This month includes news from BNV, JPX, KRX, Nasdaq, NSE and more. Monthly news highlights are compiled by the SSE to give an overview of the capital markets' sustainability news from that month. You can subscribe to our monthly news highlights by clicking here. SSE INITIATIVE NEWS & EVENTS  Upcoming event:Q4 2020 SSE Quarterly Webinar Tuesday 15 December 2020 at 09:00 and 16:00 Geneva Time The Q4 2020 Webinar is focused on the coordination, convergence, and alignment of ESG reporting standards by talking about the efforts of the “G5” group of organizations establishing sustainability standards and frameworks. Ukraine: Disclosure and Transparency: Beyond The Balance Sheet 25 November 2020 SSE joins efforts with the IFC and the National Securities and Stock Market Commission of Ukraine (NSSMC) to help companies in Ukraine learn how to best disclose non-financial information. SSE and CDSB Strengthen Collaboration 17 November 2020 The Climate Disclosure Standards Board (“CDSB”) and the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (“SSE”) initiative have formalised their long term and ongoing collaboration and cooperation with an official Exchange of Letters. For many years, the two organisations have worked together to provide support and training projects to exchanges and assist them in questions on ESG disclosure. SSE and IFC Work with Exchange and National Regulator on ESG Disclosure 12 November 2020 On 28-29 October, the SSE and IFC collaborated with the Rwanda Capital Market Authority and Stock Exchange to jointly organize the first-ever virtual stakeholders' consultation on the revised Corporate Governance Code in Rwanda. STOCK EXCHANGE NEWS Costa Rica Stock Exchange Issues Annual Sustainability Awards 01 December 2020 The Costa Rica Stock Exchange (BNV) Sustainability Awards were recently held for the second consecutive year in a row. This is a recognition granted by the Costa Rica Stock Exchange to acknowledge the efforts and commitments made by capital market participants to align the stock market with sustainable development through the different initiatives. Launch of the JPX ESG Knowledge Hub 30 November 2020 Japan Exchange Group, Inc. (JPX) has launched the JPX ESG Knowledge Hub, a platform where listed companies can access a variety of ESG investment and sustainable finance-related information in one place. KRX Advances the ESG Agenda: New ESG Advisory Group and Support to TCFD 13 November 2020 The Korea Exchange (KRX) established the ESG Advisory Committee, an advisory body composed of external ESG policy experts, in order to play the role of leading the local capital market in encouraging ESG investment and creating a better environment for ESG disclosure. HKEX Launches Sustainable and Green Exchange (STAGE) 02 December 2020 Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) announced the official launch of the Sustainable and Green Exchange (STAGE), Asia’s first multi-asset sustainable investment product platform, supporting fast-growing global demand for sustainable finance. Financial Centre for Sustainability, Lagos and Casablanca Finance City Authority, Morocco 24 November 2020 The collaboration between FC4SL and CFCA, Morocco sets to birth a mutually beneficial relationship that will ensure common practices are exchanged amongst both parties to drive innovative ideas that assist in entrenching the concept of green and sustainable finance as well as aiding the delivery of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). NextSee and LuxSE Join Forces for Sustainable Finance Education in France 06 November 2020 The United Nations award-winning Luxembourg Stock Exchange and the international strategy consulting and communication agency NextSee have entered into a partnership to strengthen sustainable finance education in France. LuxSE’s team of sustainable finance professionals will act as lecturers in NextSee’s dedicated sustainable finance courses. Building the SDGs into Nigeria’s Path Forward 30 November 2020 The Financial Centre for Sustainability, Lagos, in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers Nigeria, held a webinar session as part of the Market Education and Sensitisation Campaign Initiative of the Research, Education and Engagements Thematic Area of FC4SL. The session sought to promote the consideration, adoption and integration of the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into policies and strategies to ensure a more sustainable economy for Nigerians. NSE Releases 2019 Sustainability Report 20 November 2020 The Nigerian Stock Exchange announced that it has released its 2019 Sustainability Report themed "Encouraging Sustainable Businesses, Promoting Inclusive Growth". LuxSE Collaborates with Solactive on Green Bond Impact Index 26 November 2020 The Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) has entered into an agreement with the German index engineering company Solactive AG to establish a new green bond impact index, the Solactive LGX Green Bond Impact Index. Nasdaq Named to Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the Fifth Consecutive Year 20 November 2020 Nasdaq announced it has been selected as a North American