All Things Sustainable

S&P Global

Tune in to All Things Sustainable, a podcast from S&P Global (formerly ESG Insider). Each week we explore the critical sustainability topics transforming the business landscape. Join us every Friday for engaging interviews with global leaders and clear explanations of the latest sustainability headlines.

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352 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes352

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Aug 26, 2022 · 27 min
What landmark new US climate law means for emissions
On Aug. 16th, 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, or IRA. The IRA is a comprehensive energy and climate law that allocates nearly $370 billion in federal spending to decarbonization efforts over the next decade. In this episode of ESG Insider, we take a deep dive into those measures and explore the implications for the goal President Biden set to cut U.S. emissions by at least 50% by 2030 relative to 2005 levels. We talk with Robbie Orvis, Senior Director for Modeling and Analysis at Energy Innovation, a non-partisan energy and climate policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. "There is a pretty clear path now to" achieving Biden's emissions reduction goals, he tells us. At the same time, says Robbie, "there are lots of things that have to go right to hit those types of targets and numbers," including building out U.S. electric transmission capacity to accommodate future renewable generation, and tackling workforce and supply chain challenges. Listen to our episode on the low-carbon strategies of U.S. automaker General Motors here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/how-automaker-gm-is-tackling-climate-change-social-equity-and-supply-chain-risk To hear more about the implications of the Inflation Reduction Act, listen to a recent episode of the Energy Evolution podcast from our colleagues at S&P Global Market Intelligence here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-will-us-democrats-new-deal-on-climate-affect-the/id1485337462?i=1000575106791 We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo credit: Getty Images Copyright © 2022 by S&P Global DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.
Aug 19, 2022 · 20 min
How Chief Sustainability Officers are becoming a 'must-have' for companies
In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we explore the evolving role of the Chief Sustainability Offer, which is taking on greater importance in many organizations as awareness of environmental, social and governance issues grows. In many companies, the CSO is now working in tandem with Chief Executives and Chief Financial Officers. Often CSOs act as the "glue" embedding sustainability throughout company strategy and across different departments, Francesca Messini tells us in the episode. Francesca is a sustainability leader at audit, consulting and advisory firm Deloitte and an author behind a new report about the rise of CSOs in the European banking industry. The report was jointly published in June 2022 by Deloitte and the European Banking Federation, a trade group. "The Chief Sustainability Officer is not anymore a 'nice-to-have' role, but is a 'must have,' and has been proved to be essential to steer the sustainability strategy and the commitments that the banks are taking," Francesca says. We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo credit: Getty Images DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.
Aug 12, 2022 · 23 min
How central banks help combat climate change: An interview with NGFS Chair Ravi Menon
In the last few years, central banks have played an increasing role in measuring the impacts of climate change on financial systems and economies. In 2017, a handful of central banks established the Network for Greening the Financial System, or NGFS. The network now has more than 100 members from around the globe working to manage and measure the risks climate change poses to financial stability. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we speak with NGFS Chair Ravi Menon, who is also managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the central bank of Singapore. He talks about the work of the NGFS, the challenges of addressing physical risk and transition risk, and the role of central banks in combating climate change. "The challenge of climate change is so pervasive, you really need a whole-of-nation, whole-of-society response," he says. "Central banks, being a major part of that ecosystem, have an important role to play. But it is not a primary role. It can't be the key needle mover. It needs to work together with the rest of the government, the financial industry and other stakeholders in this effort." Listen to our episode about the climate stress test France's central bank conducted here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/heres-how-you-stress-test-for-climate-risk-according/id1475521006?i=1000525188660 We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo credit: Getty Images DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.
Aug 5, 2022 · 21 min
What Harry Potter and sustainability rules have in common
Regulation is transforming the world of environmental, social and governance investing, and in many areas, Europe has been leading the charge on new rules and standards. In June 2022, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU reached a provisional agreement on new sustainability reporting rules for companies, known as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, or CSRD. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast we speak to Adrie Heinsbroek, Chief Sustainability Officer at Netherlands-based asset manager NN Investment Partners, to get the investor view on how the changes could impact ESG-focused fund managers — and how the sorting hat from Harry Potter helps explain the trajectory of ESG regulation. Listen to our previous episode about CSRD here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/csrd-eus-latest-proposed-addition-to-alphabet-soup/id1475521006?i=1000529859763 Read our monthly ESG Regulatory Tracker here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/esg-regulatory-tracker-june-2022 We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo credit: Getty Images DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.
