Having crossed the rubicon from finance into civil society during 2022 after a covid epiphany, I realised my schizophrenic point of view from experiencing Davo could actually be helpful. Whilst it is too easy for both camps to have polarising opinions, the reality is that whilst the forum does need to evolve, Davos does still […]

The United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27, held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, from November 6-18, was an important summit where decisions are expected to be taken to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis. The Conference brought together all parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). COP27 is essential […]

That water is essential to planetary well-being is undeniable. It is indisputable that securing water for different uses provides countries with socio-economic development.

In the wake of the challenges the world is facing, eliminating animal cruelty from our food chain may seem like a low priority. A world still reeling from the pandemic, spiralling cost of living and a war triggering food insecurity, all against the backdrop of climate change, has a lot to worry about. However, underlying all these issues are structural food industry trends that increase the importance of investors fixing the wrongs in our food supply chain.

One subject you can get rare agreement on in the world of ESG is the inconsistency in results and power wielded by ESG rating agencies. This is not gone unnoticed by the regulators as one of the potential enablers of greenwashing.

Nothing in nature goes to waste; its circularity is what maintains it. Circularity is what we need to
achieve with our economy. As well as making sense environmentally, it can create new and decent jobs,
and positively impact disadvantaged communities.
A circular economy underpins sustainable long-term growth and makes good business sense. Second
life is given to products or their components through recycling and reusing. Their life cycle is extended,
creating secondary markets, and waste becomes a raw material spurring new businesses that support
this process. This concept imitates nature, where everything has purpose and value; everything is used
and waste becomes a resource.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has reminded us how interdependent and fragile global supply chains are, creating stress for the world’s poor by hindering efforts to fight poverty, food insecurity and famine. This is taking a particularly heavy toll on many African countries.

To compound this further, there is an issue specifically related to the African continent that deserves attention: the design and modus operandi of mainstream rural development. Many decades of discussion and research have evidenced that too much of the aid sent to Africa fails to achieve a lasting impact.

Food is not only nourishing and vital for our survival, but it also conjures up some of our most cherished memories. As the world contemplates food insecurity issues brought on by climate change, the inefficiency of our food supply system and political tensions, investing in a safe and secure food future resonates with all of us, governments and individuals alike.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the world’s leading producer of sunflower seeds, the sixth producer of corn, and the ninth producer of wheat and soy, shows us, in addition to the devastation of the Ukraine war, that our food supply systems are fragile.

As European regulation exposes the challenges in addressing environmental, social and governance factors, developing markets, such as India, may wish to take a flexible approach.
ESG investing is big business, amassing $35tn last year. In some cases, however, it has also led to misrepresentation and greenwashing.

While diversity, equity and inclusion in the workforce may mean different things in different societies, gender diversity has the same meaning across the world

If what gets measured gets managed, what gets disclosed gets discussed. And what gets discussed, gets something done about, or so we hope.

With that in mind, shouldn’t regulators require companies to disclose data on women in the workforce? While diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workforce may mean different things in different societies, gender diversity has the same meaning across the world.

As governments revise agricultural rules and supermarkets look at more sustainable supply chains, new opportunities emerge for investors
Agriculture is often identified as one of the sectors most vulnerable to climate change; ironically, it is also one of the largest net carbon-emitting sectors.
Our existing food systems are currently responsible for about one-third of global emissions, while of all food production, around 80 per cent is dedicated to pasture or crops for animal feed.

We all agree that finance has a key role to play in getting us to net zero. But we can’t ignore the elephant in the room: the inherent conflict between the “E,” the “S,” and the “G” in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. As much as we might wish otherwise, the goals embedded in […]

Our diets are addictive. While our bodies require nutrition, Big Food designs products with precise combinations of sugar, salt, fat, and other additives that may be as habit-forming as tobacco or alcohol. Indeed, the food supply chain has some parallels with that of prescription opioids during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The OxyContin drug scandal in the US provides a useful comparison to the food supply chain.

Do your words have meaning? Do they hold true value? Is there an implied truth that adds weight to them or are your words just for effect without any meaning for tomorrow? Greenwashing is becoming a major problem in the corporate world and is inhibiting investment in new technologies and companies. In society, we try to protect commitments that have been made to us with contracts, laws, agreements and enforcement.

Sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting is also undergoing external assurance in order to nurture trust. Ninety-one percent of 1,400 companies across 22 jurisdictions report some level of sustainability information and 51% offer some level of assurance. That’s according to “The State of Play in Sustainability Assurance,” a recent report from the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants

Imagine a modern-day family, where parents were about to send their children to school. There would
be no question that most parents would try to send their children to the best school and encourage
them to speak their minds openly, no matter their gender. These parents would be highly insulted if it
was suggested that they would behave otherwise.
Despite this, the same cannot always be said for company culture.

Define the Why

Within asset management, the story of recent years has been the emergence of sustainability or ESG tainted products. Redecorating existing funds to create a ESG look-and-feel has been a new trend on the back of substantial flows into ESG products. Yet many investors and clients are very smart and they are developing the skills to be able to tell very easily if an investment strategy is genuinely authentic. Besides, regulators also have started paying attention, especially in Europe, to the issue of funds which use pretended or misinforming names.

What type of a society do we want to live in? Do we want a world where every human being is able to live in dignity or a world that continues to be ruled by rising imbalances?

It is British philosopher Alain de Botton who said: ‘’we become fully human only through education’’. We expect education to be accessible, free and compulsory everywhere in the world; but in reality, according to the United Nations, there are still 260 million children out of school!

The need for corporate purpose and the question of “why” companies do what they do is becoming ever more important. For a corporation articulating an inspiring purpose to all the stakeholders and especially to the employees is just a first step. Next comes the challenge of how to walk the talk?

Previously in our Blog, we have explored the need for corporate purpose and to ask the question “why” companies do what they do. We emphasized the significance of an inspiring purpose articulated in the form of a mission statement in ensuring durable, high quality relationships with stakeholders.

There are different ways an organization can attract and engage its various stakeholders. Having an inspiring purpose articulated in form of a mission statement may be one of the most effective ways. An even simpler concept is presented by Simon Sinek, the British-American author, who offers “WHY” as an influential notion in his impactful book “Start with why”.

“Trust is the essence of good governance and the foundation for sustainable development.” Trust is very fragile. It takes special attention to detail to build and even more to protect it. As Warren Buffet says “It takes years to build a reputation and seconds to ruin it.”