Masterclass in Sustainable Finance for Journalists

By the end of this Masterclass participants will be able to:

• Identify key actors and outline their perspectives and motivations for engaging with sustainability issues.
• Understand how some of the big headlines we’re seeing in the media have much more nuanced stories behind them, and why it’s important to understand some of the tensions and competing interests at play as financial institutions try to integrate sustainability objectives into their strategies.
• Asses different types of greenwashing and analyse different efforts being made globally to get a handle on the sustainability claims being made by institutions, as well as examine ‘greenhushing’ and what that means for journalists and other stakeholders.
• Explain how the ‘just transition’ fits into the Paris Accord, how it impacts different countries and regions, and what investors and companies are doing to try and bake social considerations into their decarbonisation efforts

• Session one - 4 April 2024, 1200-1330 BST

The politicisation of ESG and sustainability

One of the biggest stories of 2023 was the ‘ESG pushback’ in the US, which saw politicians move to clamp down on ESG. Other politicians have sought to increase ESG efforts by forcing investors to divest from certain sectors. These political interventions are beginning to be seen elsewhere in the world, heightened by numerous looming elections. But what’s behind the headlines, and will the trend continue?

Experts

Fiona Reynolds, Chair of the UN Global Compact Network Australia, Director of the Australia Sustainable Finance Institute, former CEO of the Principles for Responsible Investment

Robert G. Eccles, Visiting Professor of Management Practice at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

• Session two - 11 April 2024, 1200-1330 BST

What is greenwashing?

It’s become one of the buzzwords of sustainable finance, and one of the most important areas for media scrutiny. But greenwashing is about more than just telling lies. As journalists, what do we need to keep in mind when looking out for greenwashing in the private sector?

Expert

Jakob Thomä, Research Director at Theia Finance Labs, Professor in Practice at SOAS

• Session three -  18 April 2024, 1200-1330 BST

Shareholder voting and AGM season

Each year, shareholders vote on important (and sometimes less important) sustainability issues at companies’ annual meetings. How does the process work? Who can file shareholder resolutions, and what might the results tell us? What are the trends to look out for in 2024? 

Expert

Lindsey Stewart, Director of Investment Stewardship Research at Morningstar 

• Session four - 25 April 2024, 1200-1330 BST

 Carbon offsets and the Voluntary Carbon Markets

Carbon offsetting is one of the most controversial areas of sustainability, and has made big headlines over the past 18 months. It’s also one of the fastest evolving areas. What are the arguments for and against the voluntary carbon markets, and how is the space evolving in response to media reports about greenwashing? 

 Expert:

Kavita Prakash-Mani, Founder of Dragonfly Advisory and a board member of the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market.