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The COP30 summit in Brazil marked a key moment for countries to restate their climate commitments and announce new 2035 targets. Focussing on national climate plans, Carmen Nuzzo and Antonina Scheer at the TPI Global Climate Transition Centre (TPI Centre) at the London School of Economics and Political Science discuss the value of evidence-based ASCOR research in informing investor-sovereign engagement and showing how governments can drive investment in climate action.

Chronos Sustainability has produced a new guide for graduates and sustainability professionals looking to build their careers in sustainability consultancy.

The guide – which includes insights and case-studies from industry practitioners across the range of consultancy firm types and sizes – includes:

·       A description of what sustainability consulting is and what sustainability consultants do?

·       A discussion of what skills, qualifications and attributes are needed to succeed in sustainability consulting.

·       Hints on how to get started and on how to build a career in sustainability consulting

·       Reflections on the trends in sustainability consulting.

·       Suggestions on useful resources and further reading.

It also contains a series of practical self-assessment checklists covering topics such as

1.      Is sustainability consulting the right career for you (e.g. do you thrive on variety, are you comfortable managing tight deadlines and uncertainty)?

2.      What qualifications do you need (e.g. what level of qualification do you need, what are the preferred subject areas/disciplines, what professional certifications are valued by employers)?

3.      What skills and attributes do you need (e.g. can you communicate effectively with a range of audiences, can you assess and analyse data and generate practical insights)?

4.      How can you get started in sustainability consulting (e.g. how can you demonstrate your interest in sustainability, what skills and experience do you have, how can you develop the skills you need)?

The Chronos Sustainability Guide to Careers in Sustainability follows the publication last year of the Chronos Sustainable Finance Careers Guide – a collaboration with LSE to help young professionals find pathways into sustainable finance. 

Allocation & impact metrics for Equality Progress Sustainability (EPS) Bond 3 and Green Bond 6 (renewables, affordable housing, social inclusion, etc.). 

Detailed KPIs such as GHG emissions avoided, water savings and social metrics (affordable housing units, mortgages to first-time buyers, loans in qualifying communities).

Describes JPM’s approach to environmental, social and climate-related matters, aligning to GRI, SASB and TCFD frameworks.

Split between investment stewardship (engagements, proxy voting, ESG integration) and corporate sustainability (people, environment, community, governance).

Highlights include 38 ESG engagements with 30 investee companies, UN SDG framing, and a detailed proxy-voting appendix.

Stewardship approach across equities, fixed income, infra, real estate, agri, etc.

Engagement and proxy voting case studies, climate and sustainability themes across their various platforms.

Sets out governance of stewardship, RI resources and team, engagement and voting approach, conflicts of interest management, etc.

Explores engagement themes like the High Seas Treaty and ocean-related risks, AI’s power demand, and voting trends across Asia & EM.

Case-study-heavy engagement report with voting and engagement highlights

• NEI’s RI model, governance and implementation.
• Stewardship chapter: corporate dialogues, engagement themes and outcomes, proxy voting stats (1,005 AGMs voted; 450 shareholder proposals, etc.).
• Policy activity and collaborations (e.g. PRI, Climate Engagement Canada, OGMP 2.0)

Join Findlay Park CEO Rose Vangerven and Canbury’s Head of North America, Gregory Elders, for a briefing at Canbury Insights' London office on U.S. sustainable investing. The shifts underway are forcing changes that could reorient many investors' approach to stewardship and sustainable investing.

We will share insights on what U.K. investors need to know now about the U.S.:

• U.S. market dynamics
• Dismantling of sustainability-related policy and regulatory frameworks
• Shareholder engagement, and federal and state challenges to proxy voting
• California’s climate reporting rules
• Climate physical risks in the U.S.

LOCATION: Canbury Office, 7 Henrietta Street, London, WC2E 8PS

RSVP: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Investment targeting nature-related outcomes needs to scale significantly and swiftly in order to meet the targets set by the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Without significant action to mitigate and reverse nature loss, the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) estimate that we will continue to lose USD$10–25tn per year due to unaccounted-for costs of BAU economic activity. Individual companies will face increasing physical and transition risks as a result.

Key Takeaways

• Looking at corporate bond yields between 2016 and 2024 issued across 57 countries, we find no clear evidence that green bond issuance offers issuers a cheaper cost of capital than conventional bonds.
• We observed a green premium (greenium; a lower yield for green bonds) in 2016-2022 and only in Europe, where the difference was 28 basis points (bps), likely linked to local environmental policies, while green bond issuance has been associated with higher financing costs in North America since 2022 (+46 bps).
• At best, a green label accounts for a negligible share (0.04%) of bond pricing, whereas other factors, such as ratings, maturity dates, volume, currency, sector, and country of issuance explain more than 60% of bond yields.
• The greenium tends to be smaller for issuers of both green and conventional bonds than for issuers tapping only conventional bond markets, indicating that an issuer's characteristics and reputation have a greater influence on funding costs than the label of the issuance.

Asia’s food system is at a pivotal moment. As climate and nature risks intensify across the region, banks will play a defining role in enabling a shift toward more resilient, sustainable, and humane protein supply chains.

ARE’s latest report, Banking Asia’s Protein Transition: Financing the Shift Towards Responsible and Sustainable Food and Agriculture Systems, provides the first comparative assessment of how 24 major banks across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and India are beginning to integrate responsible and sustainable food and agriculture considerations into their financing strategies.

