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How do ESG factors influence financial value? Jane Goodland sits down with Michel Driessen, author of 'Green Gold', to unpack the findings of his book. Drawing on his experience in private equity, transactions and restructuring, Michel explains the concept of the ESG Value Bridge, how sustainability is assessed in M&A and due diligence processes and why investors are increasingly looking beyond compliance to identify value creation opportunities. Chapters (00:00:00) - Michel's career: A portfolio of activities(00:01:41) - Why write 'Green Gold'? The gap in ESG financial literature(00:02:42) - Research process: Interviews and practical case studies(00:04:13) - Unpacking the ESG value bridge(00:06:24) - Private equity and ESG: From compliance to value creation(00:10:06) - Palm oil case study: Trade-offs in sustainability decisions(00:13:22) - Value destruction: Risks, reputation and market impact(00:16:57) - ESG ratings and the need for deeper analysis(00:18:26) - 2030 ESG outlook: AI, data standardisation and regulation

Seven of nine planetary boundaries are already breached – what does that mean for business decisions today? Jane Goodland speaks with Jean Oelwang, founding CEO of Virgin Unite who shared her view on the role business can play in tackling planetary limits. The conversation explored how Virgin Unite incubates impact-focused initiatives, and why understanding planetary boundaries is important for business, and growth opportunities. Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome and guest introduction(00:01:25) - How Virgin Unite started(00:03:49) - Four ways Virgin Unite drives change(00:08:13) - Planetary boundaries explained(00:10:02) - The Planetary Guardians(00:14:10) - Why the Planetary Health Check matters(00:20:33) - Tools to embed boundaries into decision-making(00:22:30) - Why collaboration beats “hero” solutions

What does financing a sustainable economy look like in reality? In this episode, Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas, CEO of the Green Finance Institute (GFI), joins Jane Goodland to share examples of GFI’s first-of-a-kind-transactions and explore how to bridge the “transactions to transitions” gap. Rhian-Mari sets out GFI’s view of the need for granular sector-transition policy frameworks, and how more coordination across government, finance and industry can turn single transactions into sectoral transition at scale. Chapters (00:00:00) - Rhian's career before the Green Finance Institute(00:02:40) - GFI's mission(00:05:20) - International work(00:07:55) - The transactions to transitions gap(00:13:13) - Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) case study(00:16:19) - Scaling first-of-a kind transactions(00:22:17) - Key takeaways for future focus

Water is becoming one of the most contested resources on the planet, with far‑reaching implications for economies, businesses and investors. Jane Goodland speaks with Franck Gbaguidi from Eurasia Group about the rise of the “water weapon”, how weak water governance is intensifying competition, and what companies and governments can do to manage growing water‑related risk. Chapters (00:00:00) - Welcome and guest introduction(00:01:15) - Eurasia's Top Risks 2026 report(00:02:00) - The importance of international water governance(00:04:43) - Unpacking water scarcity: Competition and managing disputes(00:06:50) - Where water is being weaponised(00:09:41) - The economic impact(00:13:40) - Water infrastructure(00:16:36) - Could costs change for water-intensive companies?(00:17:40) - Water offsetting and sharing(00:19:50) - Measuring water(00:24:10) - Advice for businesses

What does responsible leadership look like in practice? Sir Mark Moody‑Stuart is a distinguished business leader and former geologist who has held senior leadership and board roles at some of the world's largest organisations including Shell, Anglo American, Saudi Aramco and HSBC. Sitting down with Jane Goodland, he reflects on how his experience serving on boards and engaging with governments has shaped his views on ethical leadership, the role of multilateral frameworks in today’s changing geopolitical landscape, and how open conversations between business, civil society and governments can create long‑term value. Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:01:11) - How Sir Mark Moody-Stuart's interest in sustainability began(00:03:05) - Responsible leadership: Sir Mark's experience at Shell(00:08:28) - Value vs. reputation: Conversations in the boardroom(00:10:11) - The role of governments, companies and civil societies(00:12:33) - Engaging with governments and civil societies(00:16:15) - China: A different approach to sustainability(00:18:23) - Advice for business leaders(00:19:20) - A practical example: Sudan, Amnesty International and acting responsibly

How are investors integrating sustainability considerations to manage risk and create value? Richard Manley, Chief Sustainability Officer at CPP Investments, discusses how sustainability integration has evolved into a core driver of long‑term value creation. The conversation covers the role of climate scenario analysis, company governance, physical risk and why informed decision‑making remains central to resilient, long‑term investment outcomes. Chapters (00:02:17) - Introduction(00:05:48) - How sustainable investing has evolved(00:08:58) - CPP's mandate and investment beliefs(00:12:20) - Governance and company expectations(00:20:00) - Physical risk and unpacking climate scenario analysis(00:27:17) - The role of insurance

