Celine Herweijer

The old adage 'you cannot manage what you don't measure' underpins the sustainability space. #biodiversity 🌱 is a topic where the current data does not meet the needs to manage the issue at hand. In our latest paper on the topic we highlight the issues around the current data practices within the biodiversity space - watch this space for a solution. https://lnkd.in/eiD9sa2J #biodiversity #biodiversitydata

4

1 Comment

Following the announcement last week on the timeline for UK endorsement of #ISSB, this week the FCA published details in its Primary Market Bulletin of how its rulemaking will be affected. In particular: - Once the UK endorsement is completed in 2025, the FCA will consult on amending its rules to move from TCFD to UK-endorsed ISSB disclosure standards. It also intends to consult on strengthening its expectations for listed companies’ transition plan disclosures, with reference to the Transition Plan Taskforce (TPT) Disclosure Framework at the same time. - Companies may also wish to start reporting voluntarily against ISSB Standards prior to the conclusion of the UK endorsement process. The FCA may explore additional guidance to support issuers subject to its Listing Rules by indicating how reporting based on ISSB Standards can remain consistent with its existing TCFD-based rules, which issuers must continue to meet. https://lnkd.in/ekGUJWu4. 

9

The concept of #materiality sits at the heart of #bestpractice identification, management and reporting of #sustainability risks and opportunities. It guides the prioritisation of those risks and opportunities that can significantly impact our business and/or are most important to our stakeholders. As a demonstration of our #sustainabilityleadership, New Forests regularly assesses materiality, guided by globally leading sustainability-related reporting frameworks including the Integrated Reporting (IR) Framework, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the FSB Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the nascent International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). Done well, a materiality assessment should do more than inform our sustainability management and reporting. A refreshed understanding of the environmental, social, and governance themes that are most important to stakeholders is a valuable input to strategic planning, helping to inform business strategy and resource allocation and guide performance measurement. This year we evolved our Materiality Assessment to incorporate a double materiality approach to understand the environmental, social or governance themes of significant to our stakeholders (impact materiality), the themes which most affect New Forests’ business going forward (financial materiality) and those themes which are material from both an impact and financial lens. We also expanded the number and types of stakeholders engaged, for example, including Environmental NGOs as a proxy for the environment, given our reliance on nature as manager of nature-based real assets and natural capital strategies. Well done Carly Hammond for pursuing a novel approach to gaining input from our stakeholders and her considered way of bringing it all together. If you want to know the findings from our 2024 Materiality Assessment, I encourage you to read our Report, that can be found here https://lnkd.in/gepKBiq6.

53

3 Comments

Making the consideration of nature, second nature in the workplace. WWF-UK, National Trust and RSPB have combined forces to support workers at all businesses to take the steps to make #nature part of everyday thinking, discussion. and decision making. Developed alongside employees and managers across a range of firms and industries, Nature’s Workforce provides a suite of resources including a detailed step-by-step guide on how to start conversations at work on ways businesses can help support #naturepositive outcomes. Its core five steps are: 📚Learn about business and nature - Understanding how your business depends and impacts on nature. ❓Ask the right questions- discover five areas you can make a different in your workplace. 👫Collaborate with Collegues - Find out how to engage your collegues in the discussion. 🗣️Hold the Conversation- Get started no matter how much time you have. 🎬Turn talk into Action - Take the first steps and spread the message about your work. You don’t need to be a nature expert or know all the answers to get involved. You only need to be curious, open, and willing to get the conversation going! Congratulations to my Aviva colleagues who contributed to bring this to life, and we continue to work together with WWF to act on climate change and nature loss to make a better tomorrow.

