Category: Uncategorised

July’s ousting of HSBC Asset Management’s former head of responsible investment, Stuart Kirk, on account of comments he made during a presentation entitled “why investors need not worry about climate risk” has shone yet another spotlight on an important issue for ESG investors considering the climate impact of potential investments. At a Financial Times conference…

Investors should examine how directors relate ESG to company strategy This week, global consulting giant McKinsey and Company published a report entitled “How to make ESG real”, in which it outlined how companies can take a more systematic and rewarding approach to ESG. The underlying argument is that there needs to be a more robust…

Last week, the Economist argued that we should ditch the overall notion of ESG because it promises too much and is too complicated. In a special report which followed recent eye-catching incidents such as the Deutsche Bank greenwashing probe, it argued that although ESG is often well-meaning, it is deeply flawed.  This is true. Why so? It…

By Andy Howard, CEO of Climate Solutions Exchange (CSX) – the affordable technology based solution to democratise a new carbon and natural capital marketplace, providing an audit trail for corporate ESG delivery. CSX is backed by Maughan Capital. Working Group III, the third part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPPC) landmark assessment on…

With the aid of a calculator, Microsoft’s greenhouse gas emissions halved. In 2017, the technology company reported it was responsible for 22 million metric tons of carbon. Since then, the same 2017 figure was reduced to 11 million metric tons.

Elon Musk’s recent confirmation that Tesla is likely to resume accepting Bitcoin payments represents a strong recognition that mining activities are showing encouraging signs of shifting towards renewable energy.  Having expressed concerns over the cryptocurrency’s environmental impact back in May, Musk confirmed in a conversation with Twitter’s Jack Dorsey and Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood that…

We’re all familiar with the story of Bitcoin’s meteoric rise since early January, or at least we think we are. Skyrocketing value spurred by an anti-establishment ethos, speculative excitement and celebrity endorsements – all seemingly vindicated by increased corporate backing. We’re less familiar with other side of the coin however – its environmental cost. The…

The construction of a new coal mine – as is currently under review in Whitehaven, in Cumbria – sends a very poor message about our environmental priorities. In fact, it’s akin to an announcement that, as a country, Britain is investing in a brand new fax machine: why would we squander our natural capital on…

COVID-19 has undoubtedly shifted business’ strategic priorities in both the short and long term. It is indisputable that digital technologies will play a crucial role in our post- COVID economic recovery. A successful recovery rests in digital transformation. To begin, digital technology and automation have assisted the global community’s ongoing fight against the virus through…