With traditional aid budgets declining, how can NGOs unlock new sources of capital to drive sustainable development? Paul Ronalds, CEO of Save the Children Global Ventures, explains how the charity is reinventing its funding model through impact investing and nature‑based solutions that deliver measurable outcomes for children. Paul unpacks the philosophy behind child‑lens investing and how innovative finance can create sustainable, long‑term benefits for children and their communities. Chapters (00:01:20) - Introduction(00:03:40) - The genesis of Global Ventures(00:07:10) - Their investment philosophy in practice(00:09:42) - Delving into the Asia Health Fund(00:14:01) - Impact investing in action(00:15:28) - Investment time horizons(00:20:40) - How climate investing can benefit children and communities(00:24:19) - Investor profile(00:26:10) - Will other organisations adopt this funding model?(00:28:41) - Broader implications for the charity sector

Richard Edelman, CEO of global communications firm Edelman breaks down the key findings of the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, exploring how insularity—the theme of this year’s report—is impacting workplaces, consumer behaviour and economic sentiment. He shares why trust has become the "ultimate currency" for institutions, the risks posed by declining confidence in institutions, and how trust brokering can help leaders bridge divides and strengthen organisational resilience. Chapters (00:00:00) - Richard's experience at Davos(00:01:10) - Trust as the ultimate currency(00:02:35) - Edelman Trust Barometer: Origins and trends(00:05:55) - Trust amid insularity(00:07:47) - How insularity is impacting business(00:11:31) - Trust brokering in the workplace(00:18:20) - Role of CEOs

The LSEG Sustainable Growth podcast is back — and this season, we’re on camera. Join Jane and leading voices across sustainability, business and finance — now available to watch as well as listen. Follow to catch the first episode wherever you listen to your podcasts. The LSEG Sustainable Growth Podcast tackles important topics which intersect sustainability and finance, hosted by Jane Goodland, LSEG’s Group Head of Sustainability. We hear from leading experts about some of today's biggest topics  – including climate transition, green infrastructure, carbon markets, financial inclusion and much more.

Mining is vital to sustainable growth but how can it be safer and more sustainable? From the hard lessons of Brazil’s Brumadinho disaster to bold investor-led initiatives, Adam Matthews, Chief Responsible Investment Officer at the Church of England Pensions Board and Chair of the Global Investor Commission on Mining 2030 shares what it takes to align finance, industry, and governments for long-term value creation.   Chapters (00:00:00) - Unpacking the 2019 Brumadinho disaster(00:08:18) - Response to the disaster: A responsible model of mining(00:13:25) - New challenges in the mining sector(00:17:20) - Engaging with governments(00:20:55) - Recommendations for the mining sector and investors

Can clean energy investment outpace fossil fuel demand? In this episode, Ben Daly, Head of Transition Finance at Standard Chartered, explores how capital is fueling large-scale decarbonisation projects across the globe—from the first wave of carbon capture to gigafactories powering electric vehicles. Ben also unpacks the critical role of electrification, policy innovation and regional motivations in shaping the future of the energy transition.

How could physical climate risk reshape global economies? The 2025 Net Zero Atlas assesses exposure to climate hazards across eight major economies — the US, China, Japan, Germany, the UK, France, Italy, and Türkiye — representing 2.2 billion people and nearly 60% of global GDP. In this episode of the LSEG Sustainable Growth podcast, Jaakko Kooroshy, Global Head of Sustainable Investment Research at LSEG, explores how risks like flooding, heatwaves, wildfires, and water stress could impact supply chains, insurance, and real estate markets. With $28.3 trillion in economic value at risk by mid-century, Jaakko explains the expanded scope of this year’s Atlas and what it means for investors, policymakers, and businesses. Listen now on your favourite podcast platform.   Read the full report: lseg.com/en/insights/cop30-net-zero-atlas

Why does the UN share best practices with stock exchanges? In this episode, Anthony Miller, Chief Coordinator of the UN Sustainable Stock Exchange Initiative (UNSSE), explains how the UN partners with exchanges worldwide to encourage sustainable investment. He also discusses the London Stock Exchange's unique approach to voluntary carbon markets and unpacks the key issues he believes capital markets are underestimating today.

Can taxonomies help create a new asset class? In this episode, Alfonso García Mora, Regional Vice President for Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) shares how the organisation mobilises private capital to support sustainable development in emerging markets. Alfonso shares insights into their approach to climate finance and adaptation, and the role of taxonomies in helping investors navigate opportunities and risks.

What does a ‘just transition’ really mean in practice? In this episode of the LSEG Sustainable Growth podcast, Punki Modise, Group Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer at Absa Group discusses the link between sustainability and long-term value creation, how they are measuring social impact and the current challenges facing sustainable finance in Africa. Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction(00:01:49) - Why sustainability is embedded in ABSA's corporate strategy(00:04:40) - Making social and business sense(00:07:47) - Shareholder reception(00:09:11) - Measuring social impact on the ground(00:11:20) - What does a 'just transition' look like?(00:13:45) - Unpacking ABSA's decision to opt out of the Net Zero Banking Alliance(00:15:39) - Three critical sustainable finance challenges in Africa(00:17:24) - Infrastructure gaps and energy poverty(00:19:11) - Policy(00:21:41) - ABSA's vision for 2030