20

A really great session on climate policy organised by Tech Nation at the UK House of Lords this morning. Well done to Sammy Fry and Alyssa Gilbert and the Undaunted: Tackling climate change with innovation team for hosting. Some enthusiastic conversations on my #builtenvironment table ranging from the need for #embodiedcarbon regulation, equalising VAT and other financial incentives to support retrofit/refurb as well as construction, EPC reform, open energy data, and resolving local grid connectivity and distribution challenges. #climatetech #climatepolicy #dontwastebuildings #retrofit

40

A fantastic brief and essential read for directors of financial institutions on water risk from CDP and Annabel Nelson The brief outlines a clear call to action for Boards: 🌍 1. Adopting a systems approach: Understanding how climate change and water are interrelated, aligning internal governance to embed consideration of water into strategy and business decision-making. 🧐 2. Assessing risks and opportunities: Identifying and evaluating your business’ impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities on water. 💪🏻 3. Using change levers: Using your influence to support sustainable water usage and management. 📄 4. Documenting and disclosing: Transparency drives accountability, supports trust and helps to mitigate risk. Easy reading at 17 pages, get it downloaded for your train journey. https://lnkd.in/d98ZvQpf

11

2 Comments

It was pertinent to follow the UK’s NDC announcement at COP29 Azerbaijan yesterday with a really good discussion between former Deputy PM and environment secretary Thérèse Coffey, Head of Labour Together Jonathan Ashworth, and Kate Andrews, Economics editor of The Spectator, on the subject of sustainable futures and the impact of political agendas on #ESG this evening. Things that struck me in conversation included: - Moments of political upheaval present an opportunity to do things differently, and we really ought to make the most of that - #climate change appears in the top 5 concerns of former Conservative voters who voted for The Labour Party at the last election, so for as long as it remains there it’ll remain high on the current government agenda - For all the talk of #InflationReductionAct money going to Republican states in the US, this is outweighed by voters who felt that it actually drove inflation that made life harder for them, even in those states - Staying with the US, promised $2tn of spending cuts across government administrations is going to hit departments like the EPA hard, not just due to the anti-green agenda, but also because of other departments that are due to be protected from cuts. An interesting contradiction from Elon Musk being charged with masterminding such things, yet with an obvious established agenda to promote uptake of #EVs - The government has to prove to investors that the projects they support will actually happen to get the cash flowing in the right direction - no more questionable project finance of schemes with no discernible delivery over a 15 year horizon and an unknown future administration deciding on success etc etc - Tackling the problem of short term stick vs long term carrot is imperative, as well as the conflict of attracting #investment by pushing profits to the private sector and the costs being borne by society - We really ought to have unpegged the cost of energy from gas by now hadn’t we! 😂 Thanks to Jones Day for organising a top panel, Aidan Lawes for ably moderating, and John Crowley for inviting me along! #sustainablefutures #sustainablepolitics https://lnkd.in/dixye8re

11

1 Comment

What a privilege to attend the Climate Leaders Forum at the UK House of Lords this morning, and kudos to David Over and Sammy Fry for convening an all-star cast of CSOs, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders for some truly engaging discussion. Far too much covered to relay in a single post, but consistent themes included: ⏱️ Solving short-termism to unblock support for the solutions we need; 💡 Making it all relatable to end consumers; 🌿 Bringing #biodiversity and social themes into the mix, and; 🚀 Elevating sustainability through an innovation lens. All echoed by my own sustainable finance round table, alongside some solid debate on the utility of a more sophisticated approach to climate risk, the role of financial services as arbiters of sustainable progress or not, the potential for sustainable missions to channel focus, the critical value of taxonomies and the #transitionfinance market review for clarity, and the need for blended finance solutions to plug the “#valleyofdeath” in scaling solutions, to name a few. Topped and tailed with a rousing tale of despair and optimism from Lord Adair Turner; thought provoking debate over the pitfalls, challenges, and evolving role of corporate sustainability and CSOs from Hannah Jones and John Elkington; insights on sustainable approaches to government procurement from Joe Tilley; and a helpful tour of the nuances and considerations for acting on carbon removals or avoidance from Brennan Spellacy. Great to reconnect with Rishi Madlani, Tony Greenham, Elizabeth Corse, Kat Bruce, and Ben Knight (MIEMA, CEnv) amongst all the great minds in the room, and thanks to Tech Nation, Founders Forum Group, Informatech, and London Tech Week for bringing it all together. #climateleadership #sustainability

