The Sustainability Story

Simone Ruiz-Vergote, Head of Sustainable Finance Policy Research at MSCI, joins host Nicole Gehrig, Director of Global Industry Standards at CFA Institute, to discuss the European Commission's proposed reforms to the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR 2.0). They examine the move toward clearer sustainability product categories, expectations around data and substantiation, and how asse...

Guest host Tiffany Tivasuradej, Inclusion Research Associate, speaks with Dr. Sajia Ferdous of Queen's Business School about her research on aging, workplace inclusion, and the convergence of human longevity with AI-driven work. They discuss algorithmic ageism, multigenerational workplaces, and why investment firms must rethink human capital strategies for longer, more digitally integrated careers...

Emma Harvey Smith, Managing Director of Partnerships at Green Finance Institute, joins host Paul Moody, Managing Director of Global Partnerships and Client Solutions at CFA Institute, to discuss how finance can drive the transition to a net zero and nature-positive economy. From leading the UK's first green mortgage initiative to scaling impact across nine countries, Emma shares insights on the Gr...

Bill Green, managing partner at Climate Adaptive Infrastructure, joins host Deborah Kidd, CFA, director, Global Industry Standards at CFA Institute, to discuss how climate change is reshaping risks and opportunities in critical infrastructure. He explains why infrastructure assets are uniquely exposed to what he calls the "triple threat" of physical, regulatory, and political risks—and why investi...

How do climate events, transition risks, and insurance costs shape the future of commercial mortgage-backed securities? Daniel Warcholak, CFA, Head of Capital Markets at Basis Investment Group, joins host, Nicole Gehrig, Director, Global Industry Standards at CFA institute, to share his perspective on how extreme weather events, sustainability transitions, and green incentives like LEED certificat...

In this episode, Paul Moody interviews Clare Brook, a veteran of 24 years in sustainable finance who now leads Blue Marine Foundation. In their conversation Clare reflects on her journey from managing ESG funds and co-founding an investment firm to running an NGO dedicated to protecting the blue planet.   Clare and Paul dive into innovative ways finance can accelerate marine conservation. They dis...

Livio Stracca, Phd joins host Deborah Kidd, CFA, to introduce the innovative NGFS Short-Term Climate Scenarios. This groundbreaking tool is the first publicly available global resource designed to assess climate-related macroeconomic and sector risks over a five-year horizon for specific regions and industries. The scenarios demonstrate how extreme weather, policy shifts, and transition shocks cou...

Nicole Gehrig speaks with Tamara Close, CFA, Senior Director of ESG Advisory for the Petra Funds Group, about the ongoing evolution of sustainable finance and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices within the institutional investment landscape. Tamara reflects on her career path, including her time at PSP Investments, and shares key insights into the shifting perceptions and integra...

Dr. Steve Waygood, Chief Sustainable Finance Advisor at Aviva Investors, shares insights from his 25-year journey in sustainable finance. He discusses the evolution from ethical investing to system-level stewardship, the under-pricing of climate risks in financial models, and the vital role of public policy in aligning markets with sustainability goals. Packed with real-world examples and forward-...

Mark Campanale, founder of the Carbon Tracker Initiative, talks with Paul Moody, Managing Director of Global Partnerships and Client Solutions at CFA Institute,  about the growing risks tied to fossil fuel investments. Mark explains the concept of the carbon bubble—the gap between the carbon in global reserves and what the climate can safely absorb—and what it means for investors, regulators, and...

In this episode of the Sustainability Story, host Nicole Gehrig, Director of Global Industry Standards at CFA Institute, discusses the importance of integrating nature-related risks into investment strategies with Mel Peh, CFA, an independent consultant for the United Nations Environment Program Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). They explore how nature-related risks, such as biodiversity loss and defo...

Join Paul Moody, Managing Director at CFA Institute, as he sits down with Dr. Ma Jun, President of the Institute of Finance and Sustainability (IFS) and founder of CASI (Climate Action and Sustainability Initiative), for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of sustainable finance. In this engaging episode, Dr. Ma Jun shares his journey from shaping global sustainable finance policies to la...

