In a landmark decision for sustainable finance, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the Green Impact Exchange (GIX) as a national securities exchange. This approval marks a significant step toward integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into the core of capital markets. A New Era for
by Matthew Sekol There are a few things you can say that get me into a huff real quick. And then there’s something that really gets me going. Whenever I ask a company about its climate risk, I almost always get blank stares. Cue the facepalm! 🤦♂️ In today’s world of ongoing
Key Impact Points: Strategic Leadership in Sustainability Westpac has appointed Fiona Wild as its new Chief Sustainability Officer, signaling the company’s strengthened focus on climate action, biodiversity, Indigenous engagement, and human rights. Wild emphasized the urgency of climate action: “If we are to address the issue of climate change at
Key Impact Points: Restoring Hope in the Eastern Himalayas High in West Bengal’s mountains, farmer Prabhat Rai faced devastating erosion due to deforestation and climate change. “Rainfall would strip away the soil, making it harder to farm and build a future for our children,” Prabhat said. “Before, we had no
Key Impact Points: Driving Sustainability with Data The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Zero Waste Foundation have launched a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing global sustainability through innovative waste management solutions. This collaboration falls under UNEP’s “Early Warning and Global Environmental Monitoring Services” initiative, addressing the triple planetary
Governments and corporations around the world increasingly recognize the necessity of a cohesive, collaborative approach to address global sustainability challenges. Once a celebrated benchmark for corporate responsibility, the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework now faces significant skepticism and diminishing traction. In its place, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals
Key Impact Points: Groundbreaking Social Finance Initiative Standard Chartered has launched its first-ever Social Bond, issuing EUR1 billion aimed primarily at financing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), healthcare, education, essential infrastructure, and food security projects in emerging markets. Around USD4.2 trillion in annual investment is needed across emerging markets to
Key Impact Points: Historic Cross-Sector Collaboration On the sidelines of CERAWeek 2025 in Houston, leading global corporations have made a historic pledge to significantly expand nuclear energy. Companies including Google, Amazon, Meta, and Dow have joined forces with 14 global banks, 140 nuclear industry firms, and 31 countries in supporting
Key Impact Points: Accelerating Sustainable Materials The LEGO Group significantly advanced its commitment to sustainability in 2024, ensuring half of the materials purchased for LEGO bricks were sustainably sourced. This marks a notable increase from 18% in 2023, with 47% certified mass balance materials, translating to around 33% renewable sources,
Key Impact Points: Growing Importance of Nature Reporting Until recently, very few companies considered nature-related impacts in their reporting. Now, reporting on nature is increasingly crucial as businesses recognize their dependencies and impacts on ecosystems. Companies have begun embracing comprehensive frameworks as investors, regulators, and consumers demand transparency. Key Frameworks