The report identifies early signs of progress—from emerging commitments on deforestation, animal welfare, biodiversity, and plant-based proteins—to initial steps toward climate-aligned lending. Yet significant gaps remain across transparency, risk management, and responsible lending frameworks.

With food and agriculture deeply linked to climate, nature, health, and economic stability, the report outlines how banks can strengthen policies, support deforestation-free and humane production, and seize the transition and green finance opportunities ahead.

ESG sukuk issuance surged by 46% year on year to USD13.5 billion by end-9M25, marking a full-year record. Fitch Ratings expects ESG sukuk to retain a prominent role in emerging markets, with momentum likely to remain solid into 2026.

SMBC and Jefferies co-hosted a forum for senior executives from leading Japanese corporations and investment firms. The event built on Jefferies’ Sustainability and Transition team’s longstanding collaboration with Japanese leaders to unlock opportunities in the country’s climate investing and decarbonization journey.

SMBC and Jefferies explored how Japanese companies can best monetize the energy transition and Green Transformation (GX) Plan, a $1 trillion effort to reduce emissions over the next decade. The event’s themes — pragmatism, value creation, and collaboration — anchored discussion of best practices across Europe, the United States, and China.

Published: November 21, 2025 by Andrew Howell, CFA, Senior Director and Head of Research for Sustainable Finance, EDF and Ismael Hernandez Rivera, Senior Manager Sustainable Finance, EDF

Next week, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) closes its consultation on proposed amendments to several sector-specific disclosure standards (the “SASB standards”) including for coal operations, oil & gas, metals & mining, iron & steel, and processed foods. Among numerous proposed enhancements, one deserves to be called out: the improved treatment of methane disclosures.

Methane is responsible for roughly one-third of today’s global warming, yet many corporate climate disclosures still treat it as a footnote. We strongly support these enhancements and encourage investors and other stakeholders to share their insights into the importance of these proposed changes.

Caroline Li, Deputy Product Manager, sits down with Chen Chen, Head of China Healthcare, to explore the forces driving China’s Healthcare surge, regulatory dynamics and the investment opportunities shaping the sector’s future.

Market commentary - Scott Voss, Managing Director, Senior Market Strategist

"At the Paris AI Action Summit this past February, Dario Amodei, CEO of AI superpower Anthropic, offered a striking analogy: As early as 2026 or 2027, AI systems will be “akin to an entirely new state populated by highly intelligent people appearing on the global stage—a ‘country of geniuses in a datacenter’—with the profound economic, societal, and security implications that would bring.” 

If this is true, I wonder if this “AI nation” will have a seat at the table when and if we need to renegotiate sovereignty, trade, governance, or climate policy? And which large language model will inform its worldview?....."

"Our 2025 Annual Sustainable Investing Report describes in detail how we put this principle into practice, investing with responsibility and purpose in order to drive long-term value for our clients, partners, and the communities in which we operate."

The latest round of COP talks feels like a process that’s running on fumes. Attendance and engagement from the biggest emitters is patchy, the targets lack any real step-up in ambition, and the agenda on deforestation – arguably one of the fastest levers we have – is almost empty. For investors looking for a clear policy signal, there’s very little: no strong framework to anchor capital allocation, no new guardrails to change behaviour, and no sense that the process is catching up with the physical urgency of the problem. 

A fossil fuel phase-out agreement turned out to be elusive and while COP30 did deliver several investor-relevant outcomes - from TFFF and forest financing to grid investment and adaptation finance - the lack of a global road map on climate was a disappointment. 

Yet investors will largely carry on with their climate strategies anyway. The growth of climate funds, net zero commitments and transition plans is now driven much more by investors’ own assessment of climate risk – physical, transition and reputational – than by anything that comes out of COP or even by the Paris Agreement as a live reference point. In other words, capital is moving because climate risk is real, not because climate diplomacy is inspiring.

That leaves an uncomfortable disconnect: the COP machinery can keep turning out communiqués and communiqués can keep getting weaker or more qualified, while forests continue to be cleared and global emissions intensity remains stubbornly high. The multilateral process risks becoming a kind of annual climate theatre – important symbolically, but increasingly peripheral to the decisions that actually shape portfolios, business models and land use on the ground.

Key Highlights

• Near-Universal ESG Integration: ESG integration is used by 96% of respondents, covering 87% of AUM and reinforcing RI’s central role in Canadian investment practice.
• High Levels of Reporting Confidence: 69% of respondents express confidence in the overall quality of ESG reporting, while 91% are confident in their own organization’s reporting; calls for greater standardization and independent assurance remain strong.
• Climate Risk as a Leading Driver: Risks associated with a changing climate are now the top driver of RI growth, highlighting the financial materiality of climate considerations.
• Negative Media Narratives as a Barrier: 46% of respondents cite negative media coverage from other jurisdictions as the leading deterrent to RI growth, surpassing greenwashing as a top concern.
• Stewardship and Collaboration Remain Strong: 76% of respondents remain active in collaborative engagement initiatives.
• Steady Growth Expectations: 66% expect RI to continue growing, 31% expect RI levels to remain stable and almost none expect contraction.
• Commitment to RI: 75% say that RI remains a priority within their portfolio management processes, 24% say it is a higher priority

‘Policy Momentum and Public Sentiment ahead of COP30’ Is the US decline spilling over?