Jul 29, 2022 · 27 min
How nature disclosure is evolving through challenges
The rapid decline of the world's biodiversity poses big financial risks to businesses and the global economy. One of the organizations working to help companies assess, report and act on these risks is the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, or TNFD. The TNFD has been busy since forming in 2021 — releasing beta disclosure frameworks and launching pilot projects to test out these frameworks. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we speak with one of the experts deeply involved in crafting the frameworks, Emily McKenzie, who is Technical Director of the TNFD Secretariat. "We're trying to create a framework that's global, aligned with the global sustainability reporting baseline, but also flexible to be applicable in jurisdictions that may be more ambitious than that," Emily tells us. Listen to our episode featuring an interview with TNFD co-chair Elizabeth Mrema here: https://soundcloud.com/esginsider/the-new-task-force-in-town We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo credit: Getty Images DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.
Jul 22, 2022 · 24 min
How one large insurer is tackling climate transition risk
In this episode of ESG Insider we're talking with one of the largest U.S. property and casualty insurers, Liberty Mutual Insurance, about how the company is integrating climate change risk into its investment decisions and underwriting practices. We interview Rakhi Kumar, Senior Vice President for Sustainability Solutions and Business Integration at Liberty Mutual Insurance, about a recent climate transition scenario analysis by the insurer. "As much as we may want to go faster, we have to recognize that there are realities that need to happen," says Rakhi. The analysis found that the lack of a coordinated global policy approach among countries presents the most immediate and greatest source of climate transition risk to companies. Listen to the ESG Insider episode from the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit in New York here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/on-the-ground-in-nyc-how-climate-change-is-forcing-a-new-type-of-financial-literacy Listen to the episode where we talk with MunichRe about the insurer's approach to natural disasters here: https://soundcloud.com/esginsider/how-one-of-the-worlds-1 Listen to our episode featuring Manulife's Global Chief Sustainability Officer here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/why-esg-experts-say-don-t-let-perfect-be-the-enemy-of-good We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo credit: Getty Images DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.
Jul 15, 2022 · 31 min
The man behind many of those ESG acronyms
"If there's an acronym in the disclosure space, I usually was involved," quipped Curtis Ravenel at the recent GreenFin conference in New York. Curtis is Senior Advisor for the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, or GFANZ, and Member of the Secretariat for the FSB Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, or TCFD. In an interview for this episode of the ESG Insider podcast following the conference, Curtis discusses the convergence happening among the alphabet soup of sustainability standard setters; the net zero transition; and the path forward during a time of tension in the ESG world. To hear our previous interview with Curtis: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/esg-experts-are-watching-these-sustainability-trends-in-2022 To read more about GFANZ guidance on credible net zero transition plans: https://www.gfanzero.com/ S&P Global Sustainable1 was a sponsor of GreenFin. We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo credit: Getty Images DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.
Jul 8, 2022 · 34 min
Why ESG experts say: Don't let perfect be the enemy of good
In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast we bring you highlights from the GreenFin conference, which convened stakeholders from across the green finance ecosystem. The evolution of ESG data was a big topic at the event and in our interviews with attendees. We talk with Manulife Global Chief Sustainability Officer Sarah Chapman; Nasdaq Global Head of Sustainability Evan Harvey; and Joel Makower, who is chairman and co-founder of GreenBiz Group, the media and events company that hosted the event. S&P Global Sustainable1 was a sponsor of GreenFin. We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo credit: Getty Images DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.
