The EU’s Record-Breaking Social Bonds Issue & The Labeled Bond Market The European Union’s inaugural social bonds issue set a global demand record in October – the multi-billion-euro, two-part offer was nearly 14 times oversubscribed. Some observers hailed this success as a testament to the strength of the sustainable finance market, while others
Neobanks & PayTech Firms Struggle With Compliance & Service As Times Get Tough Digital challenger banks and PayTech firms have had a difficult year. The Wirecard accounting scandal and bankruptcy damaged investor appetite for this previously popular corner of FinTech and, as the pandemic-led recession has ravaged economies, customer complaints and compliance issues
How Are Financial Services Firms Broadening Their Talent Pools? Industries worldwide are experiencing unprecedented change as digital transformation and new economic realities shake up the world of work. For sectors like financial services and technology, which rely on skilled employees, finding the right people is a growing challenge – and likely to become
What Impact Has The Pandemic Had On Corporate Learning? Industries worldwide are experiencing unprecedented change as digital transformation and new economic realities shake up the world of work. For sectors like financial services and technology, which rely on skilled employees, finding the right people is a growing challenge – and likely to become
What Are The Core Skills Gaps Facing the Financial Industry? Industries worldwide are experiencing unprecedented change as digital transformation and new economic realities shake up the world of work. For sectors like financial services and technology, which rely on skilled employees, finding the right people is a growing challenge – and likely to
The Importance of Executive Leadership in SRI The importance of leaders during times of crisis cannot be understated. When it comes to sustainability initiatives and SRI, the spotlight is on both governments and corporate leaders. How to make businesses more sustainable is a contentious issue. This article will explore the impact
Big Four Accounting Firms Enter The ESG Reporting Fray Companies’ attempts to transition to a more socially responsible, sustainable model have long been plagued by the challenge of measuring progress. With no universal reporting formats, businesses have struggled to monitor their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. There have been various attempts at building
Sustainable Investing: 3 Primary Drivers for ESG Investments The practice of ESG investing began in the 1960s when investors chose to exclude stocks or entire industries from their portfolios based on business activities such as tobacco production. Today, it is growing fast both among institutional and retail investors that prioritize ethical considerations and alignment with
As Payments Competition Heats Up, Big Tech Firms Run Into Regulatory Roadblocks Despite the efforts of some activists, the technology industry remains largely unregulated – able to do more or less what it likes with user data, and largely free from content restrictions. Recently, however, the world’s Big Tech firms have begun to
From Crisis To Opportunity: Central Banks Seize The COVID-19 Moment To Embrace Change Central banks worldwide are embracing extraordinary policies in a bid to stave off the worst economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The US Federal Reserve has announced a dramatic shift in its monetary policy approach, for example, and the European Central
