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2023
GHG and Global Shipping
by Lucas Gravina | Jul 12, 2023 | 2023, Articles
Earlier this week, the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced a revised strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) associated with the global shipping industry.
Population Trends and ESG
by Jo Anne Schwendinger | Jun 30, 2023 | 2023, Articles
As populations in rich countries (which drive fossil consumption) shrink, greenhouse gasses should decrease. Additionally, measures can be taken to avoid the negative consequences of population decline. Governments can provide solutions such as adjusting retirement ages, encouraging immigration, increasing labor force participation, and enhancing savings and private pensions. ESG frameworks provide valuable tools for analyzing the risks that arise from population shifts, and the integration of these considerations will prove invaluable in modern corporate strategy.
Global Gender Gap
by Lucas Gravina | Jun 29, 2023 | 2023, Quick Hits
In response to an article on ESGNews.com Read the Article According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2023, improvements in gender inequality have recently stagnated, with the overall gender gap closing by only 0.3% in the most recent calendar...
Paris 2024 Plastic
by Lucas Gravina | Jun 27, 2023 | 2023, Quick Hits
As the host of Paris Climate Accords and an exemplar of proactive climate change policy, the city will likely be seen as an antithesis to the controversial Qatar Championship of 2022 – an event criticized for unsustainable practices. Do you think the Olympic Committee should mandate similar sustainable policies for host countries in the future?
It’s Time to Dust off Your 2023 Goals!
by Jo Anne Schwendinger | Jun 16, 2023 | 2023, Articles, Featured
It is June already, which means that it’s time to dig out your 2023 goals, take stock of your company’s performance to date, and conduct mid-year reviews with your employees.
Climate Change Leads to Financial Risk
by Lucas Gravina | May 31, 2023 | 2023, Quick Hits
Recent controversy over the prohibition of ESG investment strategies in government pension programs stems from a fundamental misinterpretation of the motivations of environmental considerations. Contrary to what many anti-ESG advocates argue, the incorporation of risk management regarding climate change allows investors to fully evaluate the risks associated with certain investments, serving to ultimately aid profitability, not inhibit it. The stigmatization of ESG strategy acts as a distraction from using available tools like ESG frameworks to analyze a company and make decisions about it. By considering climate risks and opportunities, investors are able to pursue profitability while driving positive environmental change.
Sustainability Chat with Priscilla Ramcharan
by Jo Anne Schwendinger | May 31, 2023 | 2023, Articles, Featured, Sustainable Business, Sustainable Design
I am grateful for the opportunity to talk about sustainability with Priscilla Rammcharan, founder of Our English 2.0, promoter of people and ideas, and author of several books for learners of all ages. Check out the interview, and the amazing things that Priscilla is doing to make the world better.
Europe Takes the Lead on Global Sustainability Standards
by Jo Anne Schwendinger | May 16, 2023 | 2023, Articles, Featured
The EU is continuing its role as a leader in global sustainability with the adoption in November 2022 of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The CSRD is an effort to standardize sustainability reporting. Standardization is just one of many groundbreaking changes in the program, with the most significant being the requirement that all large companies with business in Europe comply.
Recent Study Debunks ESG Myths
by Lucas Gravina | May 12, 2023 | 2023, Articles, Featured
In the past decade, opponents of ESG have relied on the argument that ESG is at odds with a company’s profitability and “bottom line’’. However, as implementation of ESG strategies and metrics grow, data on their impact is increasingly accessible, with conclusions...
Guest Blog- THE EVOLUTION OF ESG: FROM GOOD ACTIONS TO METRICS
by Sandra Herrera | May 4, 2023 | 2023, Articles, Featured
Companies of all sizes are including ESG considerations within their strategic decisions. While for some this is not new, each are challenged by novel measuring and accountability requirements. These include determining the impact of these considerations while assuring that matters previously ignored, are now included.
