Behind the Money

Last week authorities raided the offices of Germany’s top asset manager DWS Group and its majority owner Deutsche Bank. The raid was spurred by allegations of greenwashing. That is, that DWS had made misleading claims about how sustainable or “green” some of its financial products were. DWS says it denies those allegations and has cooperated with regulators and authorities, but this move has prompted a larger reckoning throughout the financial industry.   At the centre of much of this is former DWS sustainability officer Desiree Fixler. In this week’s episode we hear from the whistleblower herself, and explore her allegations about her time at DWS. The FT’s Patrick Temple-West also explains what this moment means for the future of environmental, social and governance or ESG investing.   For further reading:German police raid DWS and Deutsche Bank over greenwashing allegationsDWS chief resigns after police raid over greenwashing claimsDeutsche banker takes over asset manager in the eye of an ESG stormAggregate ESG confusionOn Twitter, follow Patrick Temple-West (@Temple_West)Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re diving back into the world of stablecoins for part 2 of 2 in our miniseries on crypto. This time, it’s a story filled with troubled companies and a real life fire that sends a business up in smoke. With the help of FT reporters Kadhim Shubber and Siddharth Venkataramakrishnan, we dig into the professional histories of two executives who sit atop two of crypto’s most important businesses: stablecoin issuer Tether and exchange Bitfinex. Clips courtesy CSPANFor further reading: Tether’s CEO: from IT sales to calling the shots in crypto landTether: the former plastic surgeon behind the crypto reserve currencyThe week that shook cryptoOn Twitter, follow FT reporters Kadhim Shubber (@Kadhim), Siddharth Venkataramakrishnan (@SVR13) and Ethan Wu (@EthanYWu) Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behind the Money is back! Our first episode is part 1 of 2 in a miniseries on crypto. First up, we're wondering: is a crypto vibe shift underway? Bitcoin’s price has been dropping for weeks and earlier this month, a popular stablecoin collapsed. FT reporter Ethan Wu explains how the effects of that rippled into other areas of the crypto universe. Michela and Ethan will talk about what stablecoins are and why they matter — even for people who aren’t crypto investors.  For further reading: Crypto scares everyoneThe week that shook cryptoInvestors pull $7bn from Tether as stablecoin jitters intensifyFollow Ethan Wu on Twitter @EthanYWu Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Behind the Money is back with all-new episodes! From hostile takeovers to C-suite intrigue, Behind the Money takes you inside the business and financial stories of the moment with reporting from Financial Times journalists around the world. The podcast returns May 25. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new six-part series of Tech Tonic brings you stories from the frontlines of the battle between the US and China for global technological supremacy. At stake is the future of technologies that will shape all our lives, from the way the internet is used to the way we govern our societies. Join the FT’s Global China Editor James Kynge as he charts China’s dramatic transformation into a global tech superpower, sparking rivalry with the US over who controls our technological future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The amount of money flowing into investment funds that claim to invest in sustainable businesses has surged in recent years. More companies than ever have embraced policies with environmental, social and corporate governance criteria as their central plank. But there's a debate over what ESG investing can achieve, particularly when it comes to cutting carbon emissions and addressing climate change.In the final episode of our five-part series on ESG investing, we hear from two leading FT voices on opposite sides of the argument. Cheering the rise of ESG is Gillian Tett, the FT’s US editor-at-large and co-founder of Moral Money, the FT team that covers sustainable business and finance; and casting a sceptical eye is the FT’s US financial commentator Robert Armstrong, who also writes Unhedged, the FT newsletter on Wall Street.The ESG investing industry is dangerousTeam ESG fights backA carbon price should be top of the wish list at the climate talksThe need to elevate developing countries at COP26Check out stories and up-to-the-minute news from the Moral Money team here. Get 30 days of the premium Moral Money newsletter free, together with complimentary access to FT.com for the same period, visit www.ft.com/insideesg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the podcast about doing work differently. Join host Isabel Berwick every Wednesday for expert analysis and watercooler chat about ahead-of-the-curve workplace trends, the big ideas shaping work today — and the old habits we need to leave behind. Subscribe on Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/working-it/id1591925469 - On Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5vNDHxEOc1pI1acJS7He5e Or wherever you get your podcasts.The wellness industry is a trillion-dollar business, and the pandemic has turbo-charged it. One of the biggest trends has been the rise in employers buying their staff access to meditation and fitness apps. But does this ‘quick fix’ approach work? And are there better ways to boost wellbeing ? Isabel talks to