Last week, a few thousand sustainability professionals gathered for the annual GreenBiz conference hosted by GreenBiz Group. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we’re on the ground talking with panelists and attendees about the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the space — from regulation, disclosure requirements and supply chains to environmental justice, employee wellbeing and burnout.   Many attendees expressed frustration and a general sense of being overwhelmed by the pace of change and the challenges facing the sustainability space. In the face of this uncertainty, the message from many panelists was: Whatever the topic, you have to start somewhere.   We hear from Kentaro Kawamori, CEO of climate software firm Persefoni, who urges companies to avoid “analysis paralysis.”  “You’ve just got to get started. And if you’re searching for perfect, you’re never going to find it,” Kentaro says.  We talk to Deloitte’s Kristen Sullivan and Evan Harvey, who led a three-hour, standing-room-only climate disclosure bootcamp at the conference to help companies understand how proposed rules from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission could impact them.    “As we were wrapping up, we were trying to get a pulse on the audience in terms of... did this help you feel more prepared, this type of a session?” Kristen says. “The answer was ‘yes — and at the same time, I’m really scared.’”   We also speak to Yinka Bode-George, CEO of environmental justice-focused nonprofit Sustain our Future Foundation.   "People are getting the idea that environmental justice is not just this nice-to-have, it's actually a really central component of winning on the climate crisis and putting forward the most effective solutions," Yinka tells us.  In the episode, we also sit down with Tim Mohin, the former CEO of international standards organization the Global Reporting Initiative, or GRI; Nasdaq Global Head of ESG Solutions Randall Hopkins; UPS Sustainability Director Stakeholder Engagement Elba Pareja-Gallagher; Zack Parisa, CEO of forest carbon marketplace the Natural Capital Exchange, or NCX; and Jared Connors from supply chain sustainability management company Assent.  S&P Global Sustainable1 was a sponsor of the GreenBiz conference.  Listen to our episode on the SEC’s climate disclosure rule here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/unpacking-implications-of-the-sec-s-proposed-climate-disclosure-rule  We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com).  Photo source: Getty Images   Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global   DISCLAIMER   By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.   S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

After more than 16 years leading the US Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment, CEO Lisa Woll is stepping down. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, she reflects on how sustainable investing has changed during that time, and where she sees the field going next following US SIF's latest biennial report on sustainable investing.  That report identified $8.4 trillion in total US sustainable investment assets under management at the beginning of 2022. To put that figure in context, $8.4 trillion is 12.6% of total US assets under professional management.  US SIF's mission is to "rapidly shift investment practices toward sustainability, focusing on long-term investment and the generation of positive social and environmental impacts." The forum, which currently has members that collectively represent about $5 trillion in assets under management or advisement, recently released its biennial report on sustainable investing.   Listen to our episode on the US Securities and Exchange Commission's climate disclosure rule here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unpacking-implications-of-the-secs-proposed/id1475521006?i=1000555972416   Listen to our episode on the US Securities and Exchange Commission's fund rules here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unpacking-the-secs-proposed-esg-fund-rules/id1475521006?i=1000568442096   Check out our episode on the US Department of Labor's rule on using ESG funds in 401k funds and pension plans here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-esg-implications-of-a-proposed-us-labor-department-rule/id1475521006?i=1000489230036   We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com). Photo source: Getty Images  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global  DISCLAIMER  By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.  S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST. 

Taxonomies: This is a topic that has dominated many conversations in the sustainability world in recent years. In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we explore the growing number of taxonomies around the world. In simple terms, a taxonomy is a kind of dictionary of sustainable activities designed to provide clarity on which economic activities are sustainable and to support investment flows into those activities. A recently released report from international conservation organization WWF and German sustainable finance think tank Climate & Company finds dozens of sustainable finance taxonomies have been introduced or are being developed across the globe.   To learn more about the role of taxonomies, we speak to two of the report’s authors: Jochen Krimphoff, who is Data, Tools and Methodology Lead for WWF's Greening Financial Regulation Initiative, and Climate & Co. Analyst Daniel Scharwies. We also talk with Matthew Townsend, Co-Head of the International Environmental, Climate and Regulatory Law Groups at law firm Allen & Overy.   Read the report from WWF and Climate & Co. here: https://wwfin.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/when_finance_talks_nature.pdf     We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com).    *Episode description updated Feb. 13, 2023, to correct the title of Climate & Company. Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global   DISCLAIMER   By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.   S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

