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In This Issue
Editor's Note
Trend Watch: Sustainable Investing in China
U.S. President Obama's first visit to China last week is the latest example of China's growing clout on the world stage. As noted in the New York Times, this was the first time the leaders of the two countries spoke as equals about issues ranging from trade to climate change.
This week, we look at China's emerging role in another arena, sustainable investing. Although China's market is still young, according to BSR's research for the International Finance Corporation, the country's investment community might be on its way to becoming a leader in sustainable investing.
Delving further into investment trends, Research & Innovation Manager Linda Hwang reviews a new report recommending that policymakers account for the world’s multi-trillion-dollar ecosystem services in their national economic policies.
Lastly, we report on the recent Global Forum on Migration and Development, where BSR led discussions on the role for business in protecting international labor migrants.
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In Depth
Will ESG Investing Take Off in China?
By Faris Natour, Director, Human Rights, BSR
BSR's recent research conducted for the International Finance Corporation in China reveals that the country is well positioned to become a leader in environmental, social, and governance-based (ESG) investing.
Read more →
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Spotlight
Global Forum Advances Protection for Migrant Workers
By Nicolette van Exel
During the Global Forum on Migration and Development—held in Athens, Greece, earlier this month—civil society, governments, and business came together to discuss a collaborative approach to informing government policy to protect global migrant workers.
BSR attended the meeting to support the private sector’s voice and came away with important recommendations for how business can take an active role:
- Educate workers on their basic rights—both before they go abroad, as well as upon arrival—building on existing international standards such as the ILO conventions.
- Advocate for transparency in bilateral government agreements aimed at protecting foreign workers.
- Develop pilot initiatives, such as worker-orientation programs, to build tools and best practices that inform a more action-oriented global policy framework.
- Collaborate with civil society to share best practices and create practical solutions at the local, national, and global levels.
Toolbox
New Report Urges Policymakers to Protect Ecosystems
By
According to a new report from The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) initiative, policymakers can increase economic returns, jobs, and livelihoods by investing in ecological infrastructure; integrating ecosystem services values into price signals; and creating adequate institutions, regulatory frameworks, and financing opportunities to protect ecosystems.
This report reinforces the growing trend (also discussed in this week's feature article) that expectations for corporate environmental performance are broadening. For business, this increase in support for ecosystem services concepts could necessitate corporate reporting not only on specific impacts—such as greenhouse gas emissions or water usage—but also on information that puts in context the environmental impacts of corporate activities on the processes and functions that operate within an ecosystem.
Companies can get ahead of this trend by understanding how their operations either impair or restore ecosystem functions.
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