index component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), one of the most prestigious environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ranking efforts, for the fifth consecutive year. Nasdaq Pushes for Diversity in the Boardroom 01 December 2020 Nasdaq will ask the S.E.C. for permission to adopt a new requirement for the 3,249 companies listed on its main U.S. stock exchange: have at least one woman and one “diverse” director and report data on board diversity or face consequences. NSE Partners with PRI on Responsible Investment 30 November 2020 The Nigerian Stock Exchange will collaborate with the Principles for Responsible Investment to host a webinar on responsible investing and Economic, Social, and Governance integration. REGULATOR AND STANDARD SETTER NEWS SASB Publishes Translated Implementation Guidance for Companies 19 November 2020 The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) announced that French, German, Japanese, and Spanish translations are now available for the SASB Standards Application Guidance and Implementation Primer. IIRC and SASB Announce Merger 25 November 2020 The International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) announced their intention to merge into a unified organization, the Value Reporting Foundation, providing investors and corporates value drivers and standards towards global sustainability performance. Mark Carney Endorses Creation of New IFRS SSB 03 December 2020 Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance, endorses the creation of a new IFRS Sustainability Standards Board (SSB). ESG INDICES AND PRODUCTS EU Social Debt Among 2020’s Most Coveted With $207 Billion Bids 10 November 2020 The five- and 30-year debt offering attracted an orderbook in excess of 175 billion euros ($207 billion). While that’s about 60 billion euros short of a record set by the EU’s debut offering last month, it’s among the biggest ever. Investors on Tuesday were chasing 14 billion euros worth of bonds. The S&P/B3 Brazil ESG Index – Introducing Sustainable Investing in Brazil 08 November 2020 Aimed toward ESG-oriented investors, S&P Dow Jones Indices launched on Aug. 31, 2020, the S&P/B3 Brazil ESG Index, an ESG-weighted index following a straight set of rules suitable for the Brazilian market, with a focus on sustainability and ESG principles similar to those of the S&P 500® ESG Index. Sustainable Bond Issuance Hits Record High in Q3 as Green Bonds Recover 16 November 2020 Global issuance of green, social and sustainability bonds – or sustainable bonds, collectively – totalled a record $127.3 billion in the third quarter of 2020, a 30% increase over the previous high set last quarter, Moody's Investors Service says in a new report. Successful Third Issuance of EU SURE Bonds by the European Commission 25 November 2020 The European Commission has issued a €8.5 billion social bond under the EU SURE instrument to help protect jobs and keep people in work. This has been the third bond issuance this year under the programme. There was very strong investor interest in this highly rated instrument. Chile’s Retirement Plans Told to Report on ESG Risks 26 November 2020 Chile’s pensions watchdog SP has published new investment rules for the country’s seven private pension fund administrators, or AFPs as they are known. Under the framework, the AFPs must report how they incorporate climate risk and environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into their investment policies and processes. ADB Issues Green Bonds in Kazakhstan Tenge 18 November 2020 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised almost 14 billion Kazakhstan tenge (KZT) ($32 million) in the first green bonds auctioned and listed on the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange. LuxSE and Solactive Launch New Green Bond Impact Index 30 November 2020 The Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) and index engineering company Solactive announced the launch of the Solactive LGX Green Bond Impact Index. The new index is composed of a selection of green bonds listed on LuxSE and displayed on the Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX), LuxSE’s platform for sustainable securities. RESEARCH  World Bank Releases Guide for Sovereign Issuers to Engage with Investors on ESG Issues 09 November 2020 The World Bank today published a guide to help public debt managers improve their engagement with investors on ESG topics. Titled “Engaging with Investors on Environmental, Social and Governance Issues - A World Bank Guide for Sovereign Debt Managers,”. How Sustainable Digital Finance Can Unlock a low-carbon Economy 11 November 2020 Many governments and corporations have made bold commitments to tackle climate change, labelling the next 10 years as the “decade to deliver”. Technology lies at the heart of those attempts to prevent, or even reverse, global warming. MANAGEMENT NEWS Kristina Jeromin Leaves Deutsche Börse 19 November 2020 Kristina Jeromin (37), Head of Group Sustainability & ESG Regulation, is leaving Deutsche Börse AG at the end of the year at her own request and by best mutual agreement to take on a new and exciting challenge.