The ongoing reversal of US climate policy is driving a record global slowdown in climate action, but at least for now we do not see significant spillovers. Nevertheless, the slowdown is driving worsening sentiment

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: THE DIVERGING GLOBAL POLICY LANDSCAPE JULY-SEPTEMBER 2025

• The global cancellation of hydrogen projects, represents a global re-evaluation of green hydrogen’s role and timeline in the energy transition for heavy industries. While economically advanced nations such as the EU and Germany are adopting more pragmatic hydrogen plans, the developments overall suggest that investments may pivot to other more mature, cost-effective technologies, such as electrification.
• Global climate policy momentum continues to significantly decelerate. But a closer look at policy trends in Q3 2025 and across 2025 more broadly reveal a stark divide between the United States and the rest of the world. While US policy is in reversal, there is no systematic reversal in climate policy momentum anywhere else. With a few limited exceptions, climate policy momentum outside of the US across 2025 largely tracks our expert forecast.
• While momentum is largely keeping pace with 2024 benchmarks, ‘policy sentiment’ – what we define as the narrative around policy actions and announcements – is clearly spilling over to other markets, raising questions for the broader outlook: Is sentiment a canary in the coal mine for decelerating policy momentum outside the US moving forward?
• Does it signal a broader shift from policy to technology drivers as policy becomes less important? Or does it suggest a more general break between the ‘signal’ and the ‘noise’ when it comes to climate policy actions?

The IAEA’s World Fusion Outlook aims to be the global reference for authoritative information and updates on fusion energy — a potentially unlimited, clean energy source, which can contribute to diversification of energy generation in the long term.

The IAEA has been promoting fusion energy research and development for almost 70 years, and it continues to strongly support research and development and future deployment by bringing the fusion community together to create solutions for both scientific and technological challenges.

This third issue of the publication presents a selection of recent achievements in fusion energy, outlines some of the dozens of fusion plant concepts currently at various stages of development worldwide, highlights global efforts in fusion energy development and discusses for the first time the global outlook for fusion energy deployment. As a special focus topic, this edition of the publication explores high temperature superconductors and their potential role in the commercialization of fusion energy.

The Climate Inequality Report 2025 reveals how wealth drives the climate crisis, and proposes new policy options to address it. It builds on the 2023 edition and two years of pioneering research conducted by the World Inequality Lab and universities worldwide.

KEY FINDINGS

• Wealthy individuals fuel the climate crisis through their investments, even more than their consumption and lifestyles. At the world level, the top 1% represent 15% of global consumption-based emissions, while they account for 41% of global emissions associated with private capital ownership.
• Climate change can deepen wealth inequality, while well-designed policies can help reduce it. The top 1% could see their share of world wealth jump from 38% to 46% by 2050 if they own tomorrow’s low-carbon assets....

In October 2023, the EU introduced its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). It requires EU companies that import high-carbon products like aluminium or cement from outside the EU to measure the emissions caused by these products abroad.

Similarly, non-EU countries that export to the EU have to document the emissions of their products. Starting in 2026, the EU will then charge these imports with the same carbon price as the EU emissions certificates that domestic producers have to buy. But how much will this CBAM add to costs in the EU?

The goal is to eliminate the arbitrage opportunity from shifting carbon-intensive production from the EU to a non-EU country where the producers have lower emissions standards and don’t have to pay for emissions.

The State of Climate Action 2025 provides the most comprehensive roadmap yet for closing the global gap in climate action to help keep the Paris Agreement goal within reach, as well as grades collective efforts to combat the climate crisis across key sectors. It finds that recent progress toward 1.5°C-aligned targets has largely failed to materialize at the required pace and scale and highlights where action must accelerate this decade to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, scale up carbon removal and increase climate finance.

An Energy Technology Perspectives Special Report

In modern history, few innovations have been more consequential than the car. Today, cars are central to the lives of millions of people around the world. The market for cars is one of the largest for a single product, and this product represents the single largest source of oil demand, a key trend that the International Energy Agency (IEA) has tracked closely for decades.

What’s more, car manufacturing is a pillar of the economy in many countries today, directly employing over 10 million people across the world – while supporting millions of additional jobs elsewhere in the supply chain, from steel and aluminium production to component manufacturing.

Yet as we look at the data, we can see that the car industry is undergoing major changes, which merit close attention for their implications for energy and economies. Three fundamental shifts are underway – in terms of the geography of car production, in terms of the regions that are driving sales growth, and in terms of the technologies being chosen by consumers. This is posing challenges for many internationally renowned carmakers, which have honed their craft over decades of manufacturing focused on internal combustion engine cars...

New on The CPR Hub from Third Side Strategies:

Our latest study tracks 2025 US corporate political contributions across the S&P 1500—including employee PACs, direct treasury spending, and executive giving.

When we compare 2025 activity to 20 years of historical data, we see anomalies with no precedent in the record. The analysis details those departures from history and considers what they may mean for companies whose political activity and governance frameworks were built for a more stable landscape.

Australia’s energy systems are undergoing a significant transformation, requiring an investment in essential energy infrastructure estimated to be worth over $140 billion by 2050.

This energy transition offers an opportunity for cooperation and mutual financial benefit for investors and First Nations groups.

First Nations people, communities and groups are increasingly looking to co-design, lead and partner or own renewable energy systems.

It is estimated that 43% of all clean energy infrastructure required to get Australia to net zero emissions by 2060 will be sited in regional and remote areas where First Nations groups and communities have rights, interests and aspirations.

Even outside these areas, First Nations groups are rights-holders and represent an integral stakeholder in Australia’s clean energy transition and have the potential to play a significant role in clean energy projects.

