Category Archives: Indexes

Meet Eric Kane – Health Care Sector Analyst, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) @ #Intro2ESG Training

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Presenting at Introduction to ESG, Sustainable & Impact Investment One–Day Training
The How & Why of Applying ESG to Corporate Valuations
Hosted by Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY on June 15th

Introduction:  For professionals in the capital markets, and in the corporate sector, G&A Institute and Global Change Associates are teamed to present a one-day professional training program, hosted by Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY, in midtown Manhattan.  This is an excellent introduction to the application of ESG factors to investment making decisions and corporate valuations.  Find out more at https://intro2esg.eventbrite.com

ESG = the corporate environmental, social or societal and corporate governance factors to be evaluated by the financial analyst, asset owner, asset manager, and others in the capital markets in looking beyond the financial in selecting public companies for “buy/sell/hold” portfolio management decisions. (This is also referred to as “sustainable investing,” “impact investing,” and similar titles by practitioners.)

The outstanding faculty presenting during the one-day course will include experts in ESG / sustainable / impact investing, covering topics such as best practices; data sources; analytical tools; research resources; methodologies; why ESG matters; and realized outcomes using these approaches to analysis and investment management.

MEET ONE OF YOUR COURSE LEADERS
Eric Kane
Health Care Sector Analyst,
Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)
TOPIC:  About SASB & More Effective 10-K Disclosure

A conversation with Eric:

Q. How is your day to day work related to the Intro to ESG Certificate Program?
[EK]  As the Health Care Sector Analyst at SASB, I work to identify material sustainability issues and to provide evidence of financial impact and standardized methods of accounting. This work ultimately helps to inform how and why sustainability factors are integrated into corporate valuations. 

Q. What can attendees expect to learn from your session?
[EK]  Attendees will learn about SASB’s standards setting process, and how the organization is working to enhance corporate disclosure on material sustainability issues.

Q. What advice do you have or opportunity that you see for attendees who complete the Certificate Program?
[EK] There is a tremendous amount of growth around sustainable investing.  By learning what organizations and strategies are leading this aspect of the market, attendees will be well positioned to participate and excel in the field.

* * * * * * * *

CAREER BACKGROUND: ERIC KANE
Eric re-joined SASB in July, 2016 as the Health Care Sector Analyst. Prior to his work at SASB, Eric served as a Senior Consultant at Context. In that role, he advised numerous Fortune 500(r) companies on sustainability strategy and reporting.

Eric was also a Senior Analyst at Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, where he managed a global team of analysts that rated utility companies on the basis of environmental, social, and governance performance. While at Innovest, Eric served as the Lead Author of the Carbon Disclosure Project Report 2007: Global FT500.

The Report, which was written on behalf of 315 institutional investors with combined assets of US$41 trillion, analyzed how the world’s 500 largest companies were responding to the risks and opportunities associated with climate change.

Eric holds a Master of Public Administration from NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a degree in political science from Bates College.

For more information about the course and how to register, visit: https://intro2esg.eventbrite.com

Meet Kate Starr, CFA, CIO, Flat World Partners @ #Intro2ESG Training

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Presenting at Introduction to ESG, Sustainable & Impact Investment One–Day Training
The How & Why of Applying ESG to Corporate Valuations
Hosted by Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY on June 15th

Introduction:  For professionals in the capital markets, and in the corporate sector, G&A Institute and Global Change Associates are teamed to present a one-day professional training program, hosted by Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY, in midtown Manhattan.  This is an excellent introduction to the application of ESG factors to investment making decisions and corporate valuations.  Find out more at https://intro2esg.eventbrite.com

ESG = the corporate environmental, social or societal and corporate governance factors to be evaluated by the financial analyst, asset owner, asset manager, and others in the capital markets in looking beyond the financial in selecting public companies for “buy/sell/hold” portfolio management decisions. (This is also referred to as “sustainable investing,” “impact investing,” and similar titles by practitioners.)

The outstanding faculty presenting during the one-day course will include experts in ESG / sustainable / impact investing, covering topics such as best practices; data sources; analytical tools; research resources; methodologies; why ESG matters; and realized outcomes using these approaches to analysis and investment management.

