This month includes news from BVP, Euronext, LGX, NSE, SGX and more. Monthly news highlights are compiled by the SSE to give an overview of the capital markets' sustainability news from that month.
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SSE INITIATIVE NEWS & EVENTS
Romania: Workshop on Enhancing Climate-Related and Environmental DisclosureUpcoming event: 10 March, 10:00-12:00 EET - Register here.
Join the Bucharest Stock Exchange, Climate Disclosure Standards Board and the UN Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative for a workshop on how companies can better provide decision-useful information on climate and environmental aspects to the market.
2021 Ring the Bell for Gender EqualityUpcoming event: 8 March 2021 - Online
In celebration of International Women’s Day, the SSE initiative is pleased to announce the continuation of stock exchanges around the world hosting a bell-ringing ceremony to raise awareness for gender equality.
If your exchange would like to hold a Ring the Bell for Gender Equality event this year, please contact the SSE for more information and complete this form so we can give you further details.
Baltic Region: Workshop on Enhancing Climate-Related and Environmental Disclosure27 January 2021
CDSB and SSE workshop series on how companies can better provide decision-useful information on climate and environmental aspects to the market.
STOCK EXCHANGE NEWS
Panama Stock Exchange First Sustainable Bond29 January 2021
With the aim of promoting sustainable investments and driving our market towards a more sustainable one, the Panama Stock Exchange (BVP) held the webinar "Banco Promerica de Costa Rica: first sustainable bond issuer," Banco Promerica de Costa Rica, along with IDB Invest and MMG Bank, shared the impact of this responsible investment for our region.
Santiago Exchange Launch the S&P IPSA ESG Tilted Index21 January 2021
S&P Dow Jones Indices (“S&P DJI”) and the Santiago Exchange, announced the debut of the S&P IPSA ESG Tilted Index, the latest in S&P DJI’s growing family of global ESG indices based on some of the world’s most highly-tracked regional and country-specific benchmarks.
Euronext announced a partnership on programme for young blue economy entrepreneurs20 January 2021
Euronext announced a partnership with JA Europe, the largest non-profit in Europe dedicated to preparing young people for employment and entrepreneurship, to promote the Blue Economy by encouraging financial literacy amongst European youth across seven of its main countries.
Nigerian Stock Exchange, IFC To Host CEO Roundtable On Gender Equality02 February 2021
The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) hosted a workshop to promote gender equality among listed companies on Tuesday, 2 February 2021.
LGX DataHub Hits 3k Sustainable Bond Milestone28 January 2021
The Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) announced that the LGX DataHub of the Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX) has now expanded its scope across more than 3,000 Green, Social and Sustainability Bonds.
Euronext updates on the contemplated acquisition of the Borsa Italiana Group13 January 2021
Euronext acknowledges that the European Commission has conditionally approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, London Stock Exchange Group’s (LSEG) proposed acquisition of Refinitiv. This approval further improves the certainty of contemplated acquisition of the Borsa Italiana Group by satisfying one of the major conditions for the completion of the transaction.
LSEG: A year of green milestones for the Sustainable Bond Market06 January 2021
Last year has been a memorable year for London Stock Exchange’s Sustainable Bond Market (SBM). Already home to the first certified green bonds out of China, India, and the Middle East, and to the first sovereign green bonds from Asia Pacific and the Americas, SBM welcomed 39 bonds raising £13bn in 2020.
REGULATOR AND STANDARD SETTER NEWS
Frank Bold and the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) are organising an online discussion for policy wonks on how the EU sustainable corporate governance initiative and the reform of the EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive. The event is tentatively planned for February 9 (9.30 - 11h) and you can already register to take part in the event here.
CDSB: How to account for climate in financial reportingJanuary 2021
This webinar follows on from the CDSB online discussions held on 5 November 2020, which addressed the question as to whether climate-related matters are relevant for financial reporting. Date: 25 February, 2021 Time: 09:00 GMT - Register online here.
South Korea rolls out plans for ESG disclosure14 January 2021
Big companies listed on the Korea Exchange (KRX) will be required to submit detailed ESG reports from 2025 onwards, according to an announcement made by regulators.
Three GRI Standards come into effect for sustainability reports in 202113 January 2021
Companies disclosing their impacts through the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting standards are to adhere to three new and updated standards, for reports they publish from this year onward.
ESG INDICES AND PRODUCTS
World Bank Issues SEK 2 Billion 8-Year Green Bond30 January 2021
The World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD, Aaa/AAA) has issued a SEK green bond due January 2029, raising SEK 2 billion.
Italy's planned green bond likely to have maturity over 10 yrs18 January 2021
Italy's planned green bond will likely have a maturity of more than 10 years, Deputy Economy Minister Antonio Misiani said on Monday. "We are working on an issue in the coming months, the process is complex, involving various ministries," Misiani said at a conference in Rome.
Introducing a new fund to help women entrepreneurs during COVID-19January 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on trade, investment, growth, and employment, all critical contributors to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While economies around the world are reeling from the pandemic’s impact, some segments are disproportionately affected. This is particularly the case for women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Bloomberg and Rockefeller Asset Management Launch ESG Improvers Index11 January 2021
New multi-factor index utilizes the Rockefeller ESG Improvers ScoreTM to provide differentiated ESG factor exposure, offering potential to outperform market-cap weighted indices
Social Bonds Propel ESG Issuance to Record $732 Billion in 202011 January 2021
The global sustainable debt market grew 29% to a record $732 billion last year, helped by an explosion of bond issuance for social projects amid fallout from the pandemic, according to BloombergNEF.
California Water Futures Begin Trading Amid Fear of Scarcity06 December 2020
Water joined gold, oil and other commodities traded on Wall Street, highlighting worries that the life-sustaining natural resource may become scarce across more of the world.
Invesco expands ESG ETFs with Japan and Pacific funds12 January 2021
Invesco has further expanded its ESG-focused ETFs with the launch of two new funds, which will cover listed companies in Japan and the Pacific ex-Japan region.
MANAGEMENT NEWS
ESMA Appoints Chairs To Its Investor Standing Committee And Sustainable Finance Network28 January 2021
The standing committees are expert groups drawn from ESMA staff and the national competent authorities for securities markets regulation in the Member States and are responsible for the development of policy in their respective areas.
SGX appoints Herry Cho as new Head of Sustainability and Sustainable Finance13 January 2021
Singapore Exchange (SGX) today announced that it has appointed Ms Herry Cho to a newly created position of Managing Director, Head of Sustainability and Sustainable Finance reporting to SGX’s CEO Mr Loh Boon Chye, with effect from 8 February 2021.
RESEARCH
UN Global Compact: Ocean Stewardship 2030January 2021
The Ocean Stewardship 2030 report provides a roadmap for how ocean-related industries and policymakers can jointly secure a healthy and productive ocean by 2030. It builds upon the 5 Tipping Points for a Healthy and Productive Ocean.
World Economic Forum: Capital markets can help us reach our climate change goals20 January 2021
Global market operators are increasingly embracing the opportunity, and responsibility, to educate on ESG risk management and reporting. They are in a unique position to guide investors by explaining ESG metrics, and encourage issuers to make their ESG reports and performance data available and accessible for progress tracking.
Climate Bonds Initiative: Sovereign Green, Social, and Sustainability Bond Survey
14 January 2021
Sovereign green, social, and sustainability (GSS) bonds contribute to strategic government initiatives surrounding climate, catalyzing local green finance markets and attracting new investors. These and other findings are contained in a first of its kind survey undertaken by Climate Bonds.
