"Assets in sustainable mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) hit an all-time high of USD 1.2 trillion at the end of the third quarter of 2020, with flows outstripping the overall market. We expect a strong continuation of this trend in 2021 and beyond, as investors finally lay to rest the notion that sustainable investing compromises returns. Shifting societal values and greater regulatory pressure are further strengthening client demand, lending additional support to

Nowadays our development system is based on the so-called Linear Economy, which exploits natural resources (mostly fossils) to generate goods and services, closing its production process with the elimination of waste, destinated to accumulate more and more. On the other hand, Circular Economy aims to reduce most of the waste, converting it into an available resource which can be reused as a secondary raw material into the production process. Every product or output, from the

Climate change has been marked as one of the most discerning issues of the 21st century. With the rising concerns over climate change and its associated risks on global economies, no one can afford to remain indifferent to consequences that will affect the whole world. All the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals represent the risk areas that are jeopardizing businesses and societies. If left unattended, these risks will be worsening the current global scenario. On

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in order to be achieved, are going to require a lot of investment. A lot of new infrastructures are going to have to be built, water desalination systems, waste recycling systems. A lot of new kinds of power plants are going to have to be constructed. A lot of healthcare outlays will be required. A lot of education outlays will be required... And many more. Like anything in building for the future, investing is at the core of achieving

As 68% of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, we better ask the question, what is it that makes a city "sustainable". And the answer that I want to give through this article is twofold. One, is that it is a green city. Green in the literal sense that there are parks and places of people and open areas combined, but also green in the sense that its economic impact on the environment, the ecological footprint of the city is also limited. The other dim

Did you know that over a billion people live without electricity? Most of these people live in rural areas in Sub-Saharan Africa. While they have to do without any electrical power at all, the rest of the world is using more and more electricity every year. Where still, most of it is generated by unsustainable non-renewable sources like coal, natural gas, and petroleum. The problem of energy is twofold. On the one hand, many have to live without any energy; meaning they are b

True value is created when a small or large idea is actually transformed into action. It starts with believing in the power of every positive change we make, in our daily lives, and in our companies and organizations. In the next article, I want to touch on two areas that in my humble opinion constitute the greatest challenge facing humanity, the SDG 2 and SDG 3 now. SDG 2 aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. A

An important role of finance is to allocate funding to its most productive use and to stimulate value creation. Finance can steer investments to sustainable companies and projects without sacrificing financial return and speed up dramatically the transition to a sustainable economy. In this way, finance can be a powerful force for positive change. Yet, some may ask, "how is that possible as finance is thought of as always looking for the highest financial return in the short

For the business world, embracing the SDGs is a smart business and reveals a lot of unleashed opportunities. But this is more than just another approach or direction of thought. It is about building long-term impact-generating foundations, especially from the investment point of view. So where should I start? Let's start with the planet we live in and especially with the biosphere. The biosphere is the surface and atmosphere of the Earth occupied by living organisms. Here we

In recent years there has been more and more understanding that business is not about profit maximization, but about creating value, societal value. Profits are a means, not an end in itself. Don't get me wrong, without profits no cooperation can exist. But without societal purpose, a lot of companies lack a license to operate, which in turn seriously hampers their longer-term financial sustainability, simply is that. As the famous saying goes, "Equal distribution, and fairne

Since the last decade, we are having a lot of debate and focus on climate change. Climate change is the buzzword these days and the activism for its advocacy is gaining momentum with every passing day. It is becoming the core area of focus for industries, corporations, tech giants, investors, and governments. People across the globe are either directly or indirectly affected by climate change. The gravity of the issue can be estimated from the various UN reports which indicat