S&P to integrate climate risk into credit ratings
Standard & Poor's (S&P) is to routinely including an assessment of climate risk into its corporate credit ratings across all industrial sectors, in anticipation of when climate policy begins to "bite hard" in the next few years.
Michael Wilkins, the London-based global head of carbon markets at the rating agency, told Environmental Finance that, up until now, the impact of climate change policies on the financial position of corporate borrowers "has been pretty benign".
"But there's a growing realisation that will change, and ... our group is working out to best to analyse that change ... and how to incorporate that into the credit rating process," he said
...
"This goes into the heart of how a business operates. That is something that investors need to understand. This is still cutting edge stuff - there are very few people in the City who understand it," Wilkins added.
Standard & Poor's (S&P) is to routinely including an assessment of climate risk into its corporate credit ratings across all industrial sectors, in anticipation of when climate policy begins to "bite hard" in the next few years.
Michael Wilkins, the London-based global head of carbon markets at the rating agency, told Environmental Finance that, up until now, the impact of climate change policies on the financial position of corporate borrowers "has been pretty benign".
"But there's a growing realisation that will change, and ... our group is working out to best to analyse that change ... and how to incorporate that into the credit rating process," he said
...
"This goes into the heart of how a business operates. That is something that investors need to understand. This is still cutting edge stuff - there are very few people in the City who understand it," Wilkins added.
Here's what the Washington Post wrote about G.E. salmon labeling back in September. Great quote: "‘Extra labeling only confuses the consumer," said David Edwards, director of animal biotechnology at the Biotechnology Industry Organization. "It differentiates products that are not different. As we stick more labels on products that don't really tell us anything more, it makes it harder for consumers to make their choices.'"
Do we need GM to feed the world? It’s not as simple as it seems – Telegraph Blogs
2011 February 19
The world's biggest ever agricultural study - the work of 400 scientists and 60 governments, headed by Dr Bob Watson, now Chief Scientist at Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture - concluded that GM was not the simple answer to poverty. In truth, it could even do more harm than good.
What Do Timberland and Ford Have That You Don’t Have? – Improvisations – MIT Sloan Management Review
2011 February 18
According to respondents to the second annual Sustainability & Innovation Global Executive Study - a collaboration between MIT Sloan Management Review and The Boston Consulting Group - top performers are significantly stronger "embracers" of sustainability-driven strategies.
Is Timberland interested in sustainability because it sees that as part of its job as a visible, market leader? Or does its interest in sustainability enhance its reputation among its outsdoors-passionate customers and help keep it a top performer?