The Greener Way

In this episode of 'The Greener Way,' host Michelle Baltazar discusses the critical role of company directors in climate transition planning with Christian Gergis, head of policy at the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). The discussion covers the evolution of climate issues in boardrooms, the importance of robust transition plans, combating greenwashing, and the significance of dire...

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar discusses the governance risks posed by AI with Elfreda Jonker from Alphinity Investment Management. They explore the impact of AI on cybersecurity and data privacy, as highlighted in Alphinity's latest sustainability report. The conversation covers the importance of a Responsible AI framework, how companies including Netflix and Wesfarmer...

Join host Michelle Baltazar as she speaks with Dr. Erin Kuo-Sutherland, chief sustainability officer at Yarra Capital Management.  In this episode, they discuss the implications of surpassing the 1.5°C global warming threshold, the impact on various sectors, and the new climate reality. They discuss Yarra’s strategic approach to ESG integration, physical risk assessments, and the promising op...

In this episode of 'The Greener Way,' host Michelle Baltazar discusses the new accounting standards for Scope 3 emissions with Alison George, Chief Impact and Ethics Officer at Australian Ethical Investments. They discuss why it's crucial for investment banks and insurers to be included in these disclosures, the risks involved in granting them exemptions, and the impact on transparency and investo...

Join host Michelle Baltazar as she chats with Pablo Berrutti, senior portfolio specialist at Stewart Investors, about emerging market investment opportunities and their main growth drivers. Berrutti also explains why Samsung, Wallmex and Bank of the Philippine Islands are featured in their portfolios and why mid-cap US companies offer good value for investors.    00:57 Guest introduction...

While still at a very nascent stage in Australia, direct indexing holds great potential – particularly for ESG and responsible investors. Investing in line with your values is a very idiosyncratic desire as what’s important to one investor can differ greatly for another. Being able to build a low-cost, custom portfolio that removes all the ESG exposures an investor doesn’t want while still trackin...

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar discusses the transition to nature-positive investment portfolios with Lucian Peppelenbos, climate and biodiversity strategist at Robeco. Lucian shares his insights on the importance of incorporating environmental impacts into investment strategies, using the Task Force for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) guidance, and the laun...

The challenges facing sustainable investors are always evolving, and approaches to responsible investment must evolve as well. Over the years, much of the industry has adopted a siloed approach to E, S and G issues, but a new report from First Sentier Investors explores how an integrative approach to responsible investment can produce more lucrative opportunities for investors. First Sentier Inves...

In this episode of 'The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar interviews Paul Clements-Hunt, founder and CEO of the Blended Capital Group, about the evolution and future of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing. They explore the origin of ESG, emphasising its role in changing the culture of asset owners, particularly in Australia. He discusses the transition from ethical investments...

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar chats with Will Farrell, co-lead of climate change at Federated Hermes Stewardship and Engagement Body (EOS), about the complexities of reducing emissions in hard-to-abate sectors like aviation, shipping, and primary chemicals. They explore the obstacles related to systemic dependencies, policy enablers, and market-led changes such as elec...

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar speaks with Raf Wood, co-managing director of Silva Capital, on the evolution of Australia's carbon market and Silva's latest update on their carbon credit projects. They explore the impact of the 2022 safeguard mechanism, the company's commitment to sustainability inspired by Wood's personal promise to his daughter, and their milestone ac...

Australia’s job market is relatively robust, but just like different industries tell different stories, so too do different segments of the sustainability sector. While recruitment for ESG roles has generally slowed across financial services from the highs we’ve seen of late, there are still opportunities out there for the right skill sets. In this episode of The Greener Way , Kaizen Recruitment’s...

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar speaks with Nicki Hutley, a climate councillor and chief economist, about a comprehensive climate risk report by the Climate Council. The discussion centres on the alarming rise in insurance premiums due to climate risks, emphasising the need for prompt and effective climate action. They discuss the current and future scenarios of climate...

Australia’s big five banks – ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, Macquarie Group, NAB and Westpac – have all committed to limiting or cutting financing to fossil fuel projects that they feel are not aligned to achieving a net zero future. This requires a lot of work on several fronts, and for investors it’s about understanding how realistic the success of such initiatives is – but the data just isn’t up to sc...

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar speaks with Brian Redican, Chief Economist at TCorp, about the economic implications of transitioning to renewable energy. They discuss evolving priorities in financial analysis, the volatility of energy prices, and the geopolitical risks that influence investment decisions. The conversation also touches on the challenges and opportunities...

In this episode of The Greener Way, Michelle Baltazar speaks with Dave Rae, a responsible investment advisor from Unless Financial. They discuss common myths about responsible investing, affirming it doesn't sacrifice returns and requires global diversification to be successful. The discussion also highlights the growing role of tech in sustainable investments and the importance of addressing clim...

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar, Director of Media at FS Sustainability, speaks with Estelle Parker, Co-Chief Executive of the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA). They discuss the surge in public awareness and demand for responsible investments in Australia, the success of RIAA's Sustainable Classifications Initiative, and the AI toolkit for human righ...

Join host Michelle Baltazar as she interviews Rob Langrick, CFA Institute's Chief Product Advocate, on the evolving landscape of sustainable finance and investing. Learn about the CFA program's integrated approach to sustainability education, the impact of recent U.S. regulatory rollbacks, and the innovative advancements making decarbonisation more appealing and feasible. Discover how countries an...

In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar, Director of Media at FS Sustainability, discusses the newly implemented climate-related financial disclosure standards in Australia with Nicholas Guest, co-lead of HLB Mann Judd's Sustainability Steering Committee. They explore the phased approach of the new regime, its impact on small to large companies, the role of technology in easing...

Harnessing Synthetic Biology for Sustainable Mining and Pollution Mitigation. In this episode of The Greener Way, guest host Michelle Baltazar interviews Nicole Richards, CEO of  Allonnia, about the company's use of synthetic biology to address sustainability issues. The discussion covers Allonia’s work in accelerating nature's process of breaking down contaminants like PFAS, and their initia...

Today we are going to talk about founder-led companies, which can provide high returns for investors – but also be high risk. From Uber's aggressive expansion tactics under Travis Kalanick, Theranos's fraudulent blood testing under Elizabeth Holmes, and WeWork's unsustainable growth under Adam Neumann, founder-led companies can be more at risk of corporate management shortfalls and pose a need for...

Recent research has revealed that sustainability professionals are fighting anxiety, loneliness, imposter syndrome. 43% of green professionals are the sole staff member responsible for sustainability within their organisation, according to a UK study out of the University of St Andrews and the University of Strathclyde. Here to discuss is Heather Lynch, a coach working with sustainability professi...

Oil spills, leaks and contaminants can wreak havoc on marine life, and abandoned and decaying platforms and pipelines can cause large-scale damage through chemical and heavy-metal pollutants. With LNG markets declining and ageing offshore oil and gas infrastructure representing an environmental safety risk, titleholders are now having to decommission offshore infrastructure. This process represent...

When you think of high-net-worth investors, you probably think of fast cars, designer bags and all-inclusive vacations. The last place your mind likely turns to is their interest in sustainable investing. But according to Amanda MacDonald, high-net-worth investors are increasingly looking to make an impact in their portfolios. But the global sustainable investing landscape is changing, experiencin...

Today, Rachel Alembakis joins us on the show to discuss her role as stewardship manager at U Ethical. Alembakis pivoted from a career in journalism – including as the prior editor of FS Sustainability – and says that communication skills are one of the most important aspects of stewardship and engagement with companies to ensure they are following U Ethical’s responsible investment principles. Wit...