In the past few years, hundreds of financial institutions have made big announcements about becoming net zero or carbon neutral by 2050.   But S&P Global Sustainable1 data indicates that many of these pledges don’t address Scope 3 financed emissions, which come from the investments financial institutions make or the loans they finance. These account for the bulk of the industry’s emissions.   In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we’re digging into the steps financial institutions are taking to reduce emissions across their value chain. We speak to Laurent Babikian from environmental nonprofit CDP. We hear from Samu Slotte, the Global Head of Sustainable Finance at big Danish lender Danske Bank. And we talk with Antoni Ballabriga, the Global Head of Responsible Business at Spanish bank BBVA.   Read research from S&P Global Sustainable1 on how financial institutions are addressing financed emissions here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/financed-emissions-are-missing-from-many-firms-net-zero-plans   We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com).  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global  DISCLAIMER  By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.  S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

The annual Davos summit just ended, and one of the topics of discussion at this World Economic Forum event was stakeholder capitalism. In simple terms, stakeholder capitalism is the idea that companies are responsible to a wide range of stakeholders, including their customers, employees, suppliers and communities, as well as their shareholders. A few years ago, this was a big topic at Davos as the World Economic Forum helped develop a set of “Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics” to offer companies universal, comparable disclosures focused on people, planet, prosperity and governance.  In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we look at how discussions of stakeholder capitalism are evolving.   "It's not going away — if anything, our community of companies committed to this is growing," says Emily Bayley, the World Economic Forum's project lead for ESG. "We're starting to see companies not just talking and making commitments, but actually putting steps forward into action."  In the episode we also speak to Suz Mac Cormac, a partner at law firm Morrison Foerster, where she co-chairs the ESG, Social Enterprise + Impact Investing and Energy practices. “Stakeholder capitalism is here to stay,” Suz tells us.   We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com).   Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global   DISCLAIMER    By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.   S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

In 2022, the world experienced major climate-related disasters ranging from flooding and hurricanes to drought and extreme heatwaves. Moreover, 2022 was the sixth-warmest year on record, according to scientists at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA.  NOAA just issued its annual report on climate trends in the U.S. for 2022, which includes a review of the major climate-driven weather events that each cost at least $1 billion. NOAA reported 18 separate billion-dollar weather events that collectively cost more than $165 billion — the third-highest tally since 1980 — and resulted in hundreds of deaths.   To learn more about NOAA's findings and the high price of climate-related disasters, in this episode of the ESG Insider podcast we talk with scientists from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, or NCEI. They are Karin Gleason, NCEI's chief of climate monitoring, and Adam Smith, an applied climatologist at NCEI.  "Much of the world operates on a 20th-century infrastructure and economy, but now we're living in a 21st-century climate. And so the inefficiencies of those two realities are becoming more clear as we move into the future," Adam tells us.  "We have our work cut out for us to better mitigate against future damages that we know will continue," he says.  We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com).    Photo source: Getty Images    Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global    DISCLAIMER     By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

In late December 2022, nearly 200 countries at the U.N. biodiversity conference known as COP15 reached a landmark agreement for protecting and restoring nature by 2030. Deforestation was a big topic of conversation at COP15 given the importance of forests for both biodiversity and climate change.   In this episode of ESG Insider, we look at how some asset managers are addressing one of the largest drivers of forest loss, commodity-driven deforestation, which includes the clearing of forests for farming and mining.   We speak with Jan Erik Saugestad, who is the CEO of Storebrand Asset Management, Norway's largest private asset manager. And we talk with Lauren Compere, Managing Director and Head of Stewardship and Engagement at Boston Common Asset Management.   To learn more about COP15, listen to our episode here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/on-the-ground-at-cop15-how-business-is-getting-to-grips-with-biodiversity   Read S&P Global Sustainable1's research, "Biodiversity is still a blind spot for most companies around the world," here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/biodiversity-is-still-a-blind-spot-for-most-companies-around-the-world  We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com).    Photo source: Getty Images    Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global    DISCLAIMER     By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.   S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

