Corporates, investors, analysts and academics gathered in Paris on May 10, 2023, for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit to discuss sustainability themes ranging from biodiversity to climate risk to net zero and the energy transition.   In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we sit down with conference speaker Olivier Musset, Global Head of Energy at the investment banking division of big French bank Société Générale.   Olivier talks to us about the role banks can play in scaling up finance for the energy transition, and the challenges lenders face in weighing the risks of financing sustainable projects alongside the potential long-term benefits.   We’ll bring you more highlights from the conference in our next episode. And you can register here for the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit taking place in Singapore on May 16, 2023: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/events/sustainable1-summit-2023?utm_source=marketo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ESGInsider   Photo source: Getty Images   Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global       DISCLAIMER        This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.       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.

We’re seeing more companies and countries start to account for the value of nature. In this episode of ESG Insider, we'll hear from two people well-placed to explain how the world has historically done little to understand the way nature benefits the economy — and how that is now evolving.   For the global perspective, we talk with Martin Lok, Executive Director of the Capitals Coalition, a global collaboration that advocates for companies to identify, measure and value their impacts and dependencies on natural capital, social capital and human capital.    We also explore how the US is moving to put nature on the nation's balance sheet. The Biden administration announced the strategy in January 2023 with the goal of better understanding how nature contributes to the US economy. To learn more about what this strategy entails, we talk with Aniket Shah, Managing Director and Global Head of Environmental, Social and Governance and Sustainability Research at the financial services company Jefferies Group.  Photo source: Getty Images  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global      DISCLAIMER       This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.      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 the ESG Insider podcast we’re continuing our exploration of the sustainable taxonomies developing in countries around the world.   Today we’re turning to Mexico, which announced a new sustainable taxonomy in March 2023. According to the Mexican government, the taxonomy is the first in the world to consider social objectives. Achieving gender equality is one of its major goals.   To learn more, we speak to Carlos Vargas, Professor of Finance at EGADE Business School in Mexico who has published research on sustainable finance. We also hear from Enrique Lendo, who is project coordinator for sustainable finance at the UN Environment Programme in Mexico City and an adviser to the Mexican government on the taxonomy.   “The Mexican taxonomy is unique if you compare it with the other taxonomies because it balances the social aspects and the social goals that Mexico has...with environmental goals,” he tells us.   And we talk to Valeria Dagnino Contreras, who is Latin American sustainability manager for the nonprofit Climate Bonds Initiative and who advised on creation of Mexico’s taxonomy.  “We're seeing it as a reference for the whole region because there's a big challenge that we need to tackle in general in how we go about understanding the inclusion of women in the labor force,” Valeria tells us.   Listen to our episode on global taxonomies here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/how-sustainable-taxonomies-are-going-global    Listen to our episode on the EU taxonomy here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-green-what-investors-need-to-know-about-the/id1475521006?i=1000531954636       Photo source: Getty Images  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global      DISCLAIMER       This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.      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 the ESG Insider podcast, we explore how Indigenous communities are engaging with companies, financial institutions and investors to ensure a just transition to a low-carbon economy. We speak to Kate Finn, Executive Director of First Peoples Worldwide, an Indigenous-led organization that aims to increase corporate accountability to Indigenous peoples at the intersection of business, law and finance.  Kate says companies are starting to realize that their operational areas often overlap with the lands, territories and resources of Indigenous peoples.   "In the last three or four years, there is incredible interest from the private sector in understanding not only their Indigenous rights risk exposure, but how to operationalize Indigenous rights in their companies and in their processes," she tells us.   And we speak to Kevin Thomas, CEO of the Shareholder Association for Research and Education, or SHARE, a shareholder advocacy organization for institutional investors in Canada. The group is part of the secretariat behind an institutional investor engagement initiative called Climate Engagement Canada, which drives dialogue between finance and industry to promote a just transition to a net-zero economy. The CEC is undertaking a climate benchmarking exercise aimed at enabling members to engage with Canadian companies on their net-zero transition plans. The benchmarking exercise includes a metric on how companies are considering Indigenous rights in their low-carbon transition plans.  Kevin says companies in Canada tend to approach Indigenous rights as separate from climate change. He hopes the CEC and its benchmarking exercise will "bring those two worlds together."  "If there's an issue, if there's an impact, we should be getting to the table together to figure out how to mitigate it," he says.  Listen to our episode about the UN's biodiversity conference known as COP15 here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/on-the-ground-at-cop15-how-business-is-getting-to-grips-with-biodiversity   Photo source: Getty Images  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global    DISCLAIMER     This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.    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 March 2023, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a synthesis report warning that the world needs to act fast to reduce emissions. The synthesis report is likely to be the go-to document for many stakeholders setting their climate policies and plans over the next several years.    In this episode of ESG Insider, we hear from two authors of the IPCC report: Dr. Aditi Mukherji, who is Director of the Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Impact Area Platform at the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). CGIAR is a global research partnership that works with scientists around the world on agricultural innovation and is dedicated to transforming food, land and water systems in a climate crisis.      And we speak to Dr. Peter Thorne, who is Professor in Physical Geography at Maynooth University in Ireland. He is also Director of the Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units group at the university.   "The future we write depends upon the emissions choices we make today and in the coming decades," Peter tells us. He says that the world has the tools to stop global warming, but this will require a concerted effort across all parts of society. "We should get to net zero as quickly as we can. That is the very best, most resilient way that we can move forward," he says.  Photo source: Getty Images  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global    DISCLAIMER     This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.    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 low-carbon transition will require some major innovations, a rapid buildout of existing technologies, and significantly more financing, the recently released synthesis report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states.  In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we sit down for an interview with BBVA Chair Carlos Torres Vila to learn how one of the largest banks in Spain and Mexico is approaching the transition.  Carlos talks about steps BBVA is taking to lower the carbon profile of its portfolio in sectors high in emissions intensity. He explains how the bank is mobilizing capital for the low-carbon transition. And he tells us that the right economic incentives will help unlock the innovation needed to advance the transition.   Listen to our episode about S&P Global CERAWeek here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/on-the-ground-at-ceraweek-where-the-energy-world-stands-on-the-low-carbon-transition   Photo source: BBVA  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global   DISCLAIMER   This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.   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.