MEET ONE OF YOUR COURSE LEADERS
Kate Starr, CFA
Chief Investment Officer, Flat World Partners
TOPIC: What Investors Need to Know About the Rising Importance of Impact Investing

A conversation with Kate:

Q:   How is your day-to-day work related to the Intro to ESG, Sustainable & Impact Investment Certificate Program to be presented at Baruch?
[KS] Here at Flat World Partners, we help family offices, foundations, pension funds, and wealth advisors build customized investment portfolios that drive positive environmental and social impact.  We look at everything from direct investments in early-stage companies to public equity and fixed income and think about how ESG works across asset classes.

Q:  What can attendees expect to learn from your session?
[KS] I’ll be focusing on “impact investing” — what it means and where it fits into an overall portfolio from both an investment and a client service perspective.  We’ll talk about the issue of impact measurement and how to think about simple, effective ways to do it. Last, we’ll discuss some of the most interesting themes and strategies that we’re seeing in the market right now.

Q:  What advice do you have or opportunity that you see for attendees who complete the Certificate Program?
[KS] Our entire business is focused on impact, or sustainable investing, because we believe that it represents the future of investing.  Clients have already woken up to the fact that finance and investment plays a big role in shaping the world around them. 

Finance and investment teams who can recognize that demand and lead their clients to a better future will be the ones to be sustainable over the long-term.

* * * * * * * *

CAREER BACKGROUND: KATE STARR
Kate leads investment strategy and portfolio development at Flat World Partners. In her prior role at the Heron Foundation, Kate formed and led the team that invests Heron’s approximately US$300 million portfolio for impact. Working with the board and staff, Kate developed the investment policy statement and implementation plan to move the foundation to invest 100% of its assets for mission.

Kate started her career as an economics and equities analyst at First Asset Management and moved into research on microfinance in Tanzania.  She is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), co-leading the Sustainability Committee at the New York Society of Security Analysts (NYSSA),.  She serves on the investment committee of the Christopher Reynolds Foundation; and, serves as an advisor to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the Mission Investors Exchange.

She was graduated from Indiana University with an Honors degree in English and Italian, and earned a Master’s degree in International Relations from Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies.

For more information about the course and how to register, visit: https://intro2esg.eventbrite.com

Meet Hideki Suzuki, Senior ESG Analyst, Bloomberg LP @ #Intro2ESG Training

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Presenting at Introduction to ESG, Sustainable & Impact Investment One–Day Training
The How & Why of Applying ESG to Corporate Valuations
Hosted by Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY on June 15th

Introduction:  For professionals in the capital markets, and in the corporate sector, G&A Institute and Global Change Associates are teamed to present a one-day professional training program, hosted by Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY, in midtown Manhattan.  This is an excellent introduction to the application of ESG factors to investment making decisions and corporate valuations.  Find out more at https://intro2esg.eventbrite.com

ESG = the corporate environmental, social or societal and corporate governance factors to be evaluated by the financial analyst, asset owner, asset manager, and others in the capital markets in looking beyond the financial in selecting public companies for “buy/sell/hold” portfolio management decisions. (This is also referred to as “sustainable investing,” “impact investing,” and similar titles by practitioners.)

The outstanding faculty presenting during the one-day course will include experts in ESG / sustainable / impact investing, covering topics such as best practices; data sources; analytical tools; research resources; methodologies; why ESG matters; and realized outcomes using these approaches to analysis and investment management.

MEET ONE OF YOUR COURSE LEADERS
Hideki Suzuki
Senior ESG Analyst, Bloomberg LP
TOPIC:  ESG Equity Fundamentals Data Analytics

A conversation with Hideki:

Q:  How is your day-to-day work related to the Intro to ESG, Sustainable & Impact Investment Certificate Program to be presented at Baruch?
[HS]  My day-to-day is to manage ESG data products on Bloomberg – both on and off terminal. We extract and ingest listed company & debt issuer ESG data into our system and make sure they speak with our analytics correctly.

