Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative
ASFI plots Australia’s path to zero emissions
The Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative roadmap, published on 24 November, puts forward a plan to align the Australian economy and financial system with outcomes that encourage sustainability, resilience and future prosperity. It sets ambitious targets, including some that stretch beyond federal government goals, and lays out a timeline for achieving them.
ASFI roadmap unites the financial sector
Jacki Johnson and Simon O’Connor, co-chairs of the Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative, explain how the initiative’s roadmap, launched in November 2020, will bring together the finance sector to lead the drive for a more sustainable, resilient and prosperous Australia.
Convergence and divergence on key ESG debates
Debates around price, impact and social benefit in environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing have been quickly developing in recent years, and been further energised by the COVID-19 crisis. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) facilitated a discussion to get the latest views from issuers and investors.
Roundtable discussion: Women in Banking and Finance
The COVID-19 crisis is having a profound impact across economies, markets and societies. ANZ and KangaNews, in association with Women in Banking and Finance, hosted business and market leaders to talk through the response so far and the wide-reaching nature of future changes.
Roundtable discussion: Women in Sustainable Finance
The sustainable-finance sector has grown exponentially in the past decade. As part of the Women in Sustainable Finance initiative, Westpac Institutional Bank and KangaNews brought together Australian and global experts to discuss the market in 2020 and beyond.
From the ashes
COVID-19 has spurred record volume of social-bond issuance and some sustainable-finance experts believe the crisis will be the catalyst for much more widespread adoption of the instrument. Despite the best efforts of advocates, however, the hurdles to habitual use of social bonds, especially in the private sector, remain high.