International case studies and interviews with project developers and First Nations groups in Australia who have partnered on projects indicate that in addition to creating fairer energy systems, there are quantitative benefits of increased First Nations participation and inclusion across the clean energy project life-cycle.

The five significant benefits identified by this research and consultation include:

1. Quicker project development cycle: First Nations support for clean energy projects can decrease the time taken for projects to progress through the development cycle. The development cycle is accelerated because of broader community support and prioritisation by council and planning authorities. Planning prioritisation can occur because the project has a broader community benefit and is aligned with government policy to support First Nations groups.

2. Greater access to, and potentially lower cost of, capital: Two reasons were identified for the lowering of capital costs. First, socially responsible projects, and projects that provide a demonstrable social benefit, attract broader pools of capital. Capital providers indicated that they would prioritise projects delivering broader benefit to First Nations groups over projects that simply met basic legal and planning requirements. Second, First Nations participation can result in a decreased risk profile due to the faster access to land and other components of the development cycle, resulting in greater likelihood of obtaining capital.

3. Access to, and preference amongst, offtake parties: The markets for offtake are highly competitive. Offtakers’ energy supply tenders often include First Nations involvement as a requirement or preference for clean energy projects from which energy will be purchased. Projects with greater levels of First Nations participation are more highly regarded by offtakers.

4. Secondary market premium valuation: As a result of the benefits identified above, clean energy projects with significant First Nations participation are of higher value in the secondary market.

5. Local workforce benefits: For projects in regional and remote locations, partnering with local First Nations groups provides the opportunity for a relationship with a local workforce. These projects have the ability to optimise construction, operation and management costs by employing a local workforce and engaging with local First Nations-owned businesses. In addition to reducing costs in the construction and operation stages, local employment elevates the profile of projects, increasing attractiveness and potential for support from government programs and schemes.

Getting ESG Right Is Crucial to Identify Risk, Opportunity
 
As ESG moves beyond its label, investors must focus on the industry-specific risks and opportunities that drive company performance — or risk missing major market shifts.

Bloomberg Intelligence’s latest ESG outlook focuses on how financial materiality can unearth potential share price outperformance and identify key ESG themes for 2026.

The global transition stands at a critical crossroads. A decade after the Paris Agreement climate impacts are accelerating: 2024 was the hottest year on record, with direct climate damages reaching USD300bn and broader economic losses in the trillions. Current trends point toward warming above +3°C by 2100, as global emissions failed to fully decouple from economic growth and continued their upward trend over the past decade.

Keeping warming below 2°C will require rapid electrification, steep cuts in fossil-fuel use, and accelerated deployment of clean technologies. With COP30 underway in Belém, the decisions made this year will be pivotal in shaping the global climate trajectory for the next decade.

Progress has accelerated, but major (investment) gaps remain. Renewables overtook coal in global power production in the first half of 2025 and low-carbon electricity capacity has expanded +53% since 2015. Clean-energy costs have fallen sharply - solar by 87%, wind by 48–55% and batteries by over 80% - making them broadly cost-competitive with fossil fuel based alternatives. Low carbon investment has reached USD2.1trn, up 78% over the decade, yet a USD2.6trn annual mitigation gap remains through 2030.

The Allianz Green Transition Tracker reveals both growing momentum and widening divergence. The Tracker evaluates 69 countries across five indicators - carbon and energy intensity, consumption- and territorial-based emissions per capita, and the share of low-carbon electricity - through two dimensions: the Peer Score, which compares current performance across countries, and the Progress Score, which measures each country’s pace of decarbonization relative to its 2015 baseline and the 2050 net-zero target. The results reveal that while many countries are moving faster than commonly assumed, the gap between leaders and laggards is increasing.

Performance today reflects familiar structural differences. The Peer Score highlights that lower-income countries such as Sri Lanka and Colombia perform strongly due to low per-capita emissions, while advanced European economies - led by Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland - score highly thanks to sustained decarbonization and clean-power expansion. In contrast, fossil-fuel-dependent and high-emitting nations, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, China and the United States, continue to lag, reflecting persistent structural reliance on hydrocarbons.
The pace of decarbonization is encouraging, but still not sufficient.

The Progress Score indicates that 15 countries have already covered at least one-third of the distance toward net zero, led by Luxembourg and Switzerland, supported by high energy efficiency and power systems that are over 90% low-carbon. Another 20 countries - including Spain, Brazil, Poland and Australia - have progressed by at least 20%, showing measurable but still insufficient momentum. Meanwhile, major emitters - such as the United States and China, which together account for about 40% of global emissions - have shown only marginal improvement since 2015, underscoring the scale of the remaining challenge.

The ones to watch: A handful of major economies will determine the global outcome. Several countries and regions play a decisive role in the global energy transition, each offering lessons and highlighting persistent challenges.

China drives the global clean-energy expansion, accounting for 42% of international renewable investment and over 60% of wind, solar and battery manufacturing. Yet, it remains the world’s largest emitter, with fossil fuels supplying around 90% of primary energy.

The United States shows partial decoupling, with rising renewables reducing power-sector emissions, but fossil fuels still dominate the energy mix. India is scaling renewables rapidly and has met non-fossil power targets early, yet fossil fuels supply over 93% of energy amid growing demand. Europe leads in emissions reductions and structural decoupling, but consumption-based emissions and fossil reliance persist. 

Brazil combines a clean electricity supply with large carbon sinks, though deforestation and agriculture-related emissions offset progress. Decarbonizing these key economies - together responsible for more than 56% of global emissions - will be critical to keeping global warming in check and advancing a low-carbon future.