Q:  What can attendees expect to learn from your session?
[HS] ESG information is easy to digest when a company/issuer gives you fiscal period environmental and social data  that give analysts company operational insights – by that we mean operational risks & opportunities into how companies manage things like resource consumption and human capital issues.

As for governance, how well is this company being managed?

This is a qualitative question every analyst is trying to answer by looking at company structure and listening into CEO/CFO’s presentations. Quantitative data on board of directors and executive  statistics – ex) company executive pay practice, can give you clues on how company rewards executives for taking risks etc.

Participants will learn “how you can navigate a widening variety of datasets available on the Bloomberg terminal to find best-in-class issuers.”

What advice do you have or opportunity that you see for attendees who complete the Certificate Program?
[HS] Data is still challenging at times in this space but challenge is an opportunity for investors – opportunity to manage beta, generate alpha and an engagement opportunity with the public company. If you are a consultant or in other service provider space, this is your business opportunity to help companies/investment firms respond to ESG questions and help them tell their ESG stories well.

* * * * * * * *

CAREER BACKGROUND: HIDEKI SUZUKI
Hideki is a senior corporate governance analyst and also a team lead for ESG data team at Bloomberg.

After joining Bloomberg LP in 1999, he spent the first five years in electronic trading desk support and 3rd party fixed-income and the derivatives pricing contents team.

In 2005, Hideki moved to the equity fundamentals data department, and then moved to the ESG team in December 2008. From 2014 on, his focus has been to build database and analytics for corporate governance and executive compensation products on the Bloomberg terminal.

Since 2016, he is a team lead for the ESG data analyst team at Bloomberg.

He has a B.A. in Economics and History from Fordham University.

For more information about the course and how to register, visit: https://intro2esg.eventbrite.com

 

Meet Agnes Terestchenko, Senior Manager, Investor Initiatives North America, CDP Speaker @ #Intro2ESG Training

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Presenting at Introduction to ESG, Sustainable & Impact Investment One–Day Training
The How & Why of Applying ESG to Corporate Valuations
Hosted by Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY on June 15th

Introduction:  For professionals in the capital markets, and in the corporate sector, G&A Institute and Global Change Associates are teamed to present a one-day professional training program, hosted by Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY, in midtown Manhattan.  This is an excellent introduction to the application of ESG factors to investment making decisions and corporate valuations.  Find out more at https://intro2esg.eventbrite.com

ESG = the corporate environmental, social or societal and corporate governance factors to be evaluated by the financial analyst, asset owner, asset manager, and others in the capital markets in looking beyond the financial in selecting public companies for “buy/sell/hold” portfolio management decisions. (This is also referred to as “sustainable investing,” “impact investing,” and similar titles by practitioners.)

The outstanding faculty presenting during the one-day course will include experts in ESG / sustainable / impact investing, covering topics such as best practices; data sources; analytical tools; research resources; methodologies; why ESG matters; and realized outcomes using these approaches to analysis and investment management.

MEET ONE OF YOUR COURSE LEADERS
Agnes Terestchenko
Senior Manager, Investor Initiatives North America, CDP
TOPIC: CDP Investor Initiatives

 A conversation with Agnes:

Q:  How is your day-to-day work related to the Intro to ESG, Sustainable & Impact Investment Certificate Program to be presented at Baruch?
[AT] CDP is a global coalition of 800-plus institutional investors that give CDP the authority to request disclosure on material environmental information to over 6,000 companies.  Today, CDP has the largest global database of self-disclosed environmental information. Once collected, we give access to the data to investors and the public and encourage investors to engage with companies and to integrate environmental factors into their investment processes

Q:  What can attendees expect to learn from your session?
[AT] Information about the data collected, engagement resources for investors and how investors use environmental data in their investment processes.

Q:  What advice do you have or opportunity that you see for attendees who complete the Certificate Program?
[AT]  Integration of ESG factors into investment process is only at its beginning stages at many institutions, but because of increasing demand from asset owners, the Millennial generation, a growing number of investor coalitions and financial regulators, it will become more mainstream inside the financial world and is something attendees will need to know about.

