What constitutes a material ESG issue – and who decides? In this episode, Robert Eccles, Visiting Professor of Management Practice at Saïd Business School, Oxford University, dives into materiality, the distinction between sustainability and ESG and why views on ESG are so polarised in the US. Robert also tells us what he thinks is the difference between financial and ESG reporting, and how we can find common ground to more efficiently fight climate change.

How can we keep Scope 3 emissions reporting consistent? With the launch of FTSE Russell’s latest research report ‘Scope for improvement: Solving the Scope 3 conundrum’, Jaakko Kooroshy, Global Head of Sustainable Investment Research at LSEG, unpacks the report’s findings including why Scope 3 emissions are so important for companies to measure and for investors to understand. Jaakko also explains why companies are confused about reporting, what should be considered a material category and how to drive better consistency for company reporting. Read the report here: Scope for improvement: Solving the Scope 3 conundrum | LSEG

David Atkin, CEO of the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), joins us this episode to discuss how PRI has evolved its strategic plans and received so much support from the investor community since its launch in 2006. As well as delving into PRI’s three-year strategic plan, David also talks about their key focus areas for the long term, the role of PRI today, and how they have approached the tensions created by the introduction of regulation in the ESG space.

How can we mobilise finance in support of a just transition? In this episode, Nick Robins, Professor in Practice of Sustainable Finance at London School of Economics discusses what a just climate transition looks like, the importance of putting people at the heart of transition plans and why this has recently become a priority. Nick also explores examples of innovative financial approaches in raising capital that align with climate transition including the formation of Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs).

The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), a global initiative delivering a risk management and disclosure framework for nature-related risks, was launched in 2021 and delivered its final recommendations in November 2023. How did the TNFD publish their recommendations so swiftly, and how do they plan to scale its adoption? In this episode, Tony Goldner, Executive Director at TNFD answers these questions as well as explaining why they are at Davos this week, and their goals for 2024 and beyond.

In this episode we hear from LSEG's COP 28 delegation David Harris, Head of Sustainable Finance Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships and Adrian Rimmer, Director Sustainable Finance Capital Markets. They get into the latest COP agreement and the transition away from fossil fuels, how the conference has increased its focus on private companies and the finance sector, and what this means for Exchanges across the world. David also shares the recent launch of The Net-Zero Data Public Utility project (NZDPU) and its impact on climate reporting. Find out more: https://nzdpu.com/home

With 45% of the global population living in rural areas in developing countries, how can more capital be targeted to tackle poverty and food insecurity in these communities? The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), which is issuing bonds on the London Stock Exchange Sustainable Bond Market, is an international financial institution with this goal in mind. In this episode, Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD, discusses how they decide where to invest, how they measure impact, and which projects they are funding. Alvaro also explains the link between small-scale rural agriculture in developing countries and global capital markets, and why poverty is often concentrated in rural areas.

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) was the first bank in the GCC to commit to net zero, trailblazing sustainability in the region. In this episode, Sarah Pirzada Usmani, Managing Director, Head of Loan Capital Markets & Sustainable Finance at FAB discusses how they began to focus on sustainable finance, how their ESG strategy has evolved and how this shift has changed their relationships with their clients. Sarah also delves into the UAE’s recent actions following their 2021 pledge to reach Net Zero by 2050.

What are the benefits and limitations of ESG ratings? In this episode, Florian Berg, Research Scientist at MIT and co-founder of the Aggregate Confusion Project delves into the topic, talking about how ESG ratings have evolved, their strengths and weaknesses, and whether measurement creates tangible outcomes. Florian also discusses the largely-debated question about alpha in the ESG space and why we have aggregate confusion.

How can you discover the sustainability-related risks and opportunities impacting a company’s future? In this episode, Sue Lloyd, Vice Chair of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), talks about their newly launched standards for corporate sustainability reporting, explaining their purpose and how they were developed so quickly. Sue also explains how different jurisdictions are approaching its adoption and how ISSB’s standards operate alongside previously established standards in Europe as well as climate transition plans.