"Access to medicines and healthcare in low- and middle-income countries continues to be a challenge for large parts of the world’s population.

There are high expectations of large global pharmaceutical companies to engage in solving these challenges; not doing so can raise serious reputational risk. However, two perspectives remain underexplored in the current global health landscape.

• Firstly, the potential financial upside of company action on global health is less comprehensively investigated compared to the frequent focus on companies’ contributions to societal value creation.
• Secondly, despite a wide range of multistakeholder initiatives that enable dialogue and action on this important issue, the investor view is rarely isolated and examined.

SLR Consulting convened a group of investors to examine access to medicine through the lens of commercial opportunity."

Climate challenges will continue to evolve over the coming decades. Although some companies will avoid making firm commitments, instead leaving these challenges and opportunities to be solved by a future generation of CEOs, the most forward-thinking are already attempting to mitigate risks and protect the durability of their firm’s cash flows. 

This report highlights 21 climate leaders, assessed based on screening criteria that consider efforts towards emissions reductions, the existence of rigorous targets, and good climate governance.

Readers of this report will learn: 

• How Morningstar Sustainalytics distinguishes a company as a Climate Transition Leader.
• Which sector leaders are reducing their climate impact, and how they’re doing it.
• The challenges and opportunities Climate Transition Leaders within each sector. 

Key Insights

• According to the Responsible Investor Nature Survey 2025, 63% of institutional investors believe that their organizations do not have sufficient data to effectively measure nature-related risks, impacts, and dependencies.
• The financial industry is still in the early stages of developing a common taxonomy to identify activities that contribute to nature-positive outcomes, which is a major barrier to implementation.
• More than 85% of countries have not updated and aligned their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans with the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

In Black & White...

Nearly thirty years after the Greenbury report first railed against “fat cat” pay, CEO rewards at major listed companies are bigger than ever – and Elon Musk’s latest trillion-dollar package sets a new high-water mark.

After three decades of reform, we’ve got more process, more disclosure and more voting – but when it comes to fat cat pay, the real change has been far smaller than the numbers on the cheques.

Shareholders have more tools, more votes and more disclosure, but most pay deals still sail through, pay gaps remain huge, and the evidence that mega-awards improve long-term value is weak at best.

ESG-linked incentives may be the next frontier, but only if the targets are tough, transparent and genuinely tied to outcomes that matter.

Please see my full blogpost at the link below, addressing the following questions on this topic:

1. If we’re still talking about “fat cats”, are shareholders waving pay deals through?
2. Is “say on pay” meaningless, or do no-votes ever move the needle?
3. Have CEO–worker pay ratios narrowed?
4. Are remuneration committees still a “club” of executives marking each other’s homework?
5. Do very large CEO pay deals actually improve company value?
6. Does sustainability-linked pay deliver on ESG goals?

The global energy transition is progressing unevenly across sectors and regions, shaped by differences in technology readiness, financial capacity and policy strength. Using the MSCI Energy Transition Framework, this paper examines how these factors may influence corporate decarbonization over the next five to seven years.

Key findings:

• Technology readiness varies. Utilities, steel and transport have more viable decarbonization options than chemicals or oil and gas, where solutions remain costly or limited.
• Financial strength matters. Firms with stronger balance sheets are better positioned to invest in the transition, widening gaps within industries.
• Policy and institutions drive outcomes. Stronger policies and governance quality are linked to better emissions performance, particularly in developed EMEA markets, unlike Asia-Pacific where corporate targets play a larger role.

For investors, understanding how technology, finance and policy interact can help identify where transition risks are most material — and where low-carbon opportunities are emerging.

Key findings

• Data-center properties under construction globally have an estimated value of USD 550 billion, more than five times the value of assets investors have acquired since 2007, underscoring the market's exponential growth.
• While major operators and owners have set climate targets, data centers remain closely linked to rising carbon footprints. Ireland and the U.S. may face the steepest rise in emissions tied to properties under construction.
• A shift to data centers in property portfolios creates a dilemma for institutional investors who have committed to sustainability goals and may need to reconcile such commitments with the global digital transformation. 

"Solar- and hydropower plants can help mitigate climate change, but their ecological footprint depends heavily on where they are located. For investors aiming to balance lower emissions with biodiversity concerns, understanding where renewable assets overlap with sensitive ecosystems is key to managing risk and identifying more sustainable opportunities. 

Southeast Asia is home to both ecologically sensitive areas and rapidly expanding renewable capacity, but not all locations are equally affected. To highlight the spatial variation in risk, we mapped the location of solar- and hydropower plants against two nature-related spatial datasets...."

This is a crucial time for shareholder rights in the US financial system, which are under heavy attack from regulators in Texas and other states, in moves which, if successful, could neuter climate and sustainability proxy voting.

Hear:

• Nell talk about the origins of the business model of proxy voting agencies.
• How shareholders getting directors with climate change expertise nominated to the board of ExxonMobil precipitated the latest devastating attack on shareholder rights.
• How Nell defended proxy voting agencies in front of the US Congress.
• What the implications of the regulatory attack on shareholders rights could be?
• Nell’s favourite ‘corporate governance’ movies, her Transition Tapes music playlist, and career advice.

===

• Access via Spotify
• Access via Apple

Definition of “sustainable investment” to be scrapped as Commission proposes new Transition, Integration and Sustainable fund categories.

