As the physical risks from climate change grow, so does our reliance on accurate maps to assess them. In this episode, we dig into the limitations of publicly available flood maps and explore how data and modeling in the marketplace have evolved - often surpassing the capabilities of standard public tools. 

Host: Mike Disabato, MSCI ESG Research

Guest: Kate Towey, MSCI Climate Risk Center

Let’s venture beyond the portfolio and into the engine room of company performance. In this episode, we explore how ESG Ratings relate to core business fundamentals like profitability, sales variability, and asset turnover. It’s a new piece of a much bigger picture that connects sustainability with financial performance. 

Host: Bentley Kaplan, MSCI ESG Research

Guest: Yu Ishihara, MSCI ESG Research

On July 4, the United States enacted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping tax-and-spending package containing some 35 provisions affecting the energy sector. Here, we highlight the most significant measures and examine how the legislation could reshape energy-investment decisions for both corporations and investors.

Host: Mike Disabato, MSCI ESG Research

Guest: Chris Cote, MSCI ESG Research

Junk food is at the center of the political conversation in America and globally, with discussions about ultra-processed and artificial foods, and the changes we need to make to food, and how hungry we are but none of the food is "good." It is a thing! But what does it mean for food companies? And what does it mean for our social pillar where we look at opportunities in nutrition and health - which assess which companies are likely to meet market demand for products with improved nutritional or health profiles. Listen to find out!

Host: Mike Disabato, MSCI ESG Research

Guest: Cole Martin, MSCI ESG Research

The energy transition isn’t a straight line. Investors are increasingly look to understand where and how emissions create portfolio risk. In this episode, we explore MSCI’s new energy transition framework and take a closer look at materiality-weighted emissions, a new metric that draws a bolder line to company performance. 

Host: Bentley Kaplan, MSCI ESG Research

Guests: Chris Cote & Guido Giese, MSCI ESG Research

How is it going with the carbon credit markets? Are they pricing credits accurately? Is the vitally important Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation also known as CORSIA that relies on functioning carbon credit markets working out? Listen to this episode of Sustainability Now to find out!

Host: Mike Disabato, MSCI ESG Research

Guest: Utkarsh Akhouri and Nicholas Baldwin, MSCI Carbon Markets 

Could Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche’s late-stage antibiotic trials signal new hope against antibiotic‐resistant pathogens? On this special REPLAY episode (originally aired August 2024), we take a deep dive into the state of antimicrobial resistance, from hospital wards to farm fields. As these microscopic threats drive up healthcare costs, jeopardize food security, and reshape insurance risk worldwide, understanding the crisis has never been more critical. But while the need to act is clear, the solutions remain complex. In this episode, we examine whether there’s a compelling investment case for fighting back, and what that could mean for the future of global health.

Host: Bentley Kaplan

Guest: Namita Nair

In this episode, we dive deep into the critical role of adaptation finance in helping Asia face the escalating impacts of climate change. As the region experiences rising temperatures and extreme weather events, the demand for resilience-building solutions is greater than ever. With a growing population, rapid urbanization, and a heavy reliance on agriculture, Asia is uniquely vulnerable, but also primed for innovation and growth in climate resilience. Tune in to understand the challenges, opportunities, and investment potential in climate adaptation for Asia’s future.

Episode reading list: https://www.msci-institute.com/themes/climate/how-adaptation-finance-can-help-asia-withstand-a-hotter-future/

Host: Mike Disabato, MSCI ESG Research

Guest: Umar Ashfaq, MSCI Sustainability Institute

Tariffs and tangled supply chains: This week, we explore how commercial aerospace and defense companies are navigating a new wave of trade restrictions. From Boeing to Lockheed Martin, what do transparency and oversight mean when the stakes — and the sky —are high? 

Host: Bentley Kaplan, MSCI ESG Research

Guest: Mike Disabato, MSCI ESG Research

From car factories to aluminum smelters to textiles, the purported goal of the Trump administration is to 'reshore' American manufacturing. Its a goal, in part, supported by his predecessor, Joe Biden, who enacted the CHIPS act to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to America. So, let's say manufacturing does come back and companies expand their current factories to meet demand.  What climate-driven risks—water shortages, extreme heat, or flooding—will these sites face, and where will those hazards hit hardest? We’ll explore the answers on this episode of Sustainability Now!

Host: Mike Disabato, MSCI ESG Research

Guest: Katie Towey, MSCI ESG Research