink’s assertion that sustainable funds […]

It is a favorite pursuit of journalists and commentators at each year-end and the start of the new calendar year to look back and look forward to identify “top stories” and significant trends of the year past.  And to look ahead at “what might be” in the new year.  We present a few of these […]

This year we’ve covered everything from a transgender beauty salon in Pakistan, to Ethiopia’s first domestic drone manufacturer. Get up to speed with our most popular social enterprise and impact investment stories of the year. The full and original article can be viewed on Pioneers Post (PioneersPost.com) Visit the Invest With Values – Resource Directory to access […]

There is no doubt now — the world’s largest asset managers are definitely focused on corporate sustainability and sustainable investing (the two go hand-in-hand) as survey after survey is telling us. In recent years we seen considerable momentum as asset owners and their managers adopt or further enhance their sustainable investing / ESG investing approaches. And to […]

I am among the many engaged investors who welcomed the statement by the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of America’s leading companies, redefining the purpose of a corporation to promote “An Economy That Serves All Americans.” They committed to: deliver value to customers; invest in employees; deal fairly and ethically with suppliers; […]

631 institutional investors managing more than $37 trillion in assets urged governments to step up efforts to tackle the global climate crisis and achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, in a joint statement issued today at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP25). The Global Investor Statement to Governments on Climate Change, developed by the […]

As world leaders converge at this week’s climate summit in Madrid to debate how best to shift to a net zero-economy, Michael Sabia is leaving the helm of Canada’s second-largest pension plan having firmly placed Quebec’s retirement savings at the forefront of the global movement for low-carbon investing. Sabia, who recently announced he’s stepping down […]

November 19, 2019 /3BL Media/ – Ceres CEO and President Mindy Lubber has been appointed to the first-ever U.S. federal advisory committee focused on addressing the short and long-term financial and market risks posed by climate change to capital markets and throughout the broader economy. Lubber was appointed to the Climate-Related Market Risk Subcommittee of […]

The Wells Fargo Foundation has made a historic $10 million grant to NALCAB — National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders — to support growth-oriented lending to minority-owned businesses nationwide through a network of Latino-led nonprofit business lenders. The new Acceso Loan Fund is designed to help diverse entrepreneurs scale to a greater size — expanding their revenue, impact […]

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG) have agreed a joint plan to focus capital and solutions towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). GSG will work in tandem with SDG Impact, a UNDP initiative that accelerates progress towards the SDGs through adoption of global SDG Assurance Standards that provide guidance on […]

The second annual Sustainable Finance Week convened by Bloomberg will expand beyond events in New York to Toronto this year. Taking place during the first week of December, Sustainable Finance Week (SFW) conversations in both cities will focus on how we accelerate the mobilization of the next $10 trillion in sustainable investment. With over $30 trillion of […]

Coal mines are in trouble. Investors continue to flee the sector, while once-giant companies like Murray Energy are declaring bankruptcy. With the coal mining sector on the ropes, now is a great time to pit two of the largest companies — Glencore and BHP Group — against each other to see who is leading the […]

There have been some promising signs of progress in business education of late. Special issues of top-tier academic journals are being devoted to sustainability and the climate crisis. New core and elective business-school courses are exploring United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. More scholars interested in sustainability are being hired. Much heavy lifting remains, […]

Images of the Amazon rainforests engulfed by smoke and flames that spread across the globe in recent months were a clear signal about the growing urgency to tackle devastating deforestation. The ongoing destruction reminded us of the need to ensure that we all do our part to protect the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest. Tropical […]

October 21, 2019 /3BL Media/ – The nonprofit organization Ceres announced today it is launching a new multi-million dollar center to ramp up efforts to transform the practices and policies that govern capital markets in order to accelerate wholesale action on reducing the worst financial impacts of the global climate crisis and other sustainability threats. […]

There are many voices raised now and joining in the public dialogues on corporate sustainability, citizenship, responsibility, ethics, governance…and more. These fit into the commentary stream on the future of capitalism — and how to make it work for everyone. There are rigorous companion dialogues – rapidly growing in number — related to the role of sustainable investing […]

The United Nations Global Compact has issued new guidance for companies on advancing sustainable development through investments in emerging and frontier markets to leverage private finance to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Released at the SDG Investment Forum hosted by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange as part of its ESG Investor Showcase, the publication — Scaling Finance […]

Ahead of next week’s United Nations Climate Action Summit, a record 515 institutional investors managing $35 trillion in assets urged governments worldwide to step up action to tackle climate change and achieve the Paris Agreement’s goals. The Global Investor Statement to Governments on Climate Change, developed by the seven Founding Partners of The Investor Agenda, calls […]

G&A’s Sustainability Highlights (9.27.2019) ESG equity indexes are certainly all the buzz these days as many more institutional and retail investors are embracing sustainable investing and directing their investment dollars toward existing and new index families that qualify (or purport to qualify) as a suitable ESG/sustainable investment. Of note, Morgan Stanley Institute reports that its […]

October 1, 2019 /3BL Media/ Whirlpool Corporation is among a distinguished group of companies included on the 2019 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) North America Index – a recognition of its longstanding commitment to sustainable business practices. This is not the home appliance manufacturer’s first appearance on the annual index. In fact, Whirlpool Corporation has […]

The Dow Jones Industrial Average. What does this omnipresent ticker in the corner of our TV screens really mean? Is it a gauge of our country’s economic health, an indication of corporate growth, or something else? This week on Sea Change Radio, we discuss the Dow and the stock market as a whole with economic […]

For three decades, The SRI Conference & Community has hosted sustainable, responsible, impact investing practitioners to examine the current state of the industry, and to celebrate achievements in academic research, marketing and individual contributions to the SRI field.  In 2019, The 30th Annual SRI Conference will present these major industry awards:  The Moskowitz Prize, The […]