* * * * * * * *

CAREER BACKGROUND: AGNES TERESTCHENKO
Agnes is Senior Manager, Investor Initiatives at CDP – the Global environmental reporting system. Agnes manages relationships with investor signatories & members for CDP’s Climate, Water, Forests and Carbon Action programs and assists the integration of environmental risk data into ESG & SRI focused approach to investment processes.

She also promotes CDP programs through public-speaking and development of research products leading to thought-leadership in emerging investment themes. After a full career in institutional equity sales at major European brokerage houses, Agnes followed her passion and specialized in ESG integration.

She joined CDP after working on specific projects with ICCR and Domini Social Investments. Agnes is a Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder and a member of the steering Sustainable Investing Thought Leadership Group at the New York Society of Securities Analysts (NYSSA).

For more information about the course and how to register, visit: https://intro2esg.eventbrite.com

Meet Jordan Kimmel, Co-Founder & Portfolio Manager, FACTS Asset Management @ #Intro2ESG Training

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Presenting at Introduction to ESG, Sustainable & Impact Investment One–Day Training
The How & Why of Applying ESG to Corporate Valuations
Hosted by Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY on June 15th

Introduction:  For professionals in the capital markets, and in the corporate sector, G&A Institute and Global Change Associates are teamed to present a one-day professional training program, hosted by Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY, in midtown Manhattan.  This is an excellent introduction to the application of ESG factors to investment making decisions and corporate valuations.  Find out more at https://intro2esg.eventbrite.com

ESG = the corporate environmental, social or societal and corporate governance factors to be evaluated by the financial analyst, asset owner, asset manager, and others in the capital markets in looking beyond the financial in selecting public companies for “buy/sell/hold” portfolio management decisions. (This is also referred to as “sustainable investing,” “impact investing,” and similar titles by practitioners.)

The outstanding faculty presenting during the one-day course will include experts in ESG / sustainable / impact investing, covering topics such as best practices; data sources; analytical tools; research resources; methodologies; why ESG matters; and realized outcomes using these approaches to analysis and investment management.

MEET ONE OF YOUR COURSE LEADERS
Jordan Kimmel
Co-Founder & Portfolio Manager, FACTS Asset Management
TOPIC: Integrating ESG Factors into Portfolio Construction

A conversation with Jordan:

Q:  How is your day-to-day work related to the Intro to ESG, Sustainable & Impact Investment Certificate Program to be presented at Baruch?

[JK]  I am a registered investment advisor currently running three strategies for SMAs. They are all based on our FACTS® Framework, which we think of as “ESG 2.0”. The FACTS® screen reduces the Russell 1000 to create a universe of Top 400 having the highest “integrity rank.”  We have identified five (5) financial and non-financial quantitative “indicators” of integrity that go beyond the traditional ESG.

Q:  What can attendees expect to learn from your session?

[JK]  There are different ways to use ESG criteria when building investment portfolios. Not all ESG information and data are created equal.  I’ll explain a bit about the history of our model and how we built it.   And I’ll show how using FACTS enhances returns by attempting to lower volatility and risk.

Q:  What advice do you have or opportunity that you see for attendees who complete the Certificate Program?

[JK]  My top lines:  Customer interest in ESG investing is rapidly growing. Be part of the discussion. Add it to your existing expertise or partner with those who can provide it.

Be concerned with what you invest in going forward. Investment dollars following into more sustainably-run companies will create a virtuous cycle.  You’ll want to understand that.

Be part of a movement to encourage stakeholder management and integrity based investing.

* * * * * * * *

CAREER BACKGROUND: JORDAN KIMMEL
Jordan Kimmel is the co-founder and portfolio manager at FACTS® Asset Management.
​
Leveraging more than 30 years in the financial services industry – as both a retail broker and a fund/portfolio manager – he is the creator/co-creator of the FACTS® model, a holistic, unbiased quantitative measurement of the “integrity” of over 2,000 public companies.