In this episode of "The Sustainability Story," host Deborah Kidd, CFA, and Roman Kramarchuk, Head of Climate Markets and Policy Analytics at S&P Global Commodity Insights, delve into the significance of Article 6 adoption at COP29 and its implications for the role of carbon markets in achieving net-zero goals. Roman shares insights from his extensive experience in public policy and emissions and e...

In this episode of the Sustainability Story podcast, host Nicole Gehrig welcomes Dr. Carmen Nuzzo, executive director of the Transition Pathway Initiative Centre (TPI Centre) at the London School of Economics and Political Science. The conversation centers around the TPI Centre's mission as the academic partner of the global investor initiative, highlighting the TPI tools, which provide independen...

Host Deborah Kidd, CFA talks with Monika Freyman, CFA, Vice President of Sustainable Investing at Addenda Capital, about the challenges asset owners and asset managers face when aiming to protect portfolios from the financial impacts of climate change. Monika shares practical advice on developing a comprehensive investment policy, measuring and managing the complexities of climate risk, and balanc...

Host Nicole Gehrig welcomes Dean Hand, Chief Research Officer at the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN). They delve into the critical topic of impact investing, clarifying its definition amidst common misconceptions in the investment marketplace. Dean shares insights on the GIIN's role in promoting impact investing and its commitment to developing effective practices that address global challe...

Listen in as Dr. Jane Thostrup Jagd, Director of Net Zero Finance at We Mean Business Coalition, and Josina Kamerling, Head of EMEA Regulatory Outreach at CFA Institute, discuss the necessity of integrating sustainability departments within companies, particularly in collaboration with financial teams. The challenge lies in ensuring that knowledge about sustainability extends beyond mere complianc...

In this episode of the Sustainability Story, host Deborah Kidd, CFA, talks with Dr. Aniket Shah, Managing Director and Global Head of Sustainability and Transition Strategy at Jefferies Group, LLC. Aniket leverages his work across academia, public policy, and financial markets to provide unique insights into the energy transition roadblocks and the three keys to overcoming them. He shares his insi...

In this episode of the Sustainability Story podcast, Nicole Gehrig, Director of Global Industry Standards at CFA Institute, is joined by Lindsey Stewart, CFA, Director of Stewardship Research and Policy at Morningstar Sustainalytics. Together, they explore key themes in the realm of stewardship. Lindsey shares his insights on how institutional shareholders are approaching proxy voting and engageme...

In this episode of "The Sustainability Story," co-host Josina Kamerling welcomes Nels Italo, Director of Product Strategy for Regulatory Solutions at FactSet. They delve into Nels' diverse background, from working in signals intelligence in the US Navy to becoming a corporate M&A attorney before focusing on financial service regulations. The conversation highlights the complexities of global finan...

In this episode of the Sustainability Story, host Deborah Kidd, CFA, interviews Paula DiPerna, author and Special Advisor to the CDP. In her book, Pricing the Priceless: The Financial Transformation to Value the Planet, Solve the Climate Crisis, and Protect Our Most Precious Assets , Paula offers a compelling argument for the need to assign economic values to nature's essential resources. Paula ta...

Josina Kamerling and Leena Linnainmaa, Secretary General of Directors' Institute Finland, and Chair of ecoDa's Advocacy Committee, have a conversation on the impact of the proposed new EU rules on corporate governance and due diligence on European companies and their board of directors.

In this episode of The Sustainability Story, host Andres Vinelli interviews Marcos Buscaglia, an economist and author of Beyond the ESG Portfolio: How Wall Street Can Help Democracies Survive. Marcos discusses the impact of capital markets on funding democracies and autocratic regimes, emphasizing the importance for investors to consider democracy amidst global democratic decline. He highlights th...

This episode of the Sustainability Story explores the world of impact investing in real estate, with a specific focus on affordable housing. Host Andres Vinelli is joined by Jeff Brenner, President and CEO of IMPACT Community Capital, an investment advisor dedicated to advancing opportunity in under-invested communities. They discuss the origins of IMPACT and its mission to make investments that h...

In this episode, host Josina Kamerling has a discussion with Thierry Philipponnat, Chief Economist, Finance Watch, about the banks' efforts to building a sustainable economy and the challenges of the net zero transition for banks.