Sustainable Finance

American markets are spinning on a carousel. As fourth-quarter corporate earnings tumble out this week, analysts are digesting every digit, leaving share prices swinging. But if Bill McNabb, chairman of Vanguard, has his way, this carousel may soon spin differently.

There is a fine balance between the need to conserve forests and the very real role they play as a resource to our economy.

CECP's Strategic Investor Initiative (SII) will host the third CEO Investor Forum (CIF) on February 26, 2018, at the Time Warner Center in New York City. Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder, Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th Mayor of New York City will join the invitation-only event for a 30-minute fireside chat and will offer his perspective on the need for the financial industry and the corporate sector to embrace long-term-oriented strategic planning and reporting.

The UN Global Compact Bulletin is designed to keep participants up to date on news, actions you can take, resources and events. Participants are encouraged to look to this monthly communication for important information. Please note that actions and events are intended for Global Compact stakeholders, unless otherwise indicated. The Bulletin is published in English, French, Spanish and Chinese.

Survey responses from the 2017 Strategic Directions: Natural Gas Industry Report suggest that a root cause of inadequate preparedness for risks may be insufficient funding for physical and cybersecurity initiatives. In fact, results reveal that approximately 65 percent of respondents either don’t know how much money is being earmarked or are allocating less than $1 million annually to fund security programs.

Monika Freyman, Director of Investor Water Engagement shares her insights on the latest interactive web-based resource - “The Investor Water Toolkit” - a comprehensive tool that helps investors become more water aware. The Toolkit closes a critical gap for institutional investors who have long sought a how-to-guide for integrating water risks into portfolio management and decision-making.

What gift would you give for the holidays that costs $56? Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci lived on $56 for 56 days in Guatemala and filmed Living on One Dollar, a documentary that has raised over $300,000 for Whole Planet Foundation, funding 1,600 microloans for Guatemalans living in poverty.

Barclays has become the first UK bank to launch a range of green finance products to help its corporate clients fund low-carbon projects and investments.

It’s the season of gratitude and a time to celebrate the impact of 2017. Whole Planet Foundation wants to acknowledge the achievements of our microfinance partners’ field officers, who are often the main point of contact between a microfinance organization and the entrepreneurs financing their businesses with microloans. In 2014 we piloted a new Field Officer Appreciation Award in the Africa & Middle East region of our work and this year, the foundation awarded its fourth year of awards to nominated field officers. In total, this region currently includes 28 partner institutions.

Now that millennial-aged employees represent the majority of the workforce, it’s increasingly important that corporate management teams finds ways to engage these employees in the company. Creating defined contribution plans which connect to millennial core values – like solving human, social and environmental problems through their work and investments – can spur employee engagement, spark innovation and provide companies with a competitive edge in their pursuit of the “best and brightest” employees.