All articles by virginia furness
virginia furness
Explaining Goldman Sachs’ sustainability drive
The US bank recently acquired NN Investment Partners and is offering tools to help clients with their low-carbon transition, says sustainable finance head John Goldstein. But its climate policies and disclosure lag behind industry best practice, though there are plans to remedy that.
British lenders face up to challenge to bank refugees
Lloyds Bank is leading efforts among UK lenders to provide easier access to financial services for the rising number of refugees in the country, most recently from Afghanistan. But they could do a lot more, as France’s BNP Paribas is showing elsewhere.
What Credit Suisse expects from clients seeking transition finance
The embattled Swiss bank has cut lending to heavy polluters and is analysing its loan book’s carbon intensity and clients’ ‘transition readiness’, but has been slow to set emission-reduction targets. Two of Credit Suisse’s top ESG and sustainability executives set out its thinking.
Green gilts to stand out for social impact, but bankers seek more details
The UK is about to launch its first green sovereign bond programme, which will incorporate innovative social indicators. Senior banking executives expect it to boost the corporate debt market, but want more specifics on impact benchmarking targets and deadlines.
UK bank NatWest readies carbon budget to shape lending strategy
The British bank is calculating a carbon budget that should lead to an overhaul of its balance sheet. Starting by tightening financing policy for the oil and gas sector, the group will introduce a series of emissions-led sector targets by 2022. A bold move, but critics argue the plans lack clarity.
What the Green Asset Ratio will mean for banks
Used as part of a broader set of tools to assess banks, investors say the new reporting requirement will determine which institutions are taking green finance seriously. However, it lacks the sensitivity to capture transition finance, for example.
Africa Finance Corporation plots continent-wide clean energy pivot
The multilateral finance institution is developing a renewable energy platform that it aims to list in London to lure more investment to Africa. Capital Monitor spoke to two top executives about the plans.
Deutsche Bank turns screw on polluters, but is it enough?
The German lender is turning down more deals that do not satisfy its increasingly strict sustainability criteria. But it still faces criticism for its financing of high-carbon industries.
Investing in conflict zones: A case study from South Sudan
Capital must reach even the most challenging markets if the UN Sustainable Development Goals are to be met. Hiring former rebels to maintain peace is not something most investors ever have – or want – to think about, but they need to.
How Ecobank is working to ramp up its Africa-wide impact strategy
The Togo-based group expects its debut sustainable bond and new sustainable finance framework to help it adopt a more climate-friendly strategy and expand SDG-aligned funding across the continent, says chief risk officer Eric Odhiambo.