FACTS® identifies companies with strong leadership, core values and ethical cultures. The strategy blends financial stability with conservative accounting, corporate governance, transparency, and sustainability metrics for the largest and most liquid companies. FACTS® incorporates Jordan’s previous Magnet® model, which has been licensed to leading financial services institutions including John Nuveen & Co.

Jordan’s market insights have been sought by numerous networks — such as CNBC, Fox News and ABC News; he has been quoted extensively by various print and digital outlets such as Forbes and U.S. News & World Report. Also, he is the author of two books, the most recent being “The Magnet Method of Investing” (Wiley 2009).

Jordan earned his M.S. in Urban Policy Sciences and a B.A. in Economics from SUNY at Stony Brook.

For more information about the course and how to register, visit: https://intro2esg.eventbrite.com

World Bank & Partners + S&P Dow Jones Indices, & Partners — Rolling Out New Sustainable Investing Approaches for Institutions…

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Forward Momentum! — Two new approaches that spell out a-d-v-a-n-c-e-m-e-n-t for sustainable investment: World Bank and S&P Dow Jones Indices (separately) roll out new products and approaches with key partners’ participation.

Despite the nay-saying about climate change, global warming, sustainability and related subjects in certain quarters in the United States, major players in global finance enthusiastically rolled out new products / approaches for institutional customers.

First:  The World Bank, as part of its “SDGs Everyone” initiative has partnered with (initially) institutions in France and Italy for issuance of equity-index bonds that link returns to the performance of 50 companies that “advance global development priorities” as determined by the methodology of Vigeo Eiris Equities.  The bonds are being marketed by BNP Paribas. (Proceeds:  163 million Euros.)

The proceeds will be used to finance projects that help to eliminate poverty and boost shared prosperity, advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are being adopted by nations around the world.  This is the World Bank and partners “walking the talk” of sustainability and responding practically to the aspirational 2030 SDG goals.

Second:  S&P Dow Jones Indices (“S&P DJI”) created the S&P Green Bond Select Index (for ‘green label” bonds), to “meet strong market demand,” according to the company.  The first licensee is VanEck, to create an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF).   S&P DJI offers more than 100 financial indices to its global capital market customers. (The S&P 500, for example, represents more than 80% of U.S. value of corporate equities and is the most widely used benchmark.

G&A Institute each year monitors and reports on the S&P 500 universe of companies’ reporting on their sustainability journeys.  Watch for our news coming shortly on the latest survey results.

VanEck notes that the market value of “green bonds” was US$82 billion in 2016 and could reach $150 billion in 2017.  Click here for details . There’s also a good introduction to “green bonds” on the web site.

As Sustainable Brands, in reporting on the developments noted…”this could expand sustainability investment and drive it towards the mainstream…”  The details are here for you in our Top Story:

Dow Jones, World Bank Unveil New Financial Tools to Expand Sustainability Investments
(Wednesday – March 15, 2017)
Source: Sustainable Brands – &P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI), the world’s leading provider of index-based concepts, data and research, has announced the launch of the S&P Green Bond Select Index which captures the most liquid and tradeable segment of…

The NYT Brings Us Encouraging News in the Swelter of Negative Reports as Sustainability Advocates Consider Possible Changes of Course in the New Year for U.S. Federal Government Policies

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Leading Business readership publication focuses attention on the dramatic rise of ESG factors in investing over the past five years in wrap up story…

If you have not yet seen the story by Randall J. Smith that appeared in The New York Times Business Section on December 14th, we urge you to read it now, and to share it with your colleagues. Especially those occupants of the C-suite, board room, investor relations office — this will help to make the important case for ESG / sustainable investing. It’s our Top Story this week and the headline puts things in focus: investors are sharpening their focus on “S” and “E” risks to stocks.

This is a front page, Business Section [Deal Book] wrap-up feature that shares news, commentary and important developments at such organizations as MSCI, Vanguard, TIAA-CREF, Goldman Sachs, Perella Weinberg Partners, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, US SIF, Heron Foundation, Parnassus and other leaders in sustainable investing.