Jul 1, 2022 · 33 min
Unpacking the SEC's proposed ESG fund rules
Amid rapid growth in ESG investment, regulators around the world are developing sustainability-focused rules. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we explore new rules proposed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that involve sustainable or ESG-labeled funds. To get a better understanding, we talk with Aniket Shah, managing director and global head of environmental, social and governance and sustainability research at Jefferies Group. We also speak with George Raine, a partner in the asset management group at the law firm Ropes & Gray, and Lance Dial, a partner in the ESG & Sustainability group at law firm Morgan Lewis. We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Listen to our episode on the EU's Sustainable Finance Disclosure regulation here: https://soundcloud.com/esginsider/new-eu-sustainable-finance Read our monthly Regulatory Tracker here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/esg-regulatory-tracker-may-2022 Photo credit: S&P Global Sustainable1
Jun 24, 2022 · 27 min
What a new EU energy plan means for renewables investment
The European Commission in May proposed its 'REPowerEU' plan to wean the EU off supplies of Russian fossil fuels and accelerate its transition to a low-carbon economy. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we talk with experts about the plan and what it means for investment in renewables. We speak with Elisabetta Cornago, senior research fellow at think tank the Centre for European Reform. We talk to Hans Stegeman, chief investment strategist at asset manager Triodos Investment Management. And we hear from Dries Acke, policy director of SolarPower Europe, which represents the solar power industry. We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo credit: Getty Images
Jun 17, 2022 · 27 min
How ESG is becoming 'table stakes' for private equity
In recent years, we've seen an explosion of interest in ESG investing, and private equity firms are part of that growing trend. In this episode of ESG Insider, we sit down with Lisa Hall, Impact Chair at Apollo Global Management. Apollo is one of the largest investing firms in the U.S. and pursues a number of strategies ranging from investment grade debt to private equity. Lisa talks about how ESG is becoming "table stakes" across industries and investment strategies. She also explains how Apollo's new private equity impact investing strategy aims to fill ESG financing gaps in education, health, safety, wellness and economic opportunity. "We very clearly are providing services and products that certain markets have not traditionally had access to," Lisa says. "That additionality and focus on underserved markets is something that we haven't explicitly or intentionally done in the traditional flagship funds that we are doing with a great deal of intention in the impact strategy." We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). To listen to our episode from the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit in New York: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/on-the-ground-in-nyc-how-climate-change-is-forcing-a-new-type-of-financial-literacy Photo credit: Getty Images
Jun 13, 2022 · 19 min
How automaker GM is tackling climate change, social equity and supply chain risks
When it comes to tackling climate change, scientists say making transformative changes to the transportation sector will be key. For example, curbing vehicle transportation emissions will require a rapid scaling up of electric vehicle charging infrastructure as well as EV manufacturing. At the same time, companies are grappling with how to ensure the low-carbon transition balances climate goals with social ones. In this episode of ESG Insider, we talk with Hina Baloch, Executive Director for Data Analytics, Sustainability and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and STEM Education Communications at General Motors, one of largest auto manufacturers in the U.S. GM has made several low-carbon pledges and is working on ensuring an equitable and just transition as it pursues those goals. The company is also moving to shore up access to new domestic resources for critical minerals after the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict exposed weaknesses in global supply chains. "A resilient local supply chain is going to be very important for a sustainable manufacturing future," says Hina. "Ensuring sustainability, ensuring scalability, ensuring security and ensuring cost competitiveness of our supply chain locally is extremely important." Correction: This episode was updated to remove a reference to the location of where GM's Cadillac LYRIQ is being built. It is being built in Tennessee and not in New York. We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). To listen to our episode from the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit in New York: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/on-the-ground-in-nyc-how-climate-change-is-forcing-a-new-type-of-financial-literacy To read more about expectations for electric vehicle sales, read this report by S&P Global Commodity Insights: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/market-insights/latest-news/energy-transition/042222-surging-ev-sales-hitting-high-lithium-prices-supply-chain-constraints-experts Photo credit: Getty Images
Jun 3, 2022 · 26 min
Heineken's holistic approach to ESG
In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we sit down with Jan-Willem Vosmeer, Global Manager of Sustainable Development and Stakeholder Engagement at The Heineken Company. He talks about how the brewer is working with suppliers to reduce emissions, the challenges of working in a water-intensive industry, and how to make agriculture sustainable. But he says Heineken is focused on more than just environmental issues. It seeks to embed sustainability throughout its entire business, including through net zero goals, addressing responsible drinking and working to further diversity, equity and inclusion. "There's a lot of focus on the environmental part, but for me, it's really always a holistic agenda," Jan-Willem says. "So the S of social is as important as the environmental part, and they're also interlinked." We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Register for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/sp-global-sustainable1-summit?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=ESGInsiderAd To listen to our episode from the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit in Paris: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/on-the-ground-in-paris-long-term-net-zero-goals-need-urgent-action To listen to our episode from the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit in New York: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/on-the-ground-in-nyc-how-climate-change-is-forcing-a-new-type-of-financial-literacy Photo credit: Getty Images
