The Greener Way

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar speaks with Frankie Muskovic, the newly appointed Executive Director of Policy at the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC).

Frankie shares her unique journey from an engineering background to the forefront of climate policy. She shares key priorities that the IGCC brought to a recent governmental round table discussion, emphasising the need for ambitious climate targets for 2050, the economic benefits of decarbonisation, and effective policy implementation for sustainable investment.

Frankie also discusses Australia's role in global climate action and the importance of partnerships in driving impactful reform.

IGCC 2025 conference link: https://igcc.org.au/event/igcc-summit-2025-climate-investment-insights-for-the-asia-pacific/

Frankie's podcast: https://www.letmesumup.net/

and LinkedIn contact info

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar chats with Bjarne Graven Larsen, founder and CEO of Qblue Balanced, on the hard numbers behind climate transition.

Graven Larsen explains how defining and measuring climate transition involves measuring a company's societal value creation, emissions reduction, and green innovation capabilities.

He highlights the challenges faced by investors in supporting transition companies and the importance of adopting a balanced approach.

Is it still the wild, wild west on product labelling for sustainable investments? In this podcast, host Michelle Baltazar chats with Dug Higgins, Head of Responsible Investment & Real Assets for the broader Zenith Group, on how financial advisers can benefit from a more rigorous debate on how investment managers address ESG and sustainability. He also explains why not all greenwashing claims are created equal, why disclosure alone isn't enough and why sustainability reporting must pass the pub test.

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar speaks with Charlotte O'Meara, head of responsible investment at Challenger.

They delve into the issue of modern slavery and how an investor network representing $12 trillion FUM hopes to fight it. 

The episode highlights the efforts and frameworks developed by Challenger to assess and address modern slavery risks in their investments, particularly in the supply chains of their portfolio companies, as well as the broader industry collaboration, including work with the Investors Against Slavery and Trafficking Asia Pacific (IAST-APAC) .

O'Meara argues for a victim-centered approach to remediation, a national compensation scheme, and renewed efforts to bolster anti-slavery laws.

01:01 Understanding modern slavery in Australia

02:15 Challenger's approach to tackling modern slavery

04:51 Collaborative efforts and working groups

08:31 Challenges and risks in modern slavery

12:54 Future directions and legislative changes

Link: Human rights toolkit

In this episode of 'The Greener Way,' host Michelle Baltazar chats with Rachel Halpern, head of sustainability at JANA Investment Advisors, about the pivotal role asset consultants play in the evolving landscape of institutional investment.

They discuss the integration of ESG themes, debunk the misconception around sustainable investing hurting returns, and explore key investment trends.

Rachel also shares insights on how regulatory requirements and improved data could shape future investment profiles.

01:39 JANA's approach to sustainable investing

02:26 Key investment themes and trends

05:23 Impact of climate and biodiversity risks

08:35 Role of asset consultants 

09:56 Upcoming investment conference

11:26 Case study: Orica

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar discusses the inaugural investment stewardship report by TCorp with the company's head of investment stewardship, Alexis Cheang.

Alexis shares insights on how TCorp has integrated ESG factors into their investment strategies, detailing their efforts in active ownership and the challenges faced in compiling carbon emissions data.

The discussion covers TCorp's approach to managing a substantial $118 billion portfolio, highlighting key achievements in sustainable investing and the importance of continuous improvement.

00:58 Introducing Alexis Cheang and TCorp's report

01:30 Feedback and goals of the report

02:25 Challenges in data collection and analysis

04:37 Active ownership and ESG risks

06:34 Case study: Qantas and governance

09:20 Integration and ESG champions

13:02 Climate change and US market exposure

14:58 Technical insights on portfolio emissions

18:59 Commitment to continuous improvement

In this episode of The Greener Way podcast, Financial Standard's Eliza Bavin talks with Carl Prins, Co-founder and CEO of PathZero, about the challenges superannuation funds face in managing climate-related financial risks when it comes to private equity.

They discuss the need for precise emissions data, regulatory standards, and the unique approach PathZero takes to enhance data accuracy through collaboration among fund managers, asset owners, and operating entities.

Learn how PathZero's secure platform helps in substantiating disclosures, managing regulatory risks, and addressing greenwashing in private markets.

01:08 Introducing Path Zero

02:46 How Path Zero works

05:41 Ensuring data accuracy and reliability

07:16 Addressing greenwashing risks

09:46 Managing physical risks

11:13 Future of regulatory requirements

In this episode of 'The Greener Way,' host Michelle Baltazar discusses the critical role of company directors in climate transition planning with Christian Gergis, head of policy at the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

The discussion covers the evolution of climate issues in boardrooms, the importance of robust transition plans, combating greenwashing, and the significance of directors' best interest duties.

The episode highlights the need for comprehensive internal support and collaboration across business areas, especially involving the CFO, to effectively implement transition plans.

Link: https://www.aicd.com.au/tools-and-resources/climate-change.html00:58 Insights from AICD's Christian Gergis

01:59 Climate transition planning in Australian boardrooms

04:29 Governing for net zero: new guidance in partnership with ACSI

07:40 How to address greenwashing

10:48 Why directors need to show ‘fluency’ in climate transition planning

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar discusses the governance risks posed by AI with Elfreda Jonker from Alphinity Investment Management.

They explore the impact of AI on cybersecurity and data privacy, as highlighted in Alphinity's latest sustainability report. The conversation covers the importance of a Responsible AI framework, how companies including Netflix and Wesfarmers address these risks, and the need for better investor disclosures by fund managers on how they tackle AI risks.

01:38 Overview of Alphinity's Investment Management

02:54 Highlights from the Sustainability Report

04:20 What did Netflix do

08:35 AI as a governance risk

11:09 Opportunities and challenges

13:54 Conclusion

Link: https://www.alphinity.com.au/

Join host Michelle Baltazar as she speaks with Dr. Erin Kuo-Sutherland, chief sustainability officer at Yarra Capital Management. 

In this episode, they discuss the implications of surpassing the 1.5°C global warming threshold, the impact on various sectors, and the new climate reality.

They discuss Yarra’s strategic approach to ESG integration, physical risk assessments, and the promising opportunities in climate resilience and adaptation.

02:10 Yarra's approach to sustainability

02:44 The new climate reality

05:44 Sector-specific risks and responses

13:13 Opportunities in climate adaptation

19:06 Concluding thoughts and personal reflections

Read Yarra Capital Management's white paper published in July 2025: Reframing Net Zero: Investing in a >2°C World [Hyperlink: https://www.yarracm.com/reframing-net-zero/]