March is Women's History Month. To mark the occasion, we’ve been interviewing women CEOs and executives from across industries and around the globe. In our final episode in this special series of the ESG Insider podcast, we hear from three women leaders from very different backgrounds.  We talk with Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union Commission. She talks about the importance of ensuring women have a seat at the table when designing energy and infrastructure policies.  We speak to Alethia Jackson, Senior Vice President for ESG and Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer for the U.S. at Walgreens Boots Alliance, a healthcare, pharmacy and retail company with a presence in the U.S., Europe and Latin America. Alethia shares her experience leading during the pandemic and helping her company bring the COVID-19 vaccine to local communities — which she said required trust-building, communication and collaboration.  And we hear from Jessica Economos, Vice President for Global Diversity Equity & Inclusion at Wolters Kluwer, a Dutch information, software solutions and services company with operations around the globe. She explains how approaches to diversity and equity can vary by region, but respect and inclusion are universal.  "What resonates regardless of country is inclusion: How we treat others, how we respect others, how we treat and respect our customers and our vendors," Jessica tells us.  You can listen to previous episodes in our Women in Leadership podcast series here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/women-in-leadership   Listen to our episode on S&P Global CERAWeek here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/on-the-ground-at-ceraweek-where-the-energy-world-stands-on-the-low-carbon-transition   Read recent research from S&P Global on women in leadership here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/women-ceos-leadership-for-a-diverse-future     And here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/the-path-to-gender-parity   Photo source: Getty Images  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global   DISCLAIMER   This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.   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.

