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In This Issue
Editor's Note
Engaging in Climate Policy
As the countdown continues to the Copenhagen climate negotiations in 20 days, we will be sharing our views on the implications for business in the Insight as well as via the blog, our Sustainability Matters webinar series, and research reports.
The first installment comes with today's feature article on how to lead on climate change by engaging in policy—a key but often challenging piece of the puzzle for taking action on climate.
This week, we also look at sustainable investing, a topic we cover regularly. Read about Bloomberg's new environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data service, and about leading perspectives on sustainable investment trends in China.
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In Depth
Want to Lead on Climate? Advance Straight to Policy
By Laura Ediger, Associate Director, Advisory Services, BSR; Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy, BSR
It is increasingly clear that reversing the current path of climate change will require policies that put a price on carbon. But policy can happen only with the support of the private sector.
Read more →
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Toolbox
Bloomberg Launches ESG Data Service
Bloomberg's new environment, social, and governance (ESG) data service allows investors to search and compare relevant ESG data on 3,000-plus public and private companies. Users have access to a wide range of numerical and qualitative data, ranging from companies' emissions and energy consumption to their human rights policies and the size of their boards of directors.
The service also allows users to easily access the sources of all of the data, which include corporate responsibility reports, annual financial statements, and United Nations Global Compact communications in progress, among other formal sources.
Although this service is targeted at investors, its development will affect companies across all industries. Here are some ways this service might impact your company:
- It can provide insight into which metrics investors are analyzing.
- It can influence which metrics and indicators your company should report on.
- All mainstream analysts will have access to these metrics at no additional cost, which will help drive the integration of ESG data in investment analysis and reward companies with strong ESG performance.
On the Record
Roundtable Advances Sustainable Investment in China
BSR and the UN Principles for Responsible Investment co-hosted the first-ever sustainable investment event in China last week. More than 30 participants from Chinese and international investment institutions and government agencies joined the roundtable, which featured BSR's new report "Sustainable Investment in China 2009." Part of BSR's broader efforts to raise awareness of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, the event provided a forum for participants to exchange perspectives and experiences.
Speaking at the event, Yan Zhu of Tsing Capital—a leading private equity firm in China— discussed how sustainable investment can serve as a powerful lever to influence corporate behavior and help financial institutions mitigate ESG risks.
"In 2008, the companies in our portfolio saved over 7 million tons of carbon and created 11,000 jobs. Many still have problems, which we try to identify during our pre-investment audit and put the required steps for them to rectify these into our investment document that they [portfolio companies] will address and be audited against each year."
—Yan Zhu, Principal, Tsing Capital (November 10, 2009)
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