Sustainability Now

Controlled companies now outnumber widely held ones. New MSCI research shows that this market shift has significant implications for shareholder returns. Guest: Jonathan Ponder, MSCI ESG ResearchHost: Bentley Kaplan, MSCI ESG Research

We already know there is a clear link between ESG ratings and the cost of capital. But the question remains: do ESG ratings matter for bonds and their credit spreads? Should fixed income investors care? Listen to this week’s episode to find out!Host: Mike Disabato, MSCI ESG ResearchGuest: Jakub Malich, MSCI ESG ResearchLink to paper discussed in episode: https://www.msci.com/research-and-insights/paper/the-financial-materiality-of-sustainability-risk-in-credit-markets-a-decade-of-evidence

Jonathan Ponder, from MSCI ESG Research, shares insights on the shifting landscape of sustainability reporting in North America. He discusses how companies may be scaling back on their disclosures, posing questions about corporate transparency. The conversation highlights a rise in climate disclosures contrasted with a decline in workforce reporting. Ponder also examines changes in shareholder proposals, noting a preference for specific requests and the emergence of contrarian proposals challenging traditional practices.

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 ResearchGuest: 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 ResearchGuest: 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 ResearchGuest: 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 ResearchGuest: 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 ResearchGuests: 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 ResearchGuest: 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 KaplanGuest: Namita Nair