The Greener Way

Can we really trust the tools measuring biodiversity risk?

This week on TGW, Michelle Baltazar, Executive Director of Media at FS Sustainability, sits down with Dr. Jennifer Willetts of Franklin Templeton to unpack one of the biggest questions facing investors today: how do you actually measure biodiversity risk—and are current tools up to the task?

Dr. Willetts breaks down the challenges, the latest innovations, and the emerging opportunities for investors looking to understand their biodiversity footprint and drive more sustainable outcomes.

00:00 Introduction: Disagreement among biodiversity tools

00:29 Introducing Dr. Jennifer Willett and her research

01:30 The Complexity of biodiversity metrics

04:00 Key Findings from the biodiversity study

07:04 Challenges and solutions for investors

12:29 The Role of regulation in biodiversity risk

14:24 Emerging opportunities for investors

Are investors adding sustainable ETFs to their portfolio?

This week on The Greener Way podcast, host Michelle Baltazar chats in the studio with Chris Brycki, founder and CEO of Stockpot, about the returns of sustainable ETFs and market trends that are driving fund inflows.

They delve into the growth and divergence in the ESG market, how sustainable ETFs compare with traditional ETFs, and how investors can align their personal values with their investment goals.

00:46 State of sustainable ETFs

02:07 Performance and comparison

03:54 Choosing the right sustainable ETF

05:34 Fees, transparency and ESG ratings

08:43 Challenges and considerations

14:08 Future outlook for sustainable ETFs

17:35 About StockSpot

This week on 'The Greener Way', host Michelle Baltazar interviews Mike Harut, partner and responsible investment manager at $7bn fund manager Munro Partners.

Together they discuss the biggest misconceptions about the performance of renewable companies in the US, the green stocks that defied the odds in 2025 and why TINA (short for 'There Is No Alternative') underpin the future of renewables.

Mike also shares insights on how their Climate Leaders fund returned a strong 22 per cent in returns last year.

01:00 Munro Partners is a growth equities specialist

02:57 The renewable sector's performance: myths vs reality

06:30 The future of electricity demand in the US

13:11 China's revised emission targets and investment opportunities

14:44 Performance of the Climate Change Leaders Fund

20:10 What's next?

For more info on the Climate Change Leaders fund, see https://www.munropartners.com/. US utility NextEra’s Capital Markets Day shares research on the US electricity system here: https://www.investor.nexteraenergy.com/news-and-events/events-and-presentations/2025/12-08-2025

Is now a good time to look for a new role in sustainability?

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar discusses the recruitment challenges and opportunities in the sustainability sector with Richard Evans, founder and chief executive of Talent Nation.

They explore critical issues including low staff retention rates, the necessity of executive support, and the impact of economic pressures on sustainability roles.

Richard emphasises the importance of hiring the right talent, understanding organisational needs, and the rising demand in 2026 for roles focused on disclosures and compliance.

00:58 Guest Introduction: Richard Evans

01:14 Retention issues on ESG roles

03:10 Survey insights on burnout and turnover

05:31 Challenges on the job

06:37 Solutions for staff retention and support

10:21 Blurring lines between roles

2:53 Current job market and opportunities

7:54 Final thoughts and practical tips

Great partnerships can make all the difference.

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar talks with Yossi Kraemer, co-head of capital partnerships and director of funds management at Salter Brothers.

In the year where the future of sustainable investing was hotly debated following greenwashing claims and reversal of climate policies in the US, Salter Brothers defied general sentiment and partnered with Kilara Capital to launch KSB Sustainable Investments. Why now, and what are the results?

Yossi explains the merits of sustainability and the impact of decarbonisation, electrification, and sustainable technologies on investment returns and how SMEs operate.

00:30 Guest Introduction: Yossi Kraemer

00:56 Background of Salter Brothers

01:48 The fund behind major hotel brands and boutiques

02:52 Teaming up with Kilara Capital

04:26 Growth opportunities and market trends

05:43 Electrification and energy efficiency

06:34 Investor returns and risks

2025 has been a milestone year for responsible investing. 

This week on The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar discusses the year that was with Estelle Parker, co-chief executive of the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA).

They discuss the organisation's key achievements and the trends that reshaped the sustainable sector in the year that saw US president Donald Trump reverse key ESG policies. 

Estelle talks about how nature risks edged out climate risks as the key ESG issue this year and the investment scorecard of sustainable funds. 

00:55 Key industry highlights 

01:09 Global policy and regulatory developments

02:31 Australia's policy shifts and achievements

03:59 Addressing greenwashing concerns

04:21 Nature risks and investment opportunities

05:53 RIAA's engagement and committees

06:10 US political impact on ESG

07:44 Resilience of responsible investment markets

08:52 RIAA's 2025 milestones

11:34 Looking ahead to 2026

This week on The Greener Way Podcast, host Michelle Baltazar discusses the top sustainability trends of 2025 with Adam Verwey, co-founder of ethical investment platform Six.

In this episode, they dive into the surge of shareholder resolutions in Australia, key wins and setbacks on nature risk, greenwashing and the state of funding for sustainability startups.

01:23 Shareholder resolutions and their impact

04:01 Global vs. Australian shareholder sentiment

06:00 The rise of nature risk

07:41 Coles vs. Woolworths: which one is winning the sustainability stakes

10:24 Greenwashing: the penalty on Prime Super

12:48 The role of startups

14:20 Looking ahead to 2026

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar interviews Candace Coppere, head of Climate and Innovation Lab, Sustainability Business at ISS STOXX (parent company of FS Sustainability) about the latest in measuring and monitoring physical risks for real asset investors.

Coppere explains how fund managers and super funds can leverage geospatial AI to turn coarse global climate data into localised and more granular information. For example, AI and machine learning tools today can help convert wildfire projections from 100km grids to 300-meter estimates

Read the full report here: https://insights.issgovernance.com/posts/measuring-and-monitoring-physical-risk-for-real-asset-inve…). 

*ISS STOXX is the parent company of FS Sustainability

COP30 Insights: Global Climate Challenges and Achievements

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar talks with Dr. Evan Center, senior manager for environment and climate change from the UN Global Compact Network Australia, about the key takeaways from the 30th annual UN Conference of the Parties (COP30) held in Brazil.

They discuss the conference milestones and disappointments, including the lack of progress on fossil fuel reduction.

Center provides insights into the role of businesses in sustainability, the significance of climate-related financial disclosures, and the impactful representation of indigenous voices at the conference.

02:38 Insights from COP30

04:27 On-the-ground perspective 

08:43 Key takeaways for sustainability professionals

11:32 Looking ahead to COP31

13:57 Final thoughts and conclusion

Earlier in the year, First Sentier Group’s global head of responsible investment Kate Turner joined Jamie Williamson on The Greener Way to talk through the findings of the group’s inaugural Climate and Nature Report.

In this episode, we welcome her back to the podcast to reflect on First Sentier Group’s experience in adopting the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) reporting standards.

She shares key learnings from the process, the challenges faced and the areas First Sentier is still looking to improve upon.