Today's podcast guests are a trio of leaders engaged in community economic development. John Holdsclaw IV, Gloria Mirrione and Harold Pettigrew, Jr. are on a mission to lift the banner of "Capital Meets Purpose". I will ask Harold and John to share their thoughts on this theme for the upcoming 39th annual Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) conference next month. Followers of The Sustainable Finance Podcast will be glad to know that John, President and CEO of Rochdale Capital and Harold, President and CEO at OFN joined this episode at Gloria and Acre's request to clarify the important role CDFIs are playing in ESG and Sustainability-Focused economic development.

A new regime in financial policy and market behavior is unfolding and the patterns of the past decade are facing a period of adjustment. Schroders Asset Management believes this new regime will be driven by several themes, including decarbonization, deglobalization and demographic change. In today’s Episode Three of this Schroders and SFP series we’re going to zero in on the impact deglobalization and demographic change are having on sustainability-focused investment strategies. Our guests from Schroders include Angus Bauer, Head of Sustainable Investment Research and Lazaro Tiant, Sustainable Investment Analyst. Let's begin by identifying Schroders’ sustainability considerations related to deglobalization and demographic change.

A new study, released today by Cornell University’s Global Labor Institute (GLI) and Schroders, reveals extreme heat and flooding are threatening key apparel production hubs. See the attachments tab for the link.

Motivated by a lack of adequate and safe mobility systems and the potential of smart mobility to drastically reduce carbon emissions in emerging markets, Tonderai Njowera has embarked on a journey to catalyze investments in renewable energy and smart mobility in the South African and other emerging markets. Tonderai is a certified expert in sustainable finance as well as a civil and water engineer. He recently founded Mosi Partners, an ESG Consultant to private equity, family offices, microfinance institutions and mid-market companies in Africa. The SFP is excited to feature Tonderai’s story for our growing global audience.

Chrissa Pagitsas has been a leader in sustainable finance industry and product development for twenty years. She launched the Fannie Mae Green Financing Business which, under her leadership, issued over $51 billion in Green Bonds, becoming the largest issuer globally. Chrissa is a trusted board member to non-profit and for-profit companies and a sought-after speaker on catalyzing business transformation through ESG, sustainability and green financing. Our second guest for this Acre sponsored Episode 4 is Gloria Mirrione of Acre Americas. We’ll begin this episode with a discussion of leadership, drawing on Chrissa’s recently published and best-selling book, Chief Sustainability Officers at Work and Gloria’s recent appointment as Executive Director and Head of Sustainable Finance & Impact Investing for Acre Americas.

See the BrightTalk Attachments tab for more details on "Chief Sustainability Officers at Work".

Why should VC firms require the entrepreneurs they fund to track ESG metrics from day one and for the long-term? We’re excited to bring you Part 2 of our series with Novata, the platform built to empower private companies and investors to collect, analyze and report relevant ESG data. Our guests are Elizabeth Meyer, Chief Legal Officer at Novata and Rosalind Bazany, Partner and Head of ESG and Impact at Antler, the VC/PE firm that launches and scales high potential startups across six continents.

Open the BrightTalk Attachments tab of this episode for links to Novata's 2022 Sustainability Report and other Novata and Antler publications on the value-add to private market companies intent on leading the way in ESG data measurement, reporting and verificaiton.

Today we’re going to learn why the German federal state of Baden-Wurttemberg passed a law on sustainable investing that blacklisted US Treasury Bonds as a portfolio holding. My SFP guest is Arnim Emrich, head of treasury in Baden-Wurttemberg. Emrich and his team manage 35Billion Euros of capital market debt and the state’s 10Billion Euros sovereign fund for future pension obligations. They also launched the state’s green bond programme in 2021 and Emrich has authored a law on sustainable investing defining a common standard for any state entity investing in stocks, bonds or other financial instruments.

My first conversation with Helene Huby, Co-founder and CEO at The Exploration Company, was “out of this world.” Huby’s company is creating a reusable space vehicle with amazing possibilities. The Nyx will be modular, reusable and in-orbit refuellable, carrying cargo and, in the longer run, humans. The first prototype will launch in 2024, and Huby plans to be servicing the international space station by 2027. In today’s program, Huby joins me to share her journey to develop, manufacture and operate Nyx sustainably, with the goal of democratizing space exploration.

Building a global capital market that accelerates universal access to safe water and sanitation is WaterEquity’s mission and is at the core of global sustainable development. In addition to being a key determinant of improved health outcomes, gender equality and resilience to climate change, it is also a driver of overall economic growth. I’m very pleased to have Paul O’Connell, President of WaterEquity and Gloria Mirrione, Head of Sustainable Finance & Impact Investing, Acre Americas as my guests for this episode of the Sustainable Finance Podcast (SFP). They are joining me to discuss how WaterEquity is using the capital markets to tackle UNSDG #6, ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Dr. Selin Calik published “The Renaissance of Smart Energy: The Nexus of COVID 19 and Green Energy” in 2022, which describes the connection between Covid-19 and Climate Change with an emphasis on research in the field of clean and green energy. Calik is a Climate Change Scientist and Green Energy Observer for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. She is also an active member of the UK’s Institute of Directors, providing professional development, networking and expert advice for business leaders. Today we’re going to speak about Post-Pandemic energy transition issues, which are top-of-mind for every senior executive in every energy sector company.