Throughout Women's History Month, we're bringing you a special series of the ESG Insider podcast focused on women in leadership. We're speaking to women CEOs and executives from across industries and around the globe.   In this episode, we interview Laura Lane, Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer at UPS, a multinational shipping & receiving and supply chain management company.  Laura explains how her "life-changing" experience as a Foreign Affairs officer during the civil war in Rwanda impacted her outlook on life and leadership.   "That taught me the importance of people, the importance of principles, and gave me that internal courage to challenge the status quo, advocate for new paths — and in many ways, set me on the path to eventually joining the private sector and being a part of the change that we wanted to see in how companies show up in the world," Laura says.  Laura explains how her leadership style has evolved over the course of her career. "One of the constants has always been something that was career advice that I was given early on in my Foreign Service days, which was: Don't wait for someone to give you a title to act. Lead from where you are," she says.  Diversity in leadership has received increasing attention in recent years from stakeholders in the sustainability world. Investors have pushed for diversity on company boards and management teams, and in some parts of the world, that push has extended to laws and regulations. But the number of women in top roles remains low. Read recent research from S&P Global on women in leadership here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/women-ceos-leadership-for-a-diverse-future     And here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/the-path-to-gender-parity   You can listen to previous episodes in our Women in Leadership series here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/women-in-leadership   You can listen to Laura's TED Talk on her time in Rwanda here: https://www.ted.com/talks/laura_lane_when_you_shouldn_t_follow_the_rules  Photo source: UPS  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global   DISCLAIMER   This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.   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. 

This week the ESG Insider podcast is on the ground in Houston, Texas for a special episode covering key themes from one of the world’s largest energy conferences — the annual CERAWeek event hosted by S&P Global. The event brings together big names from across the oil and gas, finance, government and technology sectors, and provides an opportunity to take the pulse of the global energy industry on the low-carbon transition.  In this episode we cover key themes that emerged throughout the week, from balancing sustainability goals with energy security needs, to emerging energy technologies, to the just transition.  Guests on today’s episode include:   Jigar Shah, Director of the U.S. Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office  Lance Uggla, CEO of BeyondNetZero, a venture targeting growth equity investments related to climate change, and the founder and former CEO of IHS Markit before it merged with S&P Global  Alok Sinha, Global Head of Oil & Gas and Chemicals at international bank Standard Chartered  Ben Wilson, Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer at National Grid and Interim President of National Grid Ventures  Dr. Mike Howard, Chair of the World Energy Council  Allyson Anderson Book, Chief Sustainability Officer at Baker Hughes, an energy and industrial technology company  Amanda Eversole, Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer at the trade association American Petroleum Institute  Jessica Monserrate, Head of Sustainability North America at BASF, the world's largest chemical company  David Victor, professor of innovation and public policy at the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego in California  Shannon O'Neil, Vice President, Deputy Director of Studies, and Nelson and David Rockefeller Senior Fellow for Latin America Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank  You can find more coverage of CERAWeek from S&P Global here: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/market-insights/topics/ceraweek   And you can listen here: https://www.spglobal.com/en/research-insights/podcasts/essential-podcast/the-essential-podcast-episode-81-ceraweek-day-5   Listen to our previous episode on the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/what-landmark-new-us-climate-law-means-for-emissions  You can listen to our Women in Leadership podcast series here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/women-in-leadership    Photo source: Getty Images  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global   DISCLAIMER   This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.   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.   

To mark Women's History Month, we're bringing you a special series of the ESG Insider podcast focused on women in leadership. We're speaking to women CEOs and executives from across industries and around the globe.  In this episode, we interview Shameela Soobramoney, Chief Sustainability Officer at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. She explains how the JSE approaches gender equality internally and in its role as an exchange listing the stocks and bonds of hundreds of companies.  "At the JSE, there's a strong advocacy for women empowerment and female representation. And we do believe that it starts with leading by example," she says. "We're the largest stock exchange in the continent, a key player in the South African economy. And [the JSE] has an acute understanding of the role that exchanges must play in driving diversity in all its forms and inclusion beyond just our organization."  She also talks about the challenges she faced starting her career as a woman of color just as South Africa was coming out of apartheid.   "The challenges that women anywhere will face, it feels like were exacerbated for someone like me in a country like South Africa with its past," she says.   "Women need to be each other's supporters," she adds. "That is what we should be doing —and opening the door for others and helping younger women along who are facing some of the challenges that you might have had earlier in your career."  Diversity in leadership has received increasing attention in recent years from stakeholders in the sustainability world. Investors have pushed for diversity on company boards and management teams, and in some parts of the world, that push has extended to laws and regulations. But the number of women in top roles remains low. Read recent research from S&P Global on women in leadership here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/women-ceos-leadership-for-a-diverse-future   And here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/the-path-to-gender-parity   You can listen to previous episodes in our Women in Leadership series here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/women-in-leadership   Photo source: JSE  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global  DISCLAIMER  This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.  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.