“Investing based on ESG factors has mushroomed in recent years,” author Randall Smith explains, “driven in part by big pension funds and European money managers, trying new ways to evaluate potential investments.”  The article helps those not yet familiar with sustainable investing to understand the increasing momentum in “sustainable” or “ESG” or “sustainable, responsible & impact” investing.

The organization MSCI is in sharp focus in the piece, with Linda-Eling Lee (the firm’s able head of global research) interviewed on the company’s approach to ESG research, ratings, equities indexes, and related work.  At MSCI, the assets managed using ESG approaches is now at $8 billion-plus — that’s triple the 2010 level.  ESG-related risks and opportunities are being closely evaluated as MSCI looks at publicly-traded companies, and as explained by the MSCI head of global research, 6,500 companies are followed by 150 analysts working in 14 global offices.

The recent US SIF survey results are heralded — $8.1 trillion in professionally-managed AUM assets in the U.S.A. are determined using ESG factors in analysis and portfolio management (the big driver is client demand).  The TIAA-CREF Social Choice Equity Fund is at $2.3 billion in assets under management — doubling in the past five years.  MSCI’s ESG indexes are at $3 billion — tripling over the past three years.  Vanguard’s social index fund is at $2.4 billion — quadrupling since 2011.  There’s a new CalSTRS low-carbon portfolio (using an MSCI index) set at $2.5 billion.

This article in the Business Section of a leading American daily newspaper provides an encouraging — and very timely! — look at the momentum that’s been building the capital markets signaling mainstream capital markets uptake and dramatic growth in adoption of ESG strategies and approaches for asset owners and asset managers.

As we suggest, it is a wonderful wrap-up of top-line developments in sustainable investing that also underscores the importance of corporate sustainability to individual institutional investors — and should help to make the investing and business cases for top management.

This news article is of course timely as corporate sustainability and sustainable investing professionals consider the potential changes on the horizon with a new administration and the new congress coming to town with a very different agenda – at least what has been publicly proclaimed to date.  There is clearly momentum in the capital markets for consideration of corporate ESG factors as investment dollars are being allocated.  This is good news heading into 2017 and the probable headwinds sustainability professionals will encounter.

Investors Sharpen Focus on Social and Environmental Risks to Stocks
(December 14, 2016)
Source: New York Times – Investing based on so-called E.S.G. factors has mushroomed in recent years, driven in part by big pension funds and European money managers that are trying new ways to evaluate potential investments. The idea has changed over the last three decades from managers’ simple exclusion from their portfolios of “sin stocks” such as tobacco, alcohol and firearms makers to incorporation of E.S.G. analysis into their stock and bond picks.

For Finance / Investing Professionals: “ESG” IN FOCUS IN ALL-DAY WORKSHOP Hosted At Baruch College/CUNY – NYC

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The interest in sustainable investing continues to rise in the mainstream investment community.  Numerous data & analytics providers, ratings & rankings organizations, and other influentials are busily shaping new approaches in and for the mainstream investment community. Corporate “ESG” factors are an important addition to the ubiquitous Bloomberg terminals, as example (i.e. the ESG Dashboard).  Mainstream asset managers — notably BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, State Street, and others — are putting sustainable investment approaches in place and launching new products for clients that are demanding “investable” vehicles for “doing well and doing good” with their assets.

As an investment professional, are you up to speed on these developments?  Need to “be more in the know” about sustainable investing?  Here’s a suggestion:  plan to attend an all-day workshop hosted at the Newman Vertical Campus of Baruch College/CUNY and presented by Governance & Accountability Institute and Global Change Associates (GCA). Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from G&A Institute and GCA.

Mark the Date:  Wednesday, December 14, 2016
The course begins at 8 a.m. and features a full day of lectures from leaders in the field of sustainable investing and corporate sustainability. A networking lunch is included. The topics to be covered include:

  • What is Corporate ESG & Why It Really Matters to Shareowners;
  • ESG Analysis, Rating & Research;
  • What Investors Need to Know about the Rising Importance of Impact Investing;
  • The Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB);
  • Case Study of Corporate Malfeasance — the VW Case;
  • ESG Equity Fundamental – Data Analytics;
  • About the Baruch CSR-Sustainability Monitor Project; 
  • and, Looking Beyond Corporate Sustainability & Financial Performance.

