Corporations with the highest sustainable capital expenditure and R&D in the ‘green economy’ outperform the benchmark by a ratio of three to one, according to new research conducted by Corporate Knights. The media and research company based in Canada tracked the world’s largest companies’ commitment to sustainability for more than two decades and over the past five years calculated how much each company is investing in new sustainable systems, such as renewable energy and green building materials. The research found the best investments of the past three to five years were companies that jumped feet-first into the green economy.…
The majority of public companies will update their investment methodologies to include sustainability metrics as a key part of their return on investment (ROI) analysis by 2026, according to technological research and consulting firm Gartner. Research conducted by Gartner suggested sustainability metrics in investment plans will be standard practice for chief financial officers (CFOs) by 2026 as well as 30% of total debt capital markets funding being directed towards ESG initiatives. Furthermore, the study indicated that many organisations have evolved from a risk-oriented approach to environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns and have begun to optimise their programs to improve…
A group of leading scientists have delivered a “final warning” on the climate crisis, as rising greenhouse gas emissions push the world to the brink of irrevocable damage that only swift and drastic action can avert. But among all the stark lessons, there is hope ‘it can be done’ – so what can businesses do to help tackle climate change? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), made up of the world’s leading climate scientists, set out the final part of its sixth assessment report with a comprehensive review of the climate crisis and came up with one clear message:…
The SBTi’s new Net-Zero Standard is the world’s first certification that recognises companies’ science-based efforts towards achieving net zero. The certification is awarded to businesses if their decarbonisation strategies are scientifically proven to be in alignment with the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping planetary warming to 1.5°C. The Net-Zero Standard provides a unified science-based understanding of net zero and is aimed at giving business leaders clarity and confidence that their near- and long-term targets are aligned with climate science to ensure a habitable planet for all. Development of the Net-Zero Standard followed consultation with an independent Expert Advisory Group, made…
The UK’s financial watchdog has warned administrators of creating overly vague sustainability targets, after finding that most of these benchmarks are of poor quality and could lead to ‘greenwashing.’ The Financial Conduct Authority completed a review of environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) benchmarks, which companies use to showcase progress towards sustainability goals. It said the overall quality of benchmarks it reviewed was “very poor.” In particular, it said that the methodologies for too many benchmarks were overly vague. “We are concerned that this can contribute towards or lead to greenwashing,” the watchdog said. The FCA said that ESG ratings had…
The next major report on the state and progress of climate action is expected to be published on Monday (20th March) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Here is all you need to know about the IPCC and what to expect from the report. Since 2015, hundreds of scientists, forming what’s known as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), have produced a series of reports focusing on individual aspects of the climate crisis. These will all come together into a single overarching assessment called the Synthesis Report on Monday. The report will provide an update on the…
The European Commission has published its long-awaited Net Zero Industry Act, a proposal aiming at boosting Europe’s green industry in order to achieve the ambitions of the Green Deal Industrial Plan. The proposed regulation is a key part of the EU’s response to America’s monumental green subsidies package — and aims to ensure that at least 40% of EU nations’ demand for cleantech is made domestically by 2030. The proposal sets out targets for technologies deemed necessary to decarbonise the unions’ economy, a move aimed at preventing the EU from deepening its reliance on countries like China. “We need a…
Becoming a B Corp marks a commitment to sustainability and ESG, one that comes with numerous advantages. There are far fewer B Corporations, or ‘B Corps’, than most people think, mainly due to the difficulty in becoming one, but it is achievable and brings many advantages along with it. So, should your business consider becoming a B Corp? As of September 2022, there are over 6,200 certified B Corporations across 158 industries in 85 countries, including Ben & Jerry’s, Patagonia, and Danone, boasting a total revenue of $150 billion (£123bn). That number is likely to increase alongside environmental, social, and…
Business sustainability rating provider EcoVadis has published a report on the sustainable business practices being adopted by 100,000+ companies with a sustainability rating in its network. Companies such as Epson, Ring Container Technologies and SKF have previously been rated on key metrics quantifying the positive social and environmental outcomes of their efforts on sustainability. Insights from this have been mapped across EcoVadis’ model for generating impact and revealed in the sustainability ratings provider’s third annual Network Impact Report. There are currently nearly 1,000 enterprise customers using the EcoVadis platform to manage their value chain sustainability, expanding the total global procurement…
Ansys director of application, Dr. Pepi Maksimovic leads a team of experts focused on developing and delivering innovative simulation solutions for complex technical projects to clients across a variety of industries, including, energy, process, automotive, off-highway, aerospace, and consumer products. Sustainable Future News spoke with Pepi about her current role and how Ansys can help your business achieve net zero. What’s your professional background, and what brought you to Ansys? I hold a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan and following this, kicked off my career in engineering. In 2000 I joined the team at Ansys as…