85

4 Comments

Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink!!,Yes, (undrinkable) flood water is abundant in a number of parts of the world but water is unfortunately not in many others where the situation is getting worse. No water for agriculture, animals and little for us humans unless it comes in a bottle the cost of which is way beyond the reach of millions of people. BUT, there is good news! A growing number of new "water" technologies are coming to market to conserve, clean, transform from seawater to drinking water and create same from the atmosphere. Companies that I know well, such as Collaborate Water and SkyH2O, are addressing this huge problem of water shortage where it's needed most and that's not Southest England of Florida.. Whilst Evrensel is already involved in the water sector, particularly in Africa, I am thinking of creating Evrensel WATER just like Evrensel GOLD SERVICES and Evrensel GREEN. Anyone out there want to pitch in and help me?

9

8 Comments

There are so many ways organisations like PWC and their supply chains can help nature. A great way is to support and invest with organisations like Chiltern Rangers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), The Woodland Trust and others to take action in their local areas. Working locally reduces travel and creates a better, more connected landscape. Not only can positive activity sessions like Be a Ranger days help directly e.g. tree planting, river cleans or coppicing in the woods; these days are great for teambuilding, health and well being, giving back to the community and much more. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dmm27gDx What stops your company for booking these sessions and making the difference for people, place and nature??

2

A must read as we are in the middle of COP16. A useful and timely paper on the role that Carbon Markets can play in tackling the next Sustainability challenge which we are facing: biodiversity... The voluntary #carbon market could unlock up to USD 100 billion annually by 2050 for #nature-based solutions, supporting both carbon capture and #biodiversity restoration. With 66% of the #afforestation and #reforestation projects we analyzed showing the potential to improve biodiversity, this market could offer a win-win for investors and the planet. http://ms.spr.ly/6041WzLwt #MSCICarbonMarkets #MSCIResearch #COP16 #Sustainability Receive expert insight from the world’s biggest climate events, from anywhere. Sign up for our climate email series: http://ms.spr.ly/6048m5cdY

17

With COP16 kicking off today, it is a good time to think about how we can more actively support nature. Investing in nature can only increase our resilience to socioeconomic and environmental shocks, while helping societies thrive. As an investor or corporate, it is an exciting time to be looking at nature based solutions. Follow ERM's activities in the link below. #naturebasedsolutions #climatechange #esg #sustainablefinance

21

Legally binding climate targets mean something! Twice in two years the UK government has been taken to court for not doing enough to meet its carbon reduction targets. And both times the government has lost. In 2022, the courts agreed that the government's Net Zero Plan did not clearly show how the plan would achieve the targets set out in the #ClimateChangeAct. And the government was sent away to beef its plan up. This year, the plans have been challenged again. And again, the government has lost. Later today, the High Court is expected to announce timelines for Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to come back for a third time with a credible plan. #climatechange #netzero #climateemergency https://lnkd.in/ekSM4AxC

31

#Mission2025 What a breath of fresh air and optimism. Because when you are in the U bend, it feels important to remind yourself that the vast majority of human beings want to thrive on a healthy planet, rather than live through ever intensifying climate change consequences for their livelihoods, their peace and security, and ultimately their children’s health and happiness. There are so many human and business reasons just to get on with it!