Key takeaways

• A new three-category fund structure - Transition, Integration and Sustainable funds
• Entity-level PAI reporting to be eliminated
• Stricter exclusions for fossil-fuel expansion and coal generation
• Removal of formal definition of a sustainable investment

What are the proposed changes for SFDR?

There are now three new proposed product categories, to replace the existing Article 6, 8 and 9 structure :

...

Sets out progress toward Paris-aligned portfolio goals and net-zero commitments.

Explains adherence to Nordea Life & Pension’s engagement policy and summarises engagement outcomes.

Q2 2025 (quarter ended 30 June 2025, referenced alongside Oct-25 climate material).

Focuses on how LGIM uses its scale to drive “real, positive change”, with engagement case studies and stewardship metrics for the quarter.

Detailed coverage of 2025 proxy voting season.
Engagement case study with SSE on net-zero transition and affordability.
Thematic pieces on climate risk, insurance protection gap and “avoided emissions” research

Sustainability reporting from p70

"Our ninth Forever Chocolate progress report covering fiscal year 2024/25, highlights our achievements from the past year and delves deeper into our evolving strategy. It underlines our commitment to intensify our efforts by collaborating with customers, industry partners, and wider society, to drive real change on the ground. Simultaneously, we remain steadfast in our advocacy of policies to make sustainable chocolate the norm."

Sustainable investing has been in a holding pattern amid subdued global sentiment and a flat overall trend in assets under management. But climate change is still a clear risk factor, so we see capital allocation shifting to climate transition strategies and to managing increasing weather-related risks.

Second Swiss Sustainable Lending Market Study – Progress for Retail Clients, Room for Improvement for SMEs and large Companies 
 
The “Swiss Sustainable Lending Market Study 2025”, published by Swiss Sustainable Finance (SSF) and ZHAW School of Management and Law, provides a comprehensive overview of the progress made by Swiss banks in integrating sustainability into their lending and mortgage practices, as well as the challenges involved.

A positive trend is emerging: banks have increasingly introduced sustainability strategies and guidelines in lending. The hiring of internal sustainability specialists and the establishment of sustainability departments are providing effective support to the credit and mortgage sector.

"The team you will be joining is a part of State Street Investment Management, one of the largest asset managers in the world. We partner with many of the world’s largest, most sophisticated investors and financial intermediaries to help them reach their goals through a rigorous, research-driven investment process. With over four decades of experience and trillions of dollars in assets under management, we offer one of the broadest selections of products and strategies across asset classes, risk profiles, regions and styles. As pioneers in index, ETF, and sustainable investing, we are always inventing new ways to invest."

This is an opportunity to work on Advance, the PRI collaborative stewardship initiative focused on human rights and social issues, with a specific remit to deliver the Apparel and Footwear Pilot Project. Join a global and motivated Stewardship team that works to deliver substantial real change in our global economy, society and the environment.

As a Senior Sustainability Manager, you'll play a crucial role in setting and coordinating AXA UK's sustainability strategy and helping us achieve our environmental and social goals. You'll provide expert advice on sustainability risks, opportunities, and regulatory requirements, working across various teams to deliver impactful projects and initiatives. Your insights will help us track progress, communicate our efforts, and stay ahead of emerging trends and regulations.

This role will provide technical, scientific, and analytical rigour to standards and frameworks analysis and support in aligning CDP’s disclosure framework with prioritized standards and frameworks. Central to this role will be supporting with development of standards and frameworks related processes and resources along with providing technical expertise to support standard setter engagement.

"As an ESG (Environmental Social & Governance) Regulatory Program/Project Manager within the International Private Bank, you will work with complex business scenarios, tight deadlines, and competing priorities, requiring interaction with all levels of our organization. In this role, you will promote strategic implementation and program governance, providing a unique opportunity to shape our ESG initiatives."

Joining us as a CFO Solutions ESG & Sustainability Manager, the minimum criteria you’ll need is a professional qualification (ACA, ICAS, CA, ACCA or CIPFA) with post qualification experience, and to be confident managing a large portfolio of clients. It would be great if you had some of the following skills, but don’t worry if you don’t tick every box, we’ll help you develop along the way...

This role is for an integrated practitioner across marketing and communications, with previous experience on sustainability and/or sustainable finance. The role holder will be working with a diverse set of stakeholders across our business to support the development of our sustainability communications and marketing strategy, helping us to build brand equity and assist in managing and mitigating risks. The role holder will work across channels to develop sustainability content which builds awareness of our sustainability capabilities and offering across our market footprint This role will help ensure connectivity across the Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing (CABM), Strategy & Talent (S&T), Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) organisation, and Group Public & Regulatory Affairs (GPRA).

ISS-Corporate is hiring! In this role, you will harness your specialized knowledge and adept communication prowess to collaborate with our cutting-edge proprietary data and tools. Together, we will guide forward-thinking enterprises in navigating the intricacies of sustainability risk assessment and response. Moreover, you'll play a pivotal role in educating executive and board members about the evolving sustainability landscape.

This role is central to ensuring the timely, accurate, and consistent communication of M&G’s sustainability credentials to clients and stakeholders. The ESG Queries Manager will play a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s ESG narrative, enhancing operational efficiency, and delivering insights that inform broader sustainability and client engagement strategies.

The Head of ESG Communications is tasked with developing and executing a comprehensive communications strategy to bolster HSBC's reputation in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) areas. This includes addressing climate and environmental commitments, advancing the bank’s social agenda, and upholding governance standards. The role involves leading a team of communications professionals to support HSBC’s transition to net zero, enhance social impact, and maintain high governance standards, while fostering necessary behavioural and cultural changes across the organisation.

