Environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards are not “nice-to-have” criteria for companies. Instead, ESG is integral to investment decision-making and is set to grow