ESG and Politics
by Lucas Gravina | Apr 12, 2023 | 2023, Quick Hits
Companies across industries report on their commitment to E.S.G. as part of their mission to deliver a positive impact to society, but E.S.G. has attracted criticism in the political arena. Political conservative have taken issue with “woke capitalism,” accusing E.S.G. advocates of imposing their progressive views on businesses and society. Others argue that E.S.G. does not go far enough because it does not mandate that companies serve the public good as well as shareholder interests.
E.S.G. is not a substitute for broader societal and governmental solutions. It is, however, an effective and nonpartisan business planning and decision-making tool.
Have We Entered the Era of the Employee?
by Lucas Gravina | Apr 7, 2023 | 2023, Archive, Articles, Externalities, Sustainable Business, Sustainable Design
The social isolation that resulted from the pandemic also had serious impacts on employee mental health, creating a new wave of opportunity for employers to respond to employee needs. In addition to mental health resources, mental health time off and shortened work weeks are innovative solutions that employers devised.
Liability for Environmental Damage
by Jo Anne Schwendinger | Mar 17, 2023 | 2023, Archive, Articles, Externalities, Sustainable Business
One of the headline news items coming out of COP27 in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt, in November of 2022, was an agreement to set up a fund for payments to developing countries that suffer loss and damage from climate-driven events like flooding, droughts and wildfires. It...
ESG Investing: A Matter of Ethics, Financial Performance, or Both?
by Jo Anne Schwendinger | Feb 28, 2023 | 2023, Archive, Articles, Reporting, Strategy
The use of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) metrics by the financial sector is growing through ESG investing. To understand the growth, it is helpful to consider what motivates their use. ESG investing can be divided into two camps. There are those who view...
The Scourge of Child Labor
by Jo Anne Schwendinger | Feb 23, 2023 | 2023, Archive, Articles, Externalities, Impact Assessment, Reporting, Sustainable Business, Sustainable Design
As businesses become more complex, ESG considerations will become more important and the mitigation of risks such as child labor will become more difficult. However, by partnering with governments and local communities, engaging with stakeholder, and using technology to track and verify that their materials were not the product of child labor, businesses can begin to eradicate this scourge from their supply chains.
NIL and ESG
by Jo Anne Schwendinger | Feb 15, 2023 | 2023, Quick Hits
As student athletes are introduced to the world of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy is still a largely untapped resource and serves as an excellent way to maximize personal brand reputation and minimize associated risk. While the notion of ESG may not be standard in NIL discussions just yet, as students become increasingly valuable to brands and student influence begins to extend past collegiate years, recognition of the benefits of these strategies will lead to new opportunities for the usage of ESG.
ESG: AI and Sustainability
by Lucas Gravina | Feb 15, 2023 | 2023, Quick Hits
The article highlights the versatility of AI, explaining how recent developments allow it to go beyond simple customer service conversations and become a useful tool for investors and firms in their effort to stay efficient and modernized. While AI is commonly used to navigate large amounts of data, its applications are diverse, and different AI companies now narrow their training data in order to create more intelligent and specified machines. Upon its initial introduction to the industry, AI has the potential to make significant contributions to the sustainability of corporations, whether by automating and streamlining processes, reducing energy consumption, or reducing emissions.
The Future of Third-Party Risk Management
by Jo Anne Schwendinger | Feb 6, 2023 | 2023, Quick Hits
In response to: https://informationsecuritybuzz.com/third-party-risk-management-why-2023-could-be-the-perfect-time-to-overhaul-your-tprm-program/ 2023 could be a pivotal year for the future of third-party risk management (TPRM) programs. Organizations are recognizing...
Building a Sustainable Supply Chain
by Jo Anne Schwendinger | Jan 27, 2023 | 2023, Archive, Articles, Externalities, Strategy, Sustainable Business
Bad surprises happen. Avoid them with due diligence. When they happen, plan to do better, and execute on your plan. Communicate your expectations to employees and suppliers. Verify, and continuously improve. Stay on a path to sustainability, and reach out to Clear Strategy for help.