Responding to COP27’s Main Takeaways

The recent COP27 once again highlighted urgent topics that need global attention, results that were achieved (and unfortunately also those that were not), and provided enough challenges and considerations for organizations and countries to deliberate forthcoming change. A new agenda topic is that of loss and damage which unified countries in agreement about establishing a fund for assisting and supporting developing countries. In this article, we briefly elaborate on some of the main topics discussed, highlight takeaways of the event that are worth considering as part of an organization’s sustainability agenda, and specifically, consider how these challenges can be addressed through the activation of material ESG topics. The downloadable checklist for materiality activation is a helpful tool to support your organization in starting the process.

How the Postal Industry is Making Progress on Aligning with TCFD

As postal companies face increasing pressure from regulators, society, and investors to act on climate and reduce GHG emissions, intensified net-zero actions and focused climate plans are crucial for the industry. This article elaborates on the ESG maturity of the top five postal companies, selected from a recent Finch & Beak benchmark study, highlights exemplary best-practice TCFD-alignment lessons to be learned, and suggests how companies can make and achieve climate goals by applying the TCFD recommendations.

What Each Sector Needs To Do To Achieve Net Zero

The AR6 Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change report elaborates on what is required across human society to decarbonize. This final article in the series about the highlights of the latest IPCC reports suggests what each sector can do to at least halve emissions by 2030 and concludes that if ever there was a crucial decade for climate action, it is now.

How to Keep Global Warming to Within 'Safe Levels'

Is it still technically feasible to bring temperatures down to 1.5°C-2°C ? In this third article in the four-part series unpacking the key pieces of information from THE IPCC AR6 reports, we explore which monumental actions will be required to bring temperatures down to a safe level and limit global warming.

Impacts of Climate Change on Human Society

This article, the second in a four-part series unpacking the key pieces of information from the IPCC AR6 reports, provides insights into climate change impacts so far, how they will impact the world in the future, and suggests how humans can adapt.

The Latest Climate Science from the IPCC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) produces a set of major reports every seven years summarizing the latest climate science and its implications for human society. This article is the first in a series of four blog posts unpacking the key pieces of information from the reports and explores the key highlights from the AR6 Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis report that considers the emissions pathway we are tracking, the topic of abrupt climate tipping points, and the logic of a 1.5°C versus 2°C target.

TCFD Alignment Lessons from the Insurance Industry

As more and more organizations are embarking on the TCFD journey and with the proposal for updating the ESRS being submitted which will incorporate alignment with TCFD, the extent to which organizations will be held accountable for integrating the recommendations will only increase. This article outlines why it is important for insurance companies to be aware of and develop an understanding of climate-related risks and opportunities, provides best practice examples of insurance companies implementing the TCFD recommendations, and suggests three tips for closing the gaps in TCFD alignment.

The TCFD Journey: A Roadmap

The most significant risks that organizations face today are related to climate change. The Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations help organizations to understand and prepare for climate-related risks and capitalize on climate-related opportunities relevant to them. This article elaborates on the most important TCFD requirements, explains how organizations can integrate the recommendations and the downloadable roadmap outlines the 6 phases of the TCFD journey and suggests key activities, outcomes, and tools for each phase.

Activating Materiality on Climate Mitigation & Adaptation in Insurance

More than a quarter of the world’s 2,000 largest publicly-traded companies have committed to a net-zero strategy, but do all of these companies have clear action plans in place to deliver on them? Finch & Beak’s forthcoming benchmark study on the European insurance industry dives deeper into how this sector is moving towards decarbonization. A preview of this work will be shared during the upcoming ESG Acceleration Webinar on Tuesday 1 March. The webinar also features a real-life case from Storebrand – the Nordic long-term savings and insurance company that is working to have net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its investment portfolios by 2050.

ESG Acceleration Webinar: Preparing for Climate Transition

During this webinar, we considered how corporates can prepare for the transition to a 1.5-degree world. The insurance industry served as an example with real-life cases on climate risk mitigation and adaptation. Guest speaker Marcus Bruns, Nordic Head of Sustainability at Storebrand, presented the company's climate strategy and how Storebrand is working to have net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its investment portfolios by 2050.