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Economic thinking is an important contributor to determining the sustainability of the complex ecosystem that supports civil society.   However, it cannot be divorced from the political dimension. Social norms and “ethical custom” play out through the influence of our political and legal systems, and both shape the incentives in our system for change. In … Read more

Discretionary fund managers (DFMs) have expressed a number of concerns surrounding the current proposals for the outcome of the Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) and have called on the UK regulator to provide clarity for portfolio management services (PMS), specifically the 90% thresholds to meet the labels and how diversifying assets can be used. ESG Clarity … Read more

AllianceBernstein has launched an equity fund that invests in companies with a strong track record on achieving diversity and inclusion for a “competitive advantage” in their business. The AB Diversity Champions Equity Portfolio uses a proprietary framework to evaluate a company’s approach to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Fund managers will use AB’s six-pillar “diversity … Read more

Fixed income markets last year presented a rough patch for investors, struggling to provide protection during one of the most severe market downturns in recent history. Bond issuance declined in this context as interest rates climbed steadily, increasing borrowing costs for companies. Following years of rapid expansion, this had a negative impact on the momentum … Read more

California is poised to require major companies to provide climate disclosure data, a move that will be crucial if the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) excludes Scope 3 emissions from a rule it would finalize this year. If passed, a recent bill would make companies with at least $1bn in annual revenue report the full … Read more

Many of the net-zero pledges made by the biggest companies in the world are highly misleading, according to a report from Carbon Market Watch. The nonprofit recently examined pledges and progress among 24 large corporations, finding that on average, their net-zero commitments translate into only a 36% reduction in their greenhouse gas emissions by the … Read more

Barclays has been warned it will face further shareholder action after failing to update its oil and gas policy and align this with its net-zero goals for the third year in a row. Although the bank, which reported profits of £7bn in a trading update on 15 February, has committed to pulling financing from new … Read more

Aviva has donated £10m to the Woodland Trust to support a programme to remove carbon and improve biodiversity. The funding for the Woodland Carbon Scheme aims to deliver carbon removal, boost air quality and improve biodiversity  through woodland creation and peat restoration. It will fund projects that will remove around 330,000 tonnes of carbon from … Read more

In part two of this Green Dream video interview, Will McIntosh-Whyte, fund manager of the Rathbone Greenbank multi-asset portfolios, and Rahab Paracha, sustainable multi-asset specialist, discuss defensive fund positioning, appetite for green bonds and searching for “genuinely uncorrelated returns” in the alternatives space. View part 1 of this interview here. Watch the full video interview above and … Read more