September News Highlights

12 October 2020

This month includes news from LuxSE, NSE, B3, MOEX 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  Climate Disclosure Advisory Group 21 October 2020 SSE launched a new project to support exchanges in providing guidance to issuers on climate disclosure. The ‘Zero Draft’ brainstorming webinar will take place on Wednesday 21 October 2020 at 09:00 and 16:00 Geneva Time. Disclosure of Climate-Related Financial Risk 09 September 2020 In partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Financial Innovation Laboratory (LAB), Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) and B3, SSE discussed the disclosure of climate-related financial risk to issuers and investors of thematic securities. Advisory Group on Derivatives Exchanges 02 October 2020 Earlier this year the SSE launched a new work-stream on the role of derivatives exchanges in promoting sustainable development. This project was born out of discussions with the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) as well as demand from a number of derivative exchanges that have approached the SSE about this question in recent years, including CME which is now the Chair of the SSE Derivatives Markets Advisory Group. SSE joins Climate and Sustainable Finance Week in Latin America 28 September 2020 The first edition of the Climate and Sustainable Financing Week in Latin America and the Caribbean took place from September 21 to 25, 2020. The event arises from the prevailing need to dialogue on the financial, fiscal and economic mechanisms that will allow us to continue the transition to low-emission and climate-resilient development while achieving a transformative, fair and sustainable economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. STOCK EXCHANGE NEWS LuxSE launches unique data hub for sustainable finance 16 September 2020 The Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) launched the LGX DataHub, a unique, centralised database of structured data on a vast range of sustainable securities. Built and managed by the sustainable finance team at LuxSE, the LGX DataHub addresses the complex data challenge that asset managers and investors are facing when building sustainable investment strategies or reporting on their investments. FC4S Lagos Partners FMDQ, FSD Africa, CBI to Engage LASG on Capacity Building Roundtable for Sustainable Finance; Signs Declaration with LASG 20 August 2020 This Declaration, a crucial step towards operationalising FC4S Lagos, conveys the commitment of the Lagos State Government and FC4S Lagos, as well as other key stakeholders, to advance green and sustainable finance in the Nigerian financial markets, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. Nigerian Agricultural Sector Positioned for Boost as FMDQ, FSD Africa and CBI Hold Session on Green Financing Opportunities for Agribusiness 9 June 2020 The Implementation Partners of the Nigerian Green Bond Market Development Programme (the Programme) – FMDQ Holdings PLC (FMDQ Group or FMDQ), Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Africa and Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) – are set to facilitate a stakeholder engagement session as part of the green financing capacity building efforts for market participants in the Nigerian financial market. Long-Term Stock Exchange For Companies Building Lasting Impact For Stakeholders 28 September 2020 “The idea was to tilt the playing field toward companies taking a long-term view and connect them to like-minded investors,” says Jean Rogers, the exchange’s chief resilience officer and the founder and former CEO of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). Exchange in Focus: B3 Launch the S&P/B3 Brazil ESG Index 09 September 2020 S&P Dow Jones Indices and B3, the largest exchange in Latin America, today announced the debut of the S&P/B3 Brazil ESG 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.  Exchange in Focus: A letter from MOEX on their ESG progress 07 October 2020 “At Moscow Exchange, we are paying keen attention to the growing importance of sustainability and the global trend of mitigating ESG risks. The approach of investors is shifting from screening out negatives and thus excluding companies from the investable universe to seeking positive, social, and environmental value-accretive drivers that help generate excess returns. We believe Moscow Exchange is a perfect institution to take up the challenge of integrating sustainability practices into operations in substantial and measurable ways and serve as a dissemination point for the market members.” REGULATOR NEWS Global regulatory body to harmonise ‘plethora’ of ESG standards 07 September 2020 The global umbrella human body for securities regulators is trying to harmonise the patchwork of principles governing just how companies disclose sustainability risks in a move that could be a game-changer for the fast-growing green finance sector. European Union: ESG And Sustainable Finance - The Disclosure Regulation 02 October 2020 Investment fund managers and their investment funds under management need to start preparing for the application of the Disclosure Regulation1 on 10 March 2021. ESG INDICES AND PRODUCTS India launched the Sustainable Finance Collaborative for promotion of sustainable finance 26 August 2020 The Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India launched the Sustainable Finance Collaborative (SFC). Germany Seizes on Demand for Green Debt With $7.7 Billion Debut 2 September 2020 Germany racked up near-record demand for a bond sale in its debut green debt offering, grabbing nearly a tenth of the growing global market. ESG index funds hit $250 billion as pandemic accelerates impact investing boom 2 September 2020 Index funds investing in companies that rate highly on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors have received a boost during Covid-19, with increased interest in stakeholder capitalism. Cboe Global Markets to List New Cboe S&P 500® ESG Index Options 27 August 2020 Cboe S&P 500 ESG Index options are designed to help market participants trade, hedge or gain exposure to U.S. equities meeting sustainability criteria. The Luxembourg Stock Exchange celebrated Europe’s first Sovereign Sustainability Bond 14 September 2020 The Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) celebrated today’s listing of Europe’s first sovereign sustainability bond issued by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, in the presence of Pierre Gramegna, Luxembourg Minister of Finance. The EUR 1.5 billion bond carries a AAA rating and is displayed on the Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX). BlackRock launches Europe’s first multi-asset ESG ETF range 10 September 2020 BlackRock has launched a range of multi-asset ESG ETF portfolios, a first in Europe. The three-strong range is comprised of iShares ESG ETFs and provides access to a wider universe of stocks and bonds. The S&P 500 ESG Index: Integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance Values 11 September 2020 The Index aligns investment objectives with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) values. It can serve as a benchmark as well as the basis for index-linked investment products. China Merchants Bank Joins LGX With Its First Sustainability Bond 07 October 2020 The Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) and China Merchants Bank (CMB) today celebrated the display of CMB’s first Sustainability Bond on the exchange’s green platform, the Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX). S&P Dow Jones Indices Launches Sustainability Screened Versions of Flagship U.S. Equity Indices 24 September 2020 S&P Dow Jones Indices (“S&P DJI”), the world’s leading index provider, today announced the launch of Sustainability Screened versions of its widely tracked core U.S. equity indices. RESEARCH  World Economic Forum: Measuring Stakeholder Capitalism: Towards Common Metrics and Consistent Reporting of Sustainable Value Creation 22 September 2020 The core and expanded set of “Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics” and disclosures can be used by companies to align their mainstream reporting on performance against environmental, social and governance (ESG) indicators and track their contributions towards the SDGs on a consistent basis.

About the SSE

​The SSE initiative is a UN Partnership Programme organised by UNCTAD, the UN Global Compact, UNEP FI and the PRI. The SSE’s mission is to provide a global platform for exploring how exchanges, in collaboration with investors, companies (issuers), regulators, policymakers and relevant international organizations, can enhance performance on ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) issues and encourage sustainable investment, including the financing of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The SSE seeks to achieve this mission through an integrated programme of conducting evidence-based policy analysis, facilitating a network and forum for multi-stakeholder consensus-building, and providing technical assistance and advisory services.