May 27, 2022 · 32 min
On the ground in NYC: How climate change is forcing a new type of financial literacy
Corporates, financial institutions, investors and academics gathered in New York City on May 17 for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit to discuss topics such as net zero, the energy transition and ESG data challenges. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we bring you highlights from the panel discussions as well as interviews on the sidelines of the event. We hear from Emily Chew, Chief Responsible Investment Officer at Calvert Research and Management, one of the largest responsible investment companies in the U.S. Emily talks about the intense level of engagement and coordination that climate change requires of companies. "Every organization needs this multi-stakeholder, multi-pronged approach," she says. "It really stretches us into this new ... type of financial literacy that pertains to climate." We also hear from the largest bank in the U.S. Rama Variankaval, Global Head of the Center for Carbon Transition at JPMorgan Chase and Co., talks about the challenge of putting climate targets into practice. "We published a target and that's when the real work started," Rama says. "It's easy enough to put a glossy 20 pages with numbers on it and pretty pictures of trees, etc. But then you have to go and say: Ok, what do you do with this?" We also sit down on the sidelines of the event with Josh Green, Co-Founder and COO of technology platform Novata, to talk about the role of private equity markets in ESG. "If all the public companies in the world are fantastic in reducing their carbon emissions but private companies keep doing business as usual, we are not going to solve our climate problem," he says. And we talk with Simran Heer, Program Manager at Microsoft, who explains how the company uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to tackle sustainability issues. We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Register for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/sp-global-sustainable1-summit?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=ESGInsiderAd Photo credit: Getty Images
May 20, 2022 · 32 min
On the ground in Paris: Long-term net zero goals need urgent action
Around 300 corporates, financial institutions, investors and academics gathered in Paris on May 10 for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit to discuss topics including net zero, biodiversity, the energy transition and the ESG data challenge. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we sit down on the sidelines of the event with Sagarika Chatterjee, high level champion for climate action and the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, or GFANZ. Sagarika talks about the importance of credible, near-term net zero targets. "This has to be about the next five years. It can't be about only the next 20 or the next 30," she tells us. We also sit down with Magnus Billing, CEO of Sweden's largest pension fund, Alecta. He says carbon pricing could be part of the solution in getting to net zero. "The market doesn't have the proper incentives today to take action," he tell us. "The drive to make changes and take actions would be enormously higher if we had a correct price on the actual cost" of carbon. We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Register for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/sp-global-sustainable1-summit?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=ESGInsiderAd Photo credit: Getty Images
May 13, 2022 · 27 min
A new economic model for the climate change era
Stakeholder capitalism — the idea that companies are responsible to a wide range of stakeholders in addition to shareholders — was a big focus at the last iteration of Davos, the annual meeting hosted by the World Economic Forum that brings together global leaders from governments, business and academia in Switzerland. In 2022, Davos is scheduled to take place the week of May 22. Ahead of that event, we're talking with Bruno Roche, the former Mars Inc. chief economist who founded the Economics of Mutuality platform. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, Bruno outlines a new approach to corporate performance measurement and accounting. "Fifty years ago, financial capital was scarce, but natural resources were overly abundant. Today, it's just the opposite — financial capital is overly abundant and natural resources are scarce," Bruno tells us in this episode of the ESG Insider podcast. "Yet our economic model has not changed. So there is something wrong." Bruno proposes a total rethink of corporate purpose to an approach that is more focused on a wide range of stakeholders. "The purpose of business is about creating scalable and profitable solutions to the problems of people and planet — not profiting from creating problems," he says. We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Register for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/sp-global-sustainable1-summit?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=ESGInsiderAd Photo credit: Getty Images
May 6, 2022 · 21 min
How human rights are moving up the agenda for businesses, investors