Knight Frank is seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Corporate ESG Reporting Manager to support our growing ESG reporting function. The ideal candidate has a solid understanding of ESG frameworks, strong data and analytical skills, and the ability to engage with cross-functional stakeholders.

The purpose of this role is to support and deliver key responsible investment and stewardship functions within the Pensions Board, enabling the Board to maintain a position as a recognised leader in responsible investment. This role will be line managed by the Managing Director, Responsible Investment and will work alongside two other Responsible Investment Analysts within a Responsible Investment team of seven.

The UK Sustainability Disclosure Technical Advisory Committee (“the TAC”) is seeking new members. The TAC provides advice to the Secretary of State (SoS) for the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) for endorsing the International Sustainability Standards Board’s (ISSB) IFRS® Sustainability Disclosure Standards for use in the UK.

It also acts as a focal point for UK stakeholders to influence the work of the ISSB. TAC members play a crucial part in the development of sustainability disclosures in the UK, and internationally.

We are seeking a proactive and experienced Sustainability Risk Lead to oversee end-to-end sustainability risk management across our Asset Management business.

Part of a team responsible for reporting financial information under the “green” taxonomies from European and UK regulators

Senior Policy Analyst, UK/Europe

Principles for Responsible Investment

Employment Type Full time Please note, where PRI has an office there is an expectation to work a minimum of 2 days per week
Location Hybrid · London, City of, UK
Seniority Junior
Closing: 8:00pm, 23rd Nov 2025 GMT

Reporting to the Director of GREWE ESG & Workplace Sustainability the ESG Manager will be responsible for supporting company-wide sustainability ESG reporting and compliance initiatives. In this role you will partner with key stakeholders including teams within GREWE, corporate sustainability, controllership, internal & external audit, legal, risk, technology, and Amex senior leadership.  

As a Senior Associate supporting Global Citizenship & Sustainability Financial Reporting, you will play a key role in advancing Ralph Lauren’s Global Citizenship & Sustainability (GC&S) reporting strategy. You will assist in the implementation of GC&S reporting controls, support data validation efforts, and coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the completeness and accuracy of GC&S disclosures. You will also contribute to the continuous improvement of GC&S reporting processes and help drive readiness for evolving regulatory requirements, including CSRD. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented, collaborative professional with a passion for and strong foundation in sustainability reporting.

The Stewardship and Sustainable Investing (SSI) Operations and Marketing Analyst will support both the creation of high-quality SSI marketing materials and the operational backbone that enables the SSI Group to deliver for clients. Reporting to the SSI Operations Director, the role partners with Marketing to define SSI messaging and content strategy and drives execution.

The Analyst will partner with investment teams and sales to better understand client needs and improve external and internal communication. In parallel, the Analyst will collaborate with operating platform functions (Technology, Data, Client Reporting, RFP/DDQ, Business Enablement) to improve the effectiveness and scalability of key processes to enable better outcomes for clients.

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• Own data quality and translate business requirements into actionable specifications for new and existing Climate data and score products, collaborating with Product and Engineering teams to design and build new datasets.
• Define technical requirements, design scalable data models for new/existing raw or derived Climate data and analytics products, and ensure alignment with product strategy.
• Use Python to query, analyze, and automate workflows....

EY is looking for a senior manager to join our Sustainable Finance team within the Financial Services Risk Management (FSRM) practice, to help the banking and capital markets industry respond to the fast-developing and growing climate risk and sustainable finance agenda – including managing the risks and opportunities from an accelerating transition, responding to new regulation, adapting products and services, and improving transparency and disclosures.

The ESG Underwriting Analyst will play a key role in embedding environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into the underwriting process MRS-GM. This role supports our commitment to sustainable and responsible underwriting, aligning with both Group-wide ESG policies and Lloyd’s market requirements. The analyst forms an integral part of the support framework with underwriting teams, Group and GSI functions, and other stakeholders, ensuring ESG considerations are integrated into business decision-making, reporting and governance frameworks.

Senior Associate, Guidance, Private Markets (2 Year Fixed Term Contract) - Principles for Responsible Investment - Applied

Specialist, Stewardship CA100+ (10 Month Fixed Term Contract) - Principles for Responsible Investment - Applied

Office Coordinator (Part- Time - 3 days per week) - Principles for Responsible Investment - Applied

Associate, Events & Sponsorship - Principles for Responsible Investment - Applied

The M&G plc Life Investment Office (LIO) is responsible for the management of M&G Life’s With-Profits, Annuity and Unit-Linked funds, with more than £150bn of funds under management.  LIO works closely with the various asset management businesses within the M&G plc Group, and other external managers, to structure multi-asset portfolios aligned with the investment objectives of our clients. The ESG & Regulatory team devises ESG policy and investment strategy at the asset owner level, and drives these into portfolio allocations, benchmarks and positions. This ESG Analyst role has a social focus, and would be responsible for supporting the ESG Manager with a similar social focus.

We’ll Count on You To:

Understand and apply Sustainable Fitch’s analytical methodologies and become familiar with the company’s approach to assessing the sustainability impact associated with a broad range of business activities.
Carry out and deliver high-quality, timely, focused written analysis on a suite of products related to the sustainability characteristics and performance of entities and debt issuances. Output should be supported by well-construed arguments, backed by verified factual data.
Keep up to date with sustainability trends globally, both regulatory and sector specific.
Interact with colleagues globally to leverage knowledge, gain international experience and establish good working relationships.

