We talk with Cindy Rose, Head of Responsible Capitalism, Liontrust Asset Management. We discuss some of the definitional and terminology issues challenging the sustainability and ESG world. We also talk about the materiality of sustainability data and how asset managers can develop a materiality framework, to take a systematic approach to focusing on the sustainability metrics that matter.

We talk with Mauro Rodrigues da Cunha, Independent Director. Mauro has decades of experience in the corporate governance world, with a long history of fighting for better shareowner rights. We talk about the history of corporate governance and sustainability in Brazil, the upcoming Brazilian Presidential elections and how the climate crisis and the Amazon rainforest is viewed in Brazil. 

We talk to Suzanne Johnson, Senior Advisor at United Nations Global Compact and Head of Sustainability Program for LLoyd's Register Foundation. We talk about what happened at the recent UN Oceans conference and what investors should know about the ocean and how our livelihoods, markets and lives are tied to it.

We talk with Susan Krumdieck, Professor and Chair in Energy Transition at Heriot-Watt University, about transition engineering. We discuss how transition engineering will change how we approach sustainability issues and impact our economy. We talk about why hydrogen will not lead the clean energy transition and how we get to a sustainable future through practical solutions.

We talk with Dean Alborough, Head of ESG at Old Mutual Alternative Investments. We discuss how private markets integrate sustainability risks and opportunities. We also talk about the current state of sustainable investing and sustainable policy in Africa.

We talk with Timothee Parrique, doctor in economics and researcher at Lund University. We discuss degrowth, what it is, what it isn’t and how our obsession with GDP and growth are flawed measures of progress. We talk about why “green growth” is not the answer to the climate and biodiversity challenges we face and what a world that has embraced degrowth would look like. We end with a great list of resources for those looking to explore the topic further. You can find more resources at;...

We talk to Matt Moscardi, CEO of FreeFloat Media. We discuss the creation of ESG ratings and how they have been used correctly and incorrectly through the years. We talk about the future of ESG, Sabermetrics for corporate boards, and Italian Rugby players with podcasts. 

We talk with Terence Barry, Founder and Owner of Brand and Story. We discuss how stories help us understand and explain our world as well as persuade others. We talk about climate change and other environmental challenges we face, and how storytelling can help us spur the action we need.

We talk with John Hoeppner, Head of US Stewardship and Sustainable Investments at LGIM America. We discuss investor stewardship and the state of engagement with public companies around ESG issues. We talk about the impact of these engagements, what we see as burgeoning issues in the ESG world and the differences in investor engagement around the world. 

We talk with Sandy Peters, CPA, CFA, Senior Head, Global Advocacy, CFA Institute and Wes Bricker, Vice-Chair – US Trust Solutions Co-Leader at PwC. We discuss the SEC’s proposed rules about climate-related disclosure and how they will impact investors and companies. We talk about the financial disclosures required, greenhouse gas emissions disclosures and the materiality of climate related information.

We talk with Ben Yeoh, Senior Portfolio Manager, RBC Global Asset Management. Our wide ranging conversation includes discussions of ESG integration, ESG education, demographics, Economist Thomas Malthus, and the future of capitalism. We also talk about current and impending regulation and policy around ESG disclosure as well as the intersection of art and ESG. Listen to his personal podcast, Ben Yeoh Chats https://www.thendobetter.com/podcast Follow him on LinkedIn...

We talk with Delilah Rothenberg, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Predistribution Initiative. We discuss how the Predistribution Initiative is working with investors to create investment structures and asset allocation strategies that better address systematic risks. We talk about how a focus on how internal standard setting, disclosure, improved governance and financial practices can help build more regenerative investment structures and align practices of investment professionals...

We talk with Mervyn Tang, Head of Sustainability Strategy, APAC at Schroders. We discuss what investors should be looking for when analyzing a company’s climate change strategy and decarbonization efforts. We talk about the growing investor interest in the area of natural capital and how Asia sits in the center of many efforts to address investments in biodiversity. LINK: Visit Schroders Talking Point for market news and expert views http://www.​schroders.​com/talkingpoint

We talk with Barbara Davidson, Head of Accounting, Audit and Disclosure at Carbon Tracker Initiative. We discuss Carbon Tracker’s recent report; Flying Blind: The Glaring Absence of Climate Risks in Financial Reporting, which detailed the troublingly low level of consideration of climate risk impacts in financial climate related reporting for some of the most carbon intensive global companies. We talk about the CA100+ Net Zero Company benchmark and its new Climate Accounting and Audit...

We talk with Olivia Knight, Racial Justice Initiative Manager, As You Sow. We discuss how investors can better track whether companies are walking the walk as well as talking the talk on racial justice and environmental justice issues. We talk about the increase interest in social justice data, and what companies and industries are doing a better job of providing investors with this information. More on As You Sow: https://www.asyousow.org/

We talk with Andrew Watson, Founder and Director, Rethinking Capital. We discuss how accounting, and in particular normative accounting can be used to help address climate change and other sustainability issues. We talk about how the assumptions we make with our accounting systems set the incentives, and how accounting can be used to help incentivize sustainable finance.

We talk with Ken Pucker, Advisory Director at Berkshire Partners and a Senior Lecturer at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. We discuss Ken’s time at Timberland, where he was at the forefront of the company’s social responsibility movement. We talk about the challenges facing the sustainable finance, ESG investing and impact accounting.

We talk with Asha Mehta, CFA, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Global Delta Capital. We discuss how investors can approach sustainable investing from a quantitative point of view. We talk about the state of ESG data, the coming evolution of ESG disclosures, emerging markets, SDGs and impact investing.

We talk with Sandra Taylor, Founder and President, Sustainable Business International. We discuss her time leading the Sustainability efforts at Starbucks as well as her current work with wineries to help winemaking become more sustainable and equitable. We talk about organic, biodynamic and sustainable agricultural practices and what role these practices have in a more sustainable agricultural system.

We talk with Rob Zochowski, Program Director of the Impact-Weighted Accounts Initiative at Harvard Business School . We discuss how to better measure the positive and negative impacts or externalities that businesses have on society and our environment. These efforts are aimed at providing a more complete understanding of these impacts so that investors can better value companies and managers can better manage impacts in their decision-making.

We talk with William Burckart, President and COO at The Investment Integration Project (TIIP) and co-author of the book “21st Century Investing”. We discuss TIIP’s focus on system-level investing, that aims to help investors understand that healthy portfolio returns are dependent on healthy systems on which we all depend. We talk about how the management of systemic risks in a portfolio can contribute to solving systemic problems.

We talk with Gabriel Thoumi, CFA, FRM, Head of Plastics Pogramme and Director of Financial Markets at Planet Tracker. We discuss the major players in the plastics world, the move to a more sustainable and circular plastics economy. We also talk about what investors and consumers can do to help move to a more sustainable use of plastics.

We talk with Betty Jiang, CFA, Head of US ESG Research at Credit Suisse. We discuss the ongoing COP26 meeting and what investors should look for post-COP26 concerning climate policy, climate financing, carbon markets. We also examine the industries and sectors that face the most climate related risks and opportunities in the coming years.

We talk with Mark Van Clieaf, Managing Director of Future Zero. We discuss what to expect and what not to expect from COP26/Glasgow. With apologies to Wayne Gretzky, we talk about “where the puck will be” concerning climate and Net Zero Business Models in the coming years.