Ahren Lester

Moody's SPO share surge continues as 'big four' consolidate

The 'big four' sustainable finance second-party opinion (SPO) providers consolidated their market share in the first six months of 2024, with Moody's seeing another significant jump in share.

CBI, IGES launch Japanese 'transition strategies toolkit'

'Controversies' use in ESG ratings is 'tricky and underdiscussed'

The reporting of specific cases of sustainability "controversies" by environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings providers is challenging for companies to manage, ...

'Next gen' EU GBS frameworks 'really need to go into the weeds,' says NatWest

The "next generation" of green bonds incorporating the EU Green Bond Standard (EU GBS) requirements will demand "significant effort" from issuers that could slow the progress in developing frameworks and then issuing bonds under the landmark standard, according to NatWest.

Jamaican sustainable bond listing framework on track for September

The Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) expects to finalise its framework for issuers to list sustainable bonds by the end of September, as it continues it work by publishing a guide to issuing these labelled instruments.

'Not credible' to run transition funds from third-party data, says MetLife IM

It is "not credible" for investment managers to run a transition investment strategy using third-party data vendors rather than using in-house research, according to MetLife Investment Management (MetLife IM).

SLLP consider formalising 'sleeping SLL' guardrails

The Sustainability-Linked Loan Principles (SLLP) are preparing to formalise treatment of so-called 'sleeping SLLs' in its upcoming revision, including formalising "guardrails" to ensure these contested but "useful tools" are credible.

'Probably the most beautiful bond we have ever seen'

The Anthropocene Fixed Income Institute (AFII) has argued that sovereign issuers should develop a sustainability-linked bond (SLB) in twin-bond format, arguing this would "probably be the most beautiful bond we have ever seen".

NatWest: Investors 'increasingly' asking for blue and nature bond deals

Investors are increasingly asking NatWest to specifically bring nature-focused and 'blue' bond deals to market, but despite being "meaningful" themes in the sustainable bond market they are still not effectively being pointed out.

EU GBS: 58% of sustainable bond frameworks since 2023 meet standard

Nearly three-fifths of the green and sustainability bond frameworks published since the start of 2023 'could claim alignment' with the rigorous requirements under the EU Green Bond Standard (EU GBS), according to MainStreet Partners.