In this episode of ESG Insider, we’re looking ahead to sustainability themes that will drive 2023 by revisiting our most popular episodes and some of our favorite interviews from the past year.    We’ll hear from one of the world’s largest banks; the Chair of the Network for Greening the Financial System, or NGFS; the Co-Chair of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, or TNFD; some of the scientists behind reports by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPPC; and more. To listen to full versions of the interviews highlighted in this episode, see the following links:  Listen to our April 2022 episode with Karen Fang, Global Head of Sustainable Finance at Bank of America, here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/why-bank-of-america-says-scope-3-emissions-biggest-challenge-for-banks   Hear our March 2022 episode with Victoria Gaytan, Vice President at BlackRock Investment Stewardship, here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/behind-the-scenes-with-blackrock-how-the-world-s-largest-asset-manager-is-engaging-with-companies   Listen to our February 2022 episode featuring Katie Schmitz Eulitt, in her role as Director of Investor Relationships at the Value Reporting Foundation, which subsequently consolidated with the IFRS, here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/how-to-keep-pace-with-the-fast-changing-landscape-for-esg-regulation-standards   Check out our April 2022 episode featuring IPCC report contributing author John Bistline: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/path-to-net-zero-for-energy-systems-complicated-but-feasible-ipcc-finds   You can hear our March 2022 episode featuring Dr. Edward Carr, who was a lead author of the IPCC report on climate resilient development pathways, here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/ipcc-climate-report-warns-transformational-change-is-no-longer-optional   Listen to our December 2022 episode featuring Investor Leadership Network CEO Amy Hepburn at our first-ever ESG Insider Live event here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/live-the-year-the-human-component-of-nature-and-climate-comes-to-the-fore   Listen to our full August 2022 episode featuring NGFS Chair Ravi Menon here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/how-central-banks-help-combat-climate-change-an-interview-with-ngfs-chair-ravi-menon   You can hear our December 2022 episode featuring COP15 Executive Secretary and TNFD Co-Chair Elizabeth Mrema here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/cop15-preview-what-will-make-un-s-big-biodiversity-conference-a-success   Hear the full November 2022 episode featuring Capitals Coalition CEO Mark Gough here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/at-cop27-how-to-make-progress-in-the-face-of-uncertainty   We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com).   Photo source: Getty Images   Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global   DISCLAIMER    By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.   S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.   

The U.N. biodiversity conference known as COP15 ended earlier this week with a landmark agreement for nature, the Global Biodiversity Framework.    In this episode of ESG Insider, we unpack the big takeaways from the conference through several on-the-ground interviews in Montreal. We speak to Laurence Pessez, Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at the big French bank BNP Paribas. We sit down with Simon Zadek, Executive Director of NatureFinance, a nonprofit focused on advancing the place of nature in decision-making across financial and capital markets. We talk to Linda Krueger, Director of Biodiversity and Infrastructure Policy at The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental nonprofit. And we hear from Tim Christophersen, Vice President for Climate Action at global technology company Salesforce.   The business community has arrived at "the social tipping point of understanding that we cannot continue to just extract natural capital from Planet Earth without giving back," Tim tells us. And that realization is occurring "not only in the sustainability teams of companies, but in boardrooms with CEOs, with chief finance officers," Tim says. "We've never seen so much business interest in this topic." We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com).  Copyright © 2022 by S&P Global  DISCLAIMER  By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.  S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST. 

Mining exploration around the world is picking up as companies seek new deposits of elements like lithium and copper to support the energy transition. Research by S&P Global Sustainable1 finds there is overlap between existing mines and exploration sites and some of the world’s most important areas for biodiversity.   In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we explore what the mining industry is doing to reduce its impact on nature and local communities — including by recycling minerals.  To understand the industry perspective on this topic, we talk with Rohitesh Dhawan, President and CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals. ICMM is an industry group that aims to enhance the contribution of mining and metals to sustainable development. It works with 26 of the largest mining companies in the world that collectively represent about a third of the global metals and mining industry.    To understand what kind of investments are being made in recycling critical minerals, we speak to Brian Menell, Chairman and CEO of private mining investment and operating company TechMet. Brian founded TechMet in 2017 to invest in metals needed for clean energy technologies as well as battery recycling.   And to learn more about the circular economy, we talk with Raquel Dominguez, who is the Circular Economy Policy Advocate at Earthworks. That's an environmental group that aims to protect communities and the environment from the adverse impacts of mineral and energy development while also promoting sustainable solutions such as critical minerals recycling.    Read S&P Global Sustainable1's report titled "Rocks and hard places: The complicated nexus of energy transition minerals and biodiversity" here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/rocks-and-hard-places-the-complicated-nexus-of-energy-transition-minerals-and-biodiversity     Listen to our preview of what to expect at COP15, the big UN biodiversity conference taking place in Montreal, Canada, in December, here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/cop15-preview-what-will-make-un-s-big-biodiversity-conference-a-success  We'd love to hear from you. To give us feedback on this episode or share ideas for future episodes, please contact hosts Lindsey Hall (lindsey.hall@spglobal.com) and Esther Whieldon (esther.whieldon@spglobal.com).    Photo source: Getty Images    Copyright © 2022 by S&P Global    DISCLAIMER     By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.   S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.