Presenters include:  Samuel Block, MSCI; Kate Starr, Flat World Partners; Eric Kane, SASB (Healthcare); Hideki Suzuki, Bloomberg LP; Mert Demir, PhD, Weissman Center at Baruch College.  And, there’ll be presentations by the principal organizers: Peter Fusaro of Global Change Associates; and, Hank Boerner, Chairman, and Louis D. Coppola, EVP (and co-founders) of G&A Institute.

We look forward to seeing you there, at Baruch College in December! 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for the workshop & for more information on the course offering.

New Training Announcement: Introduction to Corporate Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) for Investment & Finance Professionals Certification

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– The Why and How of Applying ESG to Corporate Valuations

New York, NY (November 3, 2016) –  In response to the growing demand for sustainable investing education from asset owners, asset managers, financial analysts and other financial professionals we are pleased to announce a one-day certificate program entitled, “Introduction to Corporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) for Investment and Finance Professionals.” The program is organized by Governance & Accountability Institute (G&A) in collaboration with Global Change Associates (GCA) and hosted by the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College/CUNY.

The first all-day certification program will be presented on Thursday, December 14, 2016. The program is being hosted at Baruch College’s Newman Vertical Campus (55 Lexington Avenue) in midtown Manhattan.  The course will begin at 8 a.m. with registration and continental breakfast, leading into a full day of lectures from leaders in the sustainable investing field.  A networking lunch is included.  Participants will receive a certificate of completion from G&A and GCA at the 5 p.m. close of the seminar.

AGENDA

Arrival, Registration & Continental Breakfast

What is Corporate ESG and Why It Really Matters to Shareowners
Hank Boerner, Chairman & Co-Founder, Governance & Accountability Institute

Bridging the Perceived Gap Between Corporate Sustainability & Corporate Profitability: Materiality, Risk Management and How Top and Bottom Lines Are Affected
Louis Coppola, EVP & Co-Founder, Governance & Accountability Institute

Coffee Break and Networking

ESG Analysis, Rating, and Research
Samuel Block, Research Analyst – Investment ESG Risk, MSCI

What Investors Need to Know About the Rising Importance of Impact Investing
Kate Starr (Invited), Founder & CIO, Flat World Partners; formerly Vice President-Capital Deployment, Heron Foundation

Networking Lunch

SASB 101: About the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and More Effective 10-k Disclosure
Eric Kane, Sector Analyst – Health Care, SASB

Case Study of Corporate Malfeasance:  The VW Emissions Scandal
Peter Fusaro, Chairman, Global Change Associates

Break

ESG Equity Fundamentals Data Analytics
Hideki Suzuki, ESG Group, Equity Fundamentals Department, Bloomberg LP

About the Baruch CSR-Sustainability Monitor Project
Mert Demir, Ph.D. in Finance, Senior Research Associate, Weismann Center for International Business at Baruch College

Looking Beyond Corporate Sustainability & Financial Performance
Louis Coppola, EVP & Co-Founder, Governance & Accountability Institute
Peter Fusaro, Chairman, Global Change Associates
Lecturers include leading experts in the sustainable investing field and the participants will come away with an understanding of why ESG matters, and how to apply ESG to corporate valuations, reputation, risk, opportunity and other aspects of financial analysis.

For information and to register click the link below: 
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/intro-to-corporate-esg-for-investment-finance-professionals-certification-tickets-29052781652

About Baruch College (http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/)
Baruch College is a senior college in the City University of New York (CUNY) with a total enrollment of more than 18,000 students, who represent 164 countries and speak more than 129 languages. Ranked among the top 15% of U.S. colleges and the No. 5 public regional university, Baruch College is regularly recognized as among the most ethnically diverse colleges in the country. As a public institution with a tradition of academic excellence, Baruch College offers accessibility and opportunity for students from every corner of New York City and from around the world.

About Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. (www.ga-institute.com)
Governance & Accountability Institute is a New York City-based sustainability research, consulting and educational services company working with corporate sector and investment community clients. Typical engagements include preparation of sustainability, CSR and citizenship reports; peer benchmarking on ESG issues and reporting; customized ESG research (environmental, social and governance performance); strategic materiality analysis; sustainable investor relations; corporate communications around sustainability; and assistance with stakeholder engagements. The company is the exclusive Data Partner for the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) for the USA, UK and the Republic of Ireland.


About Global Change Associates (www.global-change.com)
Peter C. Fusaro founded Global Change Associates, Inc. in 1991 to focus on the convergence of energy and environmental financial markets. His insights have earned him the international status of “thought leader” in these markets. His advice to client companies who require expert guidance to navigate their way through the multiple impacts of clean energy, natural gas and water technologies has proven invaluable to them. The focus of GCA today is to assist in raising funds for clean energy funds as a Registered Representative and to assist in the commercialization of new energy technologies. Peter holds the highly successful Wall Street Green Summit (www.wsgts.com) now in its 16th year and held in New York City each spring.

Lots of Important Sustainability Events & Training To Tell You About!

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Today we call your attention to a number of events and training initiatives that may be of interest if you are:

  1. A corporate manager with responsibilities in the areas of [corporate] citizenship, sustainability, ESG, responsibility, and related areas, or
  2. Working in the capital markets and want to learn more about these topics, or
  3. Working in another field and would like to join a company or investor organization focused on sustainability and sustainable investing…

An important part of the G&A Institute mission since our founding a decade ago is to help educate, inform and share critical information related to the above topics and positions.  As an example we work closely with Skytop Strategies on many events such as the ESG Summit, 21st Century Company, and Future of Corporate Reporting that educate and inform on these subjects.  We’d like to tell you about a few of our most recent initiatives in these areas.

Introduction to the Importance of Corporate ESG for Investment & Finance Professionals at Baruch College 
Watch for announcements soon about a new program offering we’ve organized in partnership with Baruch University and Global Change Associates (headed by G&A Fellow Peter Fusaro) — this is an all-day “Introduction to the Importance of Corporate ESG for Investment and Finance Professionals.”  We’ll have speakers from Bloomberg, MSCI, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board and other organizations sharing valuable information.  Save the date:  December 14th at the Newman Vertical Campus in mid-town Manhattan.

G&A Sustainability Training HQ Platform & CCRSS Course Offering
The “Certification in Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Strategies” in partnership with Professor Nitish Singh of St Louis University, is the first course offering on the new “G&A Sustainability Training HQ” online training platform.

To learn more about the special introductory G&A Sustainability Training Pioneers Program for this course (including a special discount and extra recognition as a leader in this area), contact Louis Coppola at G&A: lcoppola@ga-institute.com.   Click here for more information and to register for the course.

Join G&A for a Special GRI Standards Launch Event Webinar
We’ve been communicating with you about the important event coming up at Bloomberg Headquarters in New York City– the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) Sustainability Standards Launch Event scheduled for Wednesday, November 3rd.  We’ve learned that the registration for the in-person event is now full and closed.

You can still learn about the new GRI Standards via the convenience of a lunchtime webinar:  Governance & Accountability Institute invites you on behalf of GRI to join us in celebrating the launch of the GRI Sustainability Standards on an informative one-hour webinar led by GRI’s Alyson Genovese on Thursday, November 10th at 12 Noon Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Whether you are new to sustainability reporting or a seasoned veteran, this webinar is designed to provide you with an interactive, detailed overview of the very latest in sustainability reporting. You’ll be guided through the new GRI Standards, important background and benefits, and you’ll be receiving an excellent overview of the changes from the current G4 Guidelines. You’ll have ample opportunity to ask questions to both GRI and G&A (reminder: we’re the exclusive GRI Data Partner in the USA, United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, member of the GRI Data Consortium, and a Gold Community Member).

To learn more and register for this free event, please visit: 
https://goo.gl/forms/jVPOVUL19Jzd1WnB3

If you have questions or want to learn more, please contact Louis Coppola at lcoppola@ga-institute.com.