The hottest ESG Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

ESG - from hype to gripe

Irina Slav on energy • 1198 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
💼 Business ESG
  1. The number of S&P 500 companies talking about ESG has dropped significantly.
  2. Companies are still adopting ESG measures but are now reluctant to talk about it due to fear of consequences.
  3. Business leaders are struggling with how to showcase their ESG efforts amidst regulatory challenges and criticism.

Sustainability by any other name

Irina Slav on energy • 864 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
💰 Finance ESG
  1. French government banning oil and gas investments in certain sustainable funds may set a precedent for future regulations.
  2. The rigorous certification process for ESG labels includes evaluating impact indicators like CO2 emissions and renewable energy output.
  3. Investors may face challenges if funds in different countries have conflicting preferences for including oil and gas stocks in ESG portfolios.

Good Intentions, Perverse Outcomes: The Impact of Impact Investing

Musings on Markets • 859 implied HN points • 12 Oct 23
💰 Finance ESG
  1. Impact investing aims to make money while helping society, but it can sometimes backfire. Sometimes the good intentions of investors lead to negative outcomes because their investments fail to create real change.
  2. There are three main methods of impact investing: inclusionary, exclusionary, and evangelist. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, but they all rely on understanding which companies truly contribute positively to society.
  3. Despite the money invested in green energy, our reliance on fossil fuels hasn't significantly decreased. It shows that while impact investing tries to solve societal problems, it might not be working as effectively as intended.

What is worth holding on to?

Fund Marketer • 3 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26
💰 Finance ESG
  1. Active asset managers are under heavy pressure from passive funds and ETFs, which is driving consolidation and buyouts. Cherry-picking a few old-economy winners doesn’t change the broader trend of active underperformance.
  2. Financial firms are repurposing legacy assets and structures—like art-backed lending and debt-for-nature swaps—to create new revenue streams and support future needs. These moves won’t solve big problems alone, but they are pragmatic ways to finance innovation and conservation.
  3. A long-running project about a Sputnik-era plan to teach advanced mathematics has been completed and will be released next summer. Finishing and sharing such work shows how historical ideas can be reexamined and made relevant today.

90 Percent of Everything.

News Items • 275 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
💼 Business ESG
  1. Shipping is responsible for transporting 90% of everything, making it extremely efficient and cheap, which has changed the world economy.
  2. The supply of container ships and oil tankers is extremely tight, with high rates and very few new deliveries coming online, potentially leading to future disruptions and inflation.
  3. Global shipping is a critical indicator of economic activity and can be impacted by geopolitics, ESG trends, and global trade patterns like deglobalization.
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The costs and benefits of TCFD disclosure

Klement on Investing • 1 implied HN point • 09 Feb 26
💰 Finance ESG
  1. Companies that voluntarily follow TCFD are usually those more exposed to climate risk and with more resources like bigger workforces, larger boards, or dedicated sustainability committees.
  2. For large firms, voluntary TCFD disclosure is associated with higher profitability and valuations, but for smaller firms the compliance costs are relatively high and tend to reduce profitability.
  3. Because these disclosure costs disproportionately burden smaller companies, regulators are moving to soften or ease reporting requirements to reduce that strain.

Have a conversation about ESG

Anxiety Addiction & Ascension • 39 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics ESG
  1. Spread awareness about ESG - it's a system favoring wokeness enforced by major financial players like BlackRock, affecting corporate decisions and ultimately societal control.
  2. Understand the impact of ESG on governance - it links to decisions like vaccine mandates through corporate governance criteria, influencing businesses to align with certain agendas to secure investment.
  3. Engage in conversations about ESG - discuss with others to raise awareness, starting with trusted individuals, to shed light on how ESG influences our lives and economy.

Get Your Retirement Money Out of The System

Anxiety Addiction & Ascension • 39 implied HN points • 05 Dec 22
💰 Finance ESG
  1. Saving for retirement is essential, but being forced by the government to put money into certain funds can be questionable and may not align with individual financial goals.
  2. Asset management firms play a significant role in managing retirement funds, but their emphasis on ESG and socially responsible investing may not always align with traditional fiduciary responsibilities.
  3. ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria can significantly influence how money managers handle investments, potentially prioritizing social and environmental factors over pure financial gains.

✅ Monday briefing: Eco-anxiety, Socially Mobile briefing, ESG data shakeup, ASA #ad(vice), management potential, artificial stupidity, gaming Google, pay to play and more...