Human rights problems lurking in supply chains — from child labor and unfair wages to unsafe working conditions — are moving up the ESG agenda for many companies and investors. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we explore how the issue is evolving. One force behind this change is new legislation being rolled out that requires companies to identify, measure and tackle human rights risk related to their business activities. Another is a warming climate, and the way the physical impacts of climate change can affect societies and workers and disrupt the global flow of goods and services. The human rights topic is also coming into sharper focus following the COVID-19 pandemic and amid instances of localized conflict in different parts of the world. Meanwhile, social media and other tech businesses face their own human rights issues, ranging from data privacy to hate speech. In this episode, we talk with human rights experts from three organizations: asset manager Robeco, law firm Clifford Chance, and the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, a U.K.-based nonprofit. We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Register for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/sp-global-sustainable1-summit?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=ESGInsiderAd Photo credit: Getty Images
Apr 29, 2022 · 26 min
EU bank regulator puts spotlight on ESG disclosures
Regulation is increasingly shaping the agenda for environmental, social and governance-focused investors. In many parts of the world, regulators are working to bring clarity to an often-confusing ESG market amid an alphabet soup of different voluntary frameworks. The European Banking Authority, which oversees EU banks, is one such regulator. Earlier this year, it said it will ask banks to disclose information on climate risks and their plans to address those risks from 2023. For this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we interviewed Pilar Gutierrez, Head of Reporting and Transparency at the EBA, about the new standards, how they fit with a push for more standardized reporting internationally, and what improvements banks will have to make. "Many corporates or banks are already providing disclosure reports on nonfinancial information according to the TCFD recommendations," Pilar tells us. "But when assessing these reports, we still observe growth for improvement in terms of consistency and comparability of the disclosures." We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Register for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/sp-global-sustainable1-summit?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=ESGInsiderAd Photo credit: Getty Images
Apr 22, 2022 · 29 min
Path to net zero for energy systems: Complicated but feasible, IPCC finds
A new report from the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, charts a challenging but feasible course ahead for many sectors in achieving net zero emissions. The report warns that delayed action could result in significantly worse losses and damages, including trillions of dollars worth of stranded fossil fuel assets. In this Earth Day episode of ESG Insider, we talk with a contributing author to the report, John Bistline. John is Program Manager in the Energy Systems and Climate Analysis Group at the Electric Power Research Institute, or EPRI. He explains that a low-carbon future will depend on transforming energy systems that rely on electricity or fossil fuels to operate. And he talks about the potential challenges energy systems face in pursuing net zero emissions by 2050, and the actionable takeaways in the report for companies. "The next steps are thinking about these credible commitments to public policy, private investment, to innovation. And in the near term, that may mean doubling down on options that previous decades have helped to make cheap," he says. "We're also going to see a lot of work trying to scale the technologies that are needed to reach net zero emissions across the economy. And I think in order to do that, there's going to be a lot of interest, a lot of investment in these options that today are sort of more at a pilot scale." Listen to our episode on the IPCC's previous February 2022 climate adaptation report here: https://soundcloud.com/esginsider/ipcc-climate-report-warns Listen to our episode on the IPCC's August 2021 report about the scientific basis for climate change here: https://soundcloud.com/esginsider/in-fighting-climate-change Register for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/sp-global-sustainable1-summit?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=ESGInsiderAd We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo credit: Getty Images
Apr 15, 2022 · 25 min
Why Bank of America says Scope 3 emissions "biggest challenge" for banks
The world is working to meet ambitious environmental, social and governance targets in the form of the Paris Agreement and the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals. It's clear that banks will play a central role in financing the changes needed to meet these goals. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we talk with Karen Fang, Global Head of Sustainable Finance at Bank of America, about how one of the largest U.S. banks is approaching sustainability challenges. In the episode, Karen discusses the bank's goal of deploying and mobilizing $1.5 trillion in sustainable finance by 2030, how Bank of America is working to align SDG and ESG goals, and steps the bank is taking to meet its own net zero goal. She also talks about the new climate disclosure proposal from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the difficulty of measuring and managing Scope 3 emissions. "For us, as a bank, the biggest challenge is Scope 3 because that's our entire supply chain and value chain," Karen says. "It really takes all of our clients that we lend money to and invest in to work with us on a credible transition plan to transition to net zero so our financing and investment emissions — which is the biggest contributor of our Scope 3 emissions — can be neutralized over time." Listen to our recent episode on the SEC's climate disclosure proposal here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/unpacking-implications-of-the-sec-s-proposed-climate-disclosure-rule Register for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/sp-global-sustainable1-summit?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=ESGInsiderAd We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo credit: Bank of America