Thirty banks including Barclays, BBVA, Citi, Credit Suisse, Santander and UBS, were assessed on how they have integrated ESG factors into their commercial practices, and none were judged to be ‘outstanding’, according to a new benchmark report by audit, accounting, and consulting firm Mazars. 

“Climate change and housing affordability are not disconnected. You can mitigate both issues through greater density of housing in less vulnerable areas,” says Oscar Vasquez, COO of Encore Capital Management, in a new whitepaper from SEI.

Passive managers who fail to engage as active stewards on behalf of their fixed income assets, particularly those touting their own sustainability credentials, should be held to account by asset owners, according to Willis Towers Watson.

HSBC has formed a dedicated Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Solutions unit to help clients around the world rebuild and transition their businesses and economies in a more sustainable way post-Covid-19.

Federated Hermes has appointed two new hires to its Impact Opportunities team as client demand for sustainable investment solutions continues to surge. 

HSBC has launched a reporting service that provides asset owners and managers with independent measurement of how focused their listed asset investments are on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues.

New EU regulations must not “force” sustainability considerations upon clients or encourage asset managers to breach their fiduciary duty, asset management industry body EFAMA has warned. 

Green bonds are predicted to surge after EU leaders agreed an unprecedented EUR750 billion coronavirus recovery package, 30 per cent of which will be allocated to climate-friendly projects. Analysts at ratings agency S&P say it could boost the size of the global green bond market by some 90 per cent.

Japan may boast the third largest equity market in the world, but its 3.5 million small to medium sized businesses, which account for 99.7 per cent of its companies, are still under-researched. 

Green Ash Partners, part of the Woodman Group, has launched its inaugural sustainable short duration credit fund.