The Greener Way

In this episode of 'The Greener Way,' host Michelle Baltazar discusses the new accounting standards for Scope 3 emissions with Alison George, Chief Impact and Ethics Officer at Australian Ethical Investments.

They discuss why it's crucial for investment banks and insurers to be included in these disclosures, the risks involved in granting them exemptions, and the impact on transparency and investor confidence.

Submission link: https://www.ifrs.org/projects/work-plan/amendments-to-disclosure-of-greenhouse-gas-emissions-s2/ed-cl-amendments-greenhouse-gas-s2/

Join host Michelle Baltazar as she chats with Pablo Berrutti, senior portfolio specialist at Stewart Investors, about emerging market investment opportunities and their main growth drivers. Berrutti also explains why Samsung, Wallmex and Bank of the Philippine Islands are featured in their portfolios and why mid-cap US companies offer good value for investors. 

00:57 Guest introduction: Pablo Berrutti

01:26 Stewart Investors: Under the bonnet

03:50 Investment strategies and criteria

06:47 What's driving global emerging markets

09:18 Stocks to watch 

16:55 US companies riding on sustainability trends

21:12 DEI-washing: Why it's good for investors

While still at a very nascent stage in Australia, direct indexing holds great potential – particularly for ESG and responsible investors.

Investing in line with your values is a very idiosyncratic desire as what’s important to one investor can differ greatly for another. Being able to build a low-cost, custom portfolio that removes all the ESG exposures an investor doesn’t want while still tracking a selected benchmark could prove a game-changer in more ways than one.

Briefcase founder and chief executive Josh Persky joins The Greener Way to discuss exactly what direct indexing involves and why it’s important to recognise that each individual investor is different – as are their values.

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar discusses the transition to nature-positive investment portfolios with Lucian Peppelenbos, climate and biodiversity strategist at Robeco.

Lucian shares his insights on the importance of incorporating environmental impacts into investment strategies, using the Task Force for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) guidance, and the launch of Robeco's biodiversity traffic light system.

Together they discuss how investors can measure and monitor nature risks and opportunities to support the transition towards a nature-positive economy, while adhering to sustainable investment practices.

01:13 Understanding Robeco's sustainability approach

03:40 The complexity of measuring nature risks

06:22 The new biodiversity traffic light system

12:28 Opportunities and future developments

The challenges facing sustainable investors are always evolving, and approaches to responsible investment must evolve as well.

Over the years, much of the industry has adopted a siloed approach to E, S and G issues, but a new report from First Sentier Investors explores how an integrative approach to responsible investment can produce more lucrative opportunities for investors.

First Sentier Investors’ global head of responsible investment Kate Turner joins The Greener Way to discuss how accounting for the many inter-reactions and flow-on effects of addressing specific sustainability issues can lead to improved outcomes.

In this episode of 'The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar interviews Paul Clements-Hunt, founder and CEO of the Blended Capital Group, about the evolution and future of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing.

They explore the origin of ESG, emphasising its role in changing the culture of asset owners, particularly in Australia. He discusses the transition from ethical investments to responsible and sustainable investments, stressing the need for authenticity in addressing systemic risks like climate change and social inequality.

Clements-Hunt also highlights emerging opportunities in ESG investing, including the development of tradable carbon securities and resilient infrastructure.

03:20 The genesis of ESG

05:11 The evolution and impact of ESG

08:35 challenges and opportunities in ESG

10:09 Future of ESG and regenerative capitalism

14:56 The shift to tradable carbon securities

19:05 Infrastructure and climate investment

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar chats with Will Farrell, co-lead of climate change at Federated Hermes Stewardship and Engagement Body (EOS), about the complexities of reducing emissions in hard-to-abate sectors like aviation, shipping, and primary chemicals.

They explore the obstacles related to systemic dependencies, policy enablers, and market-led changes such as electric vehicles. They also discuss the importance of policy clarity, value chain coordination, and governance in achieving successful energy transitions.

1:03 Introducing the US$2.1 trillion sustainability heavyweight

1:36 Energy transition for hard-to-abate sectors

2:57 How economies of scale drive change

5:17 Why climate solutions are expensive for primary chemicals

6:59 The role of policymakers

8:30 The 21% cost advantage of SA’s hydrogen strategy

9:46 Coordinating the value chain

11:03 Case study: The cement industry

12:06 Key messages for investors and companies

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar speaks with Raf Wood, co-managing director of Silva Capital, on the evolution of Australia's carbon market and Silva's latest update on their carbon credit projects.

They explore the impact of the 2022 safeguard mechanism, the company's commitment to sustainability inspired by Wood's personal promise to his daughter, and their milestone achievement of planting 160,000 mixed-species native trees.

Wood also highlights the importance of managing biodiversity risks and engaging with local and indigenous communities to achieve investment-grade returns.

00:35 Welcome to the greener way podcast

00:50 Meet Raf Wood and Silva Capital

01:14 The founding of Silva Capital

03:45 Evolution of the carbon market

07:54 Community engagement

11:09 Importance of biodiversity

13:59 Impact of global politics 

00:35 Welcome to the greener way podcast

00:50 Meet Raf Wood and Silva Capital

01:14 the founding of Silva Capital

03:45 Evolution of the carbon market

07:54 Silva Capital's community engagement

11:09 Importance of biodiversity

13:59 Impact of Global Politics on Climate Strategy

Australia’s job market is relatively robust, but just like different industries tell different stories, so too do different segments of the sustainability sector.

While recruitment for ESG roles has generally slowed across financial services from the highs we’ve seen of late, there are still opportunities out there for the right skill sets.

In this episode of The Greener Way, Kaizen Recruitment’s Simon Gvalda talks to Financial Standard managing editor Jamie Williamson about the current state of the job market for ESG professionals and offers tips around negotiating salaries and benefits.

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar speaks with Nicki Hutley, a climate councillor and chief economist, about a comprehensive climate risk report by the Climate Council.

The discussion centres on the alarming rise in insurance premiums due to climate risks, emphasising the need for prompt and effective climate action.

They discuss the current and future scenarios of climate risks affecting property insurance, the role of sustainability in corporate decision-making, and the importance of financial and community engagement in addressing these challenges.

Link to report: https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/escalating-climate-risks-for-aussies-homes/

00:41 Climate risk and the cost-of-living crisis

01:03 Impact of climate policy reversals

02:18 Climate Council's latest research

02:38 Insurance affordability and property risk

05:46 Economic implications

07:08 Corporate responsibility and climate action

11:48 Key findings

13:11 Conclusion and final thoughts