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 27 Mar 23
💼 Business ESG
  1. Eco-anxiety is becoming a real issue, but there are podcasts that can help people feel more hopeful about climate change.
  2. Public relations is shifting to focus on management roles that require listening and relationship skills, especially after the pandemic.
  3. AI can have both good and bad impacts; while it could help address inequalities, it might also make us less thoughtful and reduce our choices.

The thin edge of the wedge

Klement on Investing • 2 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
💰 Finance ESG
  1. Only a small number of analysts talk about climate change in their reports, with just 1% doing so regularly. This suggests they don’t prioritize these issues much.
  2. Reports that do discuss climate change mostly focus on industries that are directly affected, like utilities and electronics. This means other sectors might be ignoring important climate topics.
  3. Analysts seem less enthusiastic about climate change now due to political pushback, and they may use that as an excuse to not address it in their work.

Green investing with a vengeance

Klement on Investing • 2 implied HN points • 23 Jun 25
💰 Finance ESG
  1. After the last election, Republicans cut back on their green investments significantly, while Democrats tended to invest a bit more in green funds.
  2. Overall, green fund investments dropped by about 2.9% after the election, but this varied among different groups of investors.
  3. Some people invested more in green funds not because they thought they would do better, but to show their commitment to green investing, even as a way to oppose Trump's policies.

I want it to matter, but it doesn’t

Klement on Investing • 1 implied HN point • 30 Jun 25
💰 Finance ESG
  1. Biodiversity issues in investing are gaining attention, but they still don't seem to affect stock prices much. Even with better data, the connection remains unclear.
  2. A recent study in China tried to measure how awareness of biodiversity risks impacts stock trading. The results showed that stocks related to biodiversity had similar performance, with minimal difference.
  3. Overall, the research suggests that focusing on biodiversity risks might not lead to better investment returns, making it hard to justify their importance in decision-making.

The new divestment trend

Klement on Investing • 2 implied HN points • 11 Nov 24
💰 Finance ESG
  1. Most investors in Germany are not interested in sustainable investments. More than half of them prefer traditional investing and don't plan to change that.
  2. Social influence plays a big role in investment choices. If friends and family are into sustainable investing, it’s likely others will be too, but the opposite is also true.
  3. Many people who divest from sustainable investments do so because they aren't seeing good returns. They feel like their money could earn more elsewhere.

These oil shareholders are not for the turning

Fund Marketer • 3 implied HN points • 29 May 24
💼 Business ESG
  1. Many oil shareholders are not changing their views on climate proposals, even amidst protests. They tend to vote for management's put forth resolutions rather than the more aggressive ones suggested by other investors.
  2. The 'silent majority' of shareholders may not actively voice their opinions, but their votes can heavily influence outcomes at shareholder meetings. This often leads to management proposals winning significantly.
  3. Recent studies suggest that 'nudging' people toward certain decisions might not work as well as thought. Those nudged may not stick with their choices as much as those who decide independently.

PureCycle Technologies: The Nikola of Recycling

funnybusiness • 0 implied HN points • 16 Aug 21
💰 Finance ESG
  1. PureCycle Technologies executives failed to address critical allegations and instead doubled down on their ambitious projections.
  2. Insiders of PureCycle Technologies increased their pay-outs and could potentially sell 100% of their shares before the company generates any revenue, raising concerns about their commitment to long-term success.
  3. Red flags have been identified in the business model of PureCycle Technologies, including questionable supply chain agreements, unproven technology, and unrealistic rapid expansion plans.

Equal Ventures Focus Area: Energy & Sustainability

Equal Ventures • 0 implied HN points • 12 Aug 20
💼 Business ESG
  1. Consumer consciousness around sustainable consumption is increasing, with some willing to pay more for green energy.
  2. State and municipal policies are driving regulatory changes focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy.
  3. There is growing interest and funding in environmental, social, and governance initiatives in the capital markets, particularly in ESG-focused funds.

Saturday Sprouting Reads (Indian Agri-Fintech, Ag Drones Business Models, Agri-Input Supply Chains, Morality of Food, ESG Pushback)

Agribusiness Matters • 0 implied HN points • 08 Apr 23
💼 Business ESG
  1. Agricultural credit usage in India differs based on land holdings, with larger holders relying more on institutional credit.
  2. Drones in agriculture have potential for spraying services and precision agriculture, with a future trajectory similar to call centers.
  3. Agritech startups are focusing on digitizing the agri-input supply chain to enhance operations and revenue growth.