This Week in ESG and Impact Investing

             A recent  Washington Post Live interview focused on climate governance and corporate sustainability in Mexico, highlighting the efforts of 3M Latin America and ChapterZero Mexico. Host Kathleen Koch facilitated the discussion with Jana Nieto from 3M and Jimena Marván from Chapter Zero Mexico. Jana Nieto discussed 3M's sustainability strategy, which revolves around a science-based approach and ESG-specific goals. She emphasized 3M's commitment to sustainability across its entire business model, incorporating sustainability considerations into decision-making processes. Nieto highlighted specific steps taken by 3M to improve its carbon footprint, including adopting solar panels in manufacturing facilities, using electric and hybrid cars for transportation, and promoting sustainability among suppliers. Jimena Marván provided insights into Chapter Zero Mexico's role in promoting climate governance among board members in the country. ...

“Climate change is not a financial risk that we need to worry about..there’s always some nut job telling me about the end of the world.” Banks are “neglecting more pressing problems in order to consider climate risks. I work at a bank that is being attacked by crypto, we’ve got regulators in the US trying to stop us, we’ve got the China problem, we’ve got a housing crisis looming, we’ve got interest rates going up, we’ve got inflation coming down the pipes, and I’m being told to spend time and time again looking at something that is going to happen in 20 or 30 years hence, the proportionality is completely out of whack. Humanity should be focused on adapting to a changing environment” “Who cares if Miami is six meters underwater in 100 years, Amsterdam’s been six meters underwater for ages, and that’s a really nice place. We will cope with it.” Stuart Kirk, HBSC (Fined $6,512,909,407 since 2000) - Head of Responsible Investing

On Monday, March 21, 2022, the US Securities and Exchange Commission approved a long discussed proposal that requires "all publicly traded companies to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and the risks they face from climate change." The facts are clear and unambiguous: increasingly extreme weather, including unprecedented heatwaves, droughts and flooding will continue to have a material impact on business operations. Risks are growing, not falling.   As we noted in out June, 2021 comment to the SEC on climate change disclosures, we have been objectively, independently measuring the social impact of investment activities since 1989.  2002 saw the first international adoption of our approach, when we helped develop Social Performance Indicators for Banks, ( https://www.creativeinvest.com/SocialPerformanceIndicatorsfortheFinanceIndustry.pdf ) building on our work in rating women and minority owned banks. There, we specifically included  social measures that detaile...

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a group of United Nations (UN) scientists, "human activity is changing the climate in unprecedented and sometimes irreversible ways." The report "warns of increasingly extreme heatwaves, droughts and flooding, and a key temperature limit being broken in just over a decade."  The report's authors claim, that "it is unequivocal and indisputable that humans are warming the planet."  This is incorrect and reflects the lack of honesty in the discussion.  We stated, on February 5, 2015, in testimony to the Norwegian Ministry of Finance ( http://www.creativeinvest.com/NorwayTestimonyFeb52015.pdf ) and on April 22, 2015 in testimony to the Government of the United Kingdom ( https://www.creativeinvest.com/UKConsultationonChangestoInvestmentRegulationsApril222015.pdf ): "As the market value of environmental, social and governance factors continues to grow, companies and investment managers ...