10

1 Comment

Closing the US$700 billion biodiversity finance gap is crucial for a nature-positive future. The Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) calls for urgent action to redirect capital from harmful activities and scale up investments in nature-positive initiatives. Financial institutions, as intermediaries of the real economy, hold the key to this transformation. However, a major barrier remains: nature finance is often perceived as low-return conservation finance. This must change. The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) highlights the need for private capital to play a larger role. By aligning financial strategies with GBF goals, we could unlock US$10.1 trillion in opportunities. Private finance can and must be part of the solution. Let's build a future where halting and reversing nature loss becomes a priority. 📝 Access the report here: https://ow.ly/JO8h50TB0JK Lead authors Sara Taaffe (CISL), Corinne Martin (CISL), Robert Barker (CISL), with significant contributions from A-Track consortium partners Capitals Coalition UNEP-WCMC IDEEA Group and TECNALIA Research & Innovation Hashtags: #SustainableFinance #Biodiversity #NaturePositive #PrivateFinance #GlobalBiodiversityFramework

33

1 Comment

🌍 COP Highlights for AOSIS: Amplifying the Voices of Small Island Nations 🌊 At this year’s COP, AOSIS has once again been at the forefront, championing the urgent needs of small island developing states (SIDS) in the fight against climate change. Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ Loss & Damage Fund: Progress on operationalizing the fund to support SIDS, recognizing their disproportionate vulnerability to climate impacts. 2️⃣ Renewable Energy Transition: Strong advocacy for scaling up clean energy projects tailored to the unique challenges of islands. 3️⃣ Ocean Resilience: Highlighted the critical role of oceans in climate regulation, calling for greater focus on marine ecosystems and blue economy initiatives. 4️⃣ Financing Adaptation: Emphasized the need for simplified access to climate financing for SIDS, ensuring timely and impactful solutions on the ground. Conclusions: 🔹 AOSIS successfully positioned the Loss and Damage Fund as a lifeline for SIDS, ensuring it remains a top priority. 🔹 Renewed global commitment to fast-track energy transition initiatives and blue economy solutions for island nations. 🔹 Recognition of the need for capacity-building programs to help SIDS better access and implement climate financing. 🔹 Stronger partnerships were forged, with stakeholders committing to collaborative and inclusive climate solutions. This year’s COP also marked a landmark $300 billion pledge from richer nations to help developing countries prepare for and prevent climate change—a significant recognition of the disproportionate burden faced by vulnerable nations like SIDS. Was humbled to participate as IBL Together advocating for the needs of SIDS and global climate justice. A special thank you to Christine MAROT for the support to participate in this amazing conference. AOSIS continues to remind the world that the survival of small islands is a global responsibility. Their leadership is pivotal in pushing for ambitious action, solidarity, and innovative solutions. 💡 “The time to act is now—SIDS cannot wait.” #COP #AOSIS #ClimateAction #SmallIslands #Sustainability #LossAndDamage #BlueEconomy #IBLTogether #COP29 #azerbeijan COP29 Azerbaijan

12

It is with great pleasure (and a sense of achievement) that we unveil our hot-off-the-press first Annual Sustainability Report 📰 We overhauled our reporting processes this year to create this one-stop-shop source for (we hope all) external stakeholder needs. This report combines our annual UK Stewardship Code submission, our Climate Change report and the Sustainable Business Report, which helps streamline our reporting process, improve the timeliness and availability of data for clients, and release time to focus even more on sustainable investing and stewardship activities. Please read the report to learn more about IFM's key sustainability achievements that impact our clients, our pension fund owners and wider society - and about our areas of focus for the year ahead 👉  https://lnkd.in/eqktH5kw Amanda Latham Kate Fry Maria Davis-Poynter Luba Nikulina IFM Investors   #sustainability #climatechange #stewardship #netzero

106

12 Comments

#LGPS #pooling #climateaction Positive reflections on the LGPS Pooling Symposium at The Belfry last week. The public sector continues to demonstrate leadership in their commitment to #decarbonisation solutions and #sustainability. Together with LGPS Pools and Partner Funds we can accelerate capital investment to mid market companies and across private markets strategies to seek to halve CO2 emissions by 2030. #privateequity #privatedebt #realassets #naturalcapital

26

1 Comment