Open the Attachments link in the BrightTALK / SFP channel to read the study "Women for Sustainable Energy", published by GWNET - Global Women's Network for the Energy Transition

In April of 2023 the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) launched the Finance for Net Zero (FiNZ) Action Plan to catalyze Asia’s net zero transition and decarbonization activities. My guest today is Helge Muenkel, CSO at DBS Bank, and we’re going to talk about why establishing a roadmap for sustainability reporting by key financial institutions is a critical part of the (FiNZ). Helge and I will discuss why credible green and transition financing solutions are needed to support decarbonization efforts and climate risk mitigation. And the good news is that DBS is a global finance industry leader in the tracking and reporting of financed emissions as well as offering retail banking initiatives that support sustainable investment strategies and clean energy climate transition practices at the household level.

This is the second program in a series the Sustainable Finance Podcast (SFP) is doing with Schroders. We’re taking an in-depth look at what Schroders is calling a global reset in the markets and the emergence of a new regime in financial policy and market behavior. My guests today are Mark Lacey, Head of Global Resource Equities, and Carol Storey, Active Ownership Manager. In the first program, Episode 213, we covered the big picture: decarbonization, deglobalization and demographic change. In today’s episode we’re zeroing in on decarbonization, and how a hybrid approach to energy investing, with a focus on careful selection and long-term investment strategy, together with active ownership, are the critical factors in successfully transforming the energy sector.

Gravitas Infinitum / Carbotura was among the world’s top 50 most innovative new companies in 2021. It uses industrial-scale modular facilities to eliminate Municipal Solid Waste and create renewable fuels, carbon sequestering critical minerals, and nano-biomaterials. In the process it delivers highly efficient, large scale carbon capture for positive environmental impact. Tyler Wood is a Director at Gravitas Infinitum / Carbotura, and he is going to tell us about this closed loop system that generates multiple circular and regenerative economic benefits.

Open the BrightTALK channel attachments tab for a Carbotura Economic Impact Report.

Grain Ecosystem is a venture backed business spun out of Schneider Electric for the purpose of generating a high-quality carbon offset supply. The firm aims to support project developers in sequestering as much carbon as possible, which means bringing together the funding and stakeholders needed to drive projects forward with a focus on biochar. Today I’m excited to have Jason Dodier, Co-Founder of Grain Ecosystem and Brando Crespi, Co-Founder at Global Biochar, join me to discuss the crucial role that financing plays in scaling up carbon projects and the attention that Biochar has gained as a potential carbon removal technology.

My guests today exemplify an extraordinary partnership in the ESG landscape. Hamilton Lane, a private markets investment management firm with nearly $857 billion in AUM and AUA has a long track record of review and consideration of ESG factors. In 2021 Hamilton Lane joined a consortium of non-profit and for-profit partners to help found Novata, a software platform with the goal to make it easy and practical for the private markets to collect, manage, and act on the ESG metrics. In June 2023, Novata expanded their offering to include the private markets’ broadest collection of ESG benchmarks — enabling its clients to see how their data compares against industry peers. Joining me today to help demystify this complex topic is Lorraine Spradley Wilson, CSO at Novata, and Paul Yett, Director of ESG and Sustainability at Hamilton Lane.

Hello everyone and welcome to today’s episode. Many of you listening in today might be hearing the term Nature Based Solutions for sustainable investing and wondering what that means or thinking “I’m a finance person, not a scientist.” In today’s episode you’re going to learn how bringing science into your investment strategies will help you take your business to the next level. Our panel of experts includes Gloria Mirrione, ED & Head of Sustainable Finance & Impact Investing, Acre Americas. I’m excited to have Gloria return for episode #2 in the SFP / Acre sponsorship series. Gloria and I are joined today by two experts in Nature Based Solutions that address the impacts of climate change around the world like floods, wildfires and droughts. Charlotte Kaiser is Head of Impact Finance at BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group and Chris Larson is CIO, Alder Point Capital Management.

Nikita Singhal is Co-Head of Sustainable Investment & ESG at Lazard Asset Management, a $234.6 billion global asset management firm. She oversees the firm’s Sustainable Investment and ESG Integration strategy, leads client engagements and thought leadership on ESG topics. Nikita has been working in the field of sustainable investing for over 14 years at institutions such as IFC (World Bank Group), the Heron Foundation, and ClearBridge Investments. Guided by a core belief in the power of business enterprises to drive positive change in the world, Singhal and I begin this Sustainable Finance Podcast (SFP) episode by focusing on the following question – Is ESG built for purpose?

