The Transition Finance Market Review is an impressive piece of work. But I still don’t understand what a “transition finance” label will achieve.

A recent paper from the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance does little to resolve the underlying dilemmas facing fiduciaries concerned about climate change

Could there be a good faith argument for fiduciaries to allocate a portion of their portfolio to climate impact investments? I argue that there could.

The working world for women is improving but much remains to be done

Amidst the sound and fury of the ESG debate there are genuinely tricky fiduciary duty issues to consider for asset managers committed to accelerating action on climate change.

A light-hearted, but serious take, on what GFANZ should’ve announced in Glasgow in November 2021, written with Harald Walkate

The Financial Conduct Authority plans significantly tougher requirements for funds to be labelled as sustainable. That’s a good thing, although it’s not straightforward.

The latest publications from GFANZ expose the limitations of the project. Is there an opportunity to reframe its objectives?

Asset managers need to figure out how to align membership of GFANZ with their fiduciary duty to clients, and fast.

ESG activism has a bright future, but the Sainsbury’s case contains important lessons.

ShareAction has cited several papers in support of its case that financial benefits, not costs, would arise from supporting their Living Wage resolution at Sainsbury's. Here’s why I don’t think they show that at all.

Schroders is right to vote against the shareholder resolution that would force Sainsbury’s to become an accredited Living Wage Employer. But this doesn’t mean that all ESG resolutions should be rejected.

Claims made for the real-world benefits of ESG often play fast and loose with the facts. This risks decreasing rather than increasing trust in business. Advocates of responsible business need to follow the evidence.

Investors need to be clear why and how they are prioritising stakeholder issues and link this to client mandates and fiduciary duty

I’ve spent the year looking at what the best evidence has to say about key issues in responsible business. This is some of what I’ve learned.

Overstating the business case for diversity understates the changes we need to make

The lesson from Danone is that purpose must lead to value

It is essential for the financial services industry to rediscover its purpose.

Evidence from Denmark shows that gender pay disclosure has caused companies to cut the pay gap, through restraining men’s pay rather than boosting women’s. 

Companies need to embrace corporate governance reform for the good of capitalism in the UK