Lorna Borenstein, chief executive of Grokker, a corporate wellness app about the reasons why she set up the platform and how clients and her own staff use it. It’s all part of a culture of taking care of employees - a topic Lorna has explored more deeply in her book It’s Personal, offering advice to other managers on how to help staff feel better [tl;dr: talk less, listen more].We also speak to FT colleague Emma Jacobs, about the corporate care culture. She is a little more skeptical. We would love to hear from you - email us at workingit@ft.com. You can also follow @isabelberwick on Twitter and Instagram or reach out via email: isabel.berwick@ft.com. Thanks. Mentioned in the podcast and other interesting reading:Emma Jacobs’ prophetic pre-pandemic guide to workplace wellness by app: https://www.ft.com/content/d1d58aae-437c-11ea-abea-0c7a29cd66feFT series, Burnout: https://www.ft.com/burnoutDeloitte report [2020] on employee mental health showing £5 benefit for every £1 spent: https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consulting/articles/mental-health-and-employers-refreshing-the-case-for-investment.html  Video, Emma Jacobs on how to detox from your smartphone: https://www-ft-com.newman.richmond.edu/video/b4115321-b915-3a42-9814-ad0be4c0e7f5?playlist-name=section-0b83bc44-4a55-4958-882e-73ba6b2b0aa6&playlist-offset=206Presented by Isabel Berwick. Editorial direction from Renée Kaplan. Assistant producer is Persis Love. Sound design is by Breen Turner, with original music from Metaphor Music. Produced by Novel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you want your investments to match your principles should a threat to divest be part of your long-term strategy? In the fourth episode of our special five-part series on sustainable or ESG investing, produced in partnership with the FT’s Moral Money team, the story of the California State Teachers' Retirement System, or Calstrs, and why its decision to divest from the US private prisons industry prompted tears and passionate discussion on the board.Joe Rennison, deputy US markets editor, assesses the long-term impact that divestment can have on companies, while Moral Money’s Patrick Temple-West, Attracta Mooney, the FT’s investment correspondent, and Lindsay Frost, a senior reporter at Agenda, an FT publication about the corporate board space, explain why divestment presents a conundrum for investors and whether passive investment funds are really compatible with ESG investing. JPMorgan funds invested in CoreCivic debt after vow to stop financing private prisonsBond funds wrestle with human rights dilemmaDivestment Concerns Creep In for More IndustriesCheck out stories and up-to-the-minute news from the Moral Money team here. Get 30 days of the premium Moral Money newsletter free, together with complimentary access to FT.com for the same period, visit www.ft.com/insideesgReview clips: Calstrs, NBC, Global News, PBS, AP, CBC News, The Guardian, CSPAN Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you want your investments to match your principles should a threat to divest be part of your long-term strategy? In the fourth episode of our special five-part series on sustainable or ESG investing, produced in partnership with the FT’s Moral Money team, the story of the California State Teachers' Retirement System, or Calstrs, and why its decision to divest from the US private prisons industry prompted tears and passionate discussion on the board.Joe Rennison, deputy US markets editor, assesses the long-term impact that divestment can have on companies, while Moral Money’s Patrick Temple-West, Attracta Mooney, the FT’s investment correspondent, and Lindsay Frost, a senior reporter at Agenda, an FT publication about the corporate board space, explain why divestment presents a conundrum for investors and whether passive investment funds are really compatible with ESG investing. JPMorgan funds invested in CoreCivic debt after vow to stop financing private prisonsBond funds wrestle with human rights dilemmaDivestment Concerns Creep In for More IndustriesCheck out stories and up-to-the-minute news from the Moral Money team here. Get 30 days of the premium Moral Money newsletter free, together with complimentary access to FT.com for the same period, visit www.ft.com/insideesgReview clips: Calstrs, NBC, Global News, PBS, AP, CBC News, The Guardian, CSPAN Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story of how a tiny, unknown hedge fund took on a giant of corporate America over climate change - and won. Charlie Penner of Engine No 1 talks about the very public proxy campaign he launched against Exxon Mobil, forcing the oil major to prepare for a future free of fossil fuels. In the third episode of our special five-part series on sustainable or ESG investing, produced in partnership with the FT’s Moral Money team, Derek Brower, US energy editor, and Attracta Mooney, the FT’s investment correspondent, reflect on whether the battle between Engine No 1 and Exxon marks the beginning of a new kind of activist investor.Engine No 1, the giant-killing hedge fund, has big plansDWS probes spark fears of greenwashing claims across investment industryCheck out stories and up-to-the-minute news from the Moral Money team here. Get 30 days of the premium Moral Money newsletter free, together with complimentary access to FT.com for the same period, visit www.ft.com/insideesgReview clips: The Sun, Channel 4 News, Euronews, PBS Newshour, GMA, CNN, CNBC, ExxonMobil Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.