The Global Head of Resilience is responsible for driving forward the resilience programme with a goal to align investor and government finance with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, building in resilience to climate impacts.

We are looking to hire a Product Manager to support ongoing product management and the development of new enhancements and solutions for our Governance Research product line. The position reports to the Governance Research product lead.

What you'll do

Develop and maintain positive relations with members of client group, investment teams as well as other supporting stakeholders such as marketing, compliance, legal etc.
Write, update and maintain sustainable investment language and data in the firmwide RFP database.
Manage and support sustainable investment reporting (e.g. quarterly SI reports, firmwide PRI submission)
Support the team in delivering insights on strategy (e.g. peer analysis, client insights, integration insights)
Support management of regulatory processes within the team
Support team with inbox, intranet and internal system management.

This position plays a pivotal role in managing and enhancing the penetration of our Energy Transition, Sustainability and Services (ETSS) offerings into the financial segment in Europe, reporting to the Head of Europe Financial Institutions (FI) segment.

The focus is on identifying the persona-specific pain points and needs of clients; understanding how the S&P products meet these needs in order to deliver high-quality energy transition & sustainability solutions to FI clients; coordination and collaboration across teams to drive market penetration strategies that enhance the value and appeal of our Energy Transition products to FI clients.

With ever increasing coverage and demand for timely Sustainable Finance data, we are looking for a market savvy and results-oriented individual to drive the effective utilization of external resources, such as vendors, to manage our day-to-day operation and data collection resources, both internal and outsourced and coordinating multiple data projects with different priorities, with the goal of delivering new Sustainable Finance datasets and improving the quality / timely delivery of the existing data sets to ultimately drive client value. 

This role will focus primarily on the development of our thematic frameworks and proprietary models.  The successful candidate will work with colleagues and investors to understand investment needs and guiding our research agenda.   

Brookfield Asset Management is seeking a dynamic and strategic Senior Manager of Sustainability to join the Renewable Power and Transition team to support our Global Transition Fund Strategy dedicated to accelerating the global shift to a net-zero economy.

EdenTree Investment Management, part of Benefact Group, is looking for a Sustainable Investment Analyst (Climate) to join our London office. This is an exciting opportunity to join the UK’s leading sustainable asset manager and play an integral role in the execution of its sustainable investment strategy.

We are seeking a Sustainability Regulation, Legal and Risk Manager to support the successful delivery of our sustainability strategy—an essential differentiator for Aviva Investors. This role is pivotal in ensuring a robust and coordinated approach to regulatory, legal, and risk matters within the Sustainable Investing function, helping the business maintain risk within tolerance. 

You will be responsible for the integration and ongoing risk management of ESG within the ORM frameworks, including the associated policies, policy adherence, metrics, reporting and minimum control standards.

Full details on LinkedIn, link to post below

The People and Culture Manager plays a pivotal role in delivering the Club’s people strategy. This role provides expert HR advice and coaching to leaders and employees and supports the development of a high-performance and values-led culture.

You will provide expert HR advice and coaching, with a particular focus on employee relations matters, ensuring legal compliance and best practice.

Job Identification 210669069
Job Category Business Management
Business Unit Commercial & Investment Bank
Posting Date 22/09/2025, 10:53
Locations 25 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London, Greater London, E14 5JP, GB
Job Schedule Full time

Director, Sustainability Reporting

  Job ID: 40635
  Location: London, GB
  Area of interest: Audit, Accounting & Finance
  Job type: Regular Employee
  Work style: Hybrid Working
  Opening date: 25 Sept 2025

We’re seeking a future team member for the role of Vice President, Sustainability and Corporate Functions to join our Internal Audit team. This role is located in London.

Full-time
 
Permanent or Fixed Term Contract: Permanent
L&G Business Unit: Legal & General Investment Management
L&G sub Business Unit: LGIM
Primary Location: London, One Coleman Street
Job Family: Corporate Governance

Full-time
 
Permanent or Fixed Term Contract: Fixed Term Contract
L&G Business Unit: Legal & General Investment Management
L&G sub Business Unit: LGIM
Primary Location: London, One Coleman Street
Job Family: Product

The Saints go Marching On....As the Impact & Evaluation Manager at Saints Foundation, you will lead the evaluation of all charitable projects, using data to drive learning, improvement, and positive outcomes for people affected by inequality. You’ll deliver the charity’s Impact Strategy, ensuring teams and stakeholders can make evidence-based decisions. Central to your role is co-production—working closely with communities, partners, and participants to shape and improve our work. As the in-house evaluation expert, you’ll make findings clear and actionable, empowering the team to create meaningful, lasting change.

Sustainability and Climate Sales (Tokyo)

Sustainability Research Lead - Australia & New Zealand (Sydney)

Sustainable Investment Data Scientist

Sustainable Investment Data Analyst FTC-15 MONTHS

ISS STOXX is looking for a Sustainability Sales Specialist to support our sales efforts across the French territories for our market leading suite of Responsible Investment Solutions including, Climate Data, Ratings & Rankings, Controversies, Impact & SDG’s and Regulatory Solutions. To succeed in this role, you will need to have a genuine interest in the area of Sustainable and Responsible investments, including all aspects of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) research and topics along with a financial background and demonstrated sales experience.

Index methodology; ESG index design

Data/analytics; Reporting; ESG benchmarking