Mike Wallace is an internationally recognized expert in the ESG & sustainability field. For over 25-years he has been advising corporations, non-profits, and government agencies on the development and implementation of sustainable business and investment strategies. As Chief Decarbonzation Officer at Persefoni (CDO) he works with corporate executive teams to help them understand sustainability risks and turn them into opportunities. Mike has helped launch a range of sustainability programs inside organizations, created new initiatives, and helped companies expand into new markets. In Episode 218 of The Sustainable Finance Podcast (SFP) we discuss how carbon accounting turns climate risks into opportunities.

After a 25-year financial market and banking career, Scott Donachie founded Companies for Net Zero (CNZ), which brings together global business leaders via summits and networking events to share insights on delivering immediate climate outcomes. CNZ also publishes daily climate insights and education via its ‘CNZ Eco Forum’ smartphone app, which our followers will learn about in this episode. Since founding CNZ five years ago Scott has built an extensive network of sustainability-focused business leaders in the New York metro area who are committed to delivering climate outcomes. The Sustainable Finance Podcast (SFP) will participate in CNZ’s upcoming Decarb New York on Sept. 14th, focusing on practical decarbonizing of New York real estate assets in response to Local Law 97, which we will discuss in this SFP episode.

See the Attachments tab at the BrightTALK channel link to this SFP episode for details on future CNZ events.

My guest in this episode of The Sustainable Finance Podcast (SFP) recently launched his new Amazon bestselling book, The ESG Data Revolution: Sustainable Fuel for Tomorrow’s Business. Michael Poisson’s advice for organizations large and small is to confidently explore the cutting-edge tools of this rapidly expanding field and tap into sustainability for long-term success. Michael is an established FinTech executive with a passion for corporate responsibility and ESG data. He is also Managing Director at Ideal Ratings, responsible for North American business. And that’s what we’re going to talk about today, the business of ESG Data.

Baringa is a global consulting firm with expertise in sustainable finance transformation, ESG integration and climate change risk. In today’s episode of the SFP I’m speaking with Cindra Maharaj, a corporate treasury and risk expert partner with Baringa in New York. We’re going to discuss how financial institutions are navigating the transition to a net zero economy and why those already aligned with TCFD, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, likely still have some way to go to comply with the carbon and other Green House Gas (GHG) reporting protocol that the SEC is proposing.

See the BrightTalk Attachments tab for a Baringa white paper on corporate GAP analysis.

We all know how important good employees are to any business. But in financial services, and particularly sustainable finance, which is rapidly expanding and changing the way we invest, finding and developing top talent is absolutely critical. So how do you go about finding the right people with the right skills to help your company become a sustainability leader? In today’s podcast I’m talking with 2 pioneers in recruiting and talent development in sustainable finance. Andy Cartland founded Acre 20 years ago, and has built the company into a global leader in the field. Gloria Mirrione is Executive Director and Head of Sustainable Finance and Impact Investing at Acre, Americas. Andy and Gloria will be answering some of the most important questions about how human capital drives transformational change, whether for traditional or alternative asset managers or for banks and insurers.

For investors trying to get a handle on what’s happening in the global economy, confusion and uncertainty seem to reign. My guest today, Marina Severinovsky, Head of Sustainability, North America for Schroders Asset Management, brings a new perspective in today’s podcast. Schroders believes that markets are currently experiencing more than a typical cyclical turning point. In fact, we’re looking at a global reset where patterns of the past decade will face a period of adjustment. What does this mean for investors and asset managers? Severinovsky and I talk about how a new regime in policy and market behavior is unfolding, driven by global themes like decarbonization, deglobalization, and demographic change, all of which investors need to understand if they are to find the best opportunities and safeguard their portfolios. Tune in to the program to find out why the Schroders team believes Sustainability will be key to navigating this new era.
See the BrightTalk Attachments tab for additional Schroders research on Regime Shift topics for investors.

Vanessa Zamy is the founder of Your Vision’s Catalyst and a sustainable business growth strategist. She has been featured on Fast Company and NPR Marketplace. As a keynote speaker she enjoys delivering actionable tips to business owners that make burnout a thing of the past. Today we’re going to discuss common mistakes that sustainable finance practitioners make when trying to get their target market interested in a new analytics tool, thought leadership blog, podcast platform or investment portfolio strategy. Vanessa and I were speakers at the FPA National Conference last December in Seattle.

Hystar AS, the Norwegian high-tech hydrogen company, recently announced a series B funding round of USD26 million to rapidly scale-up to full operations with an automated GW-capacity production line by 2025. CEO Fredrik Mowill says the company’s PEM electrolyzers produce green hydrogen from water electrolysis using less energy than existing technologies, and enable a substantial increase in hydrogen production output. In today’s SFP episode Mowill will explain how Hystar makes the world’s most efficient PEM electrolyzers for green hydrogen production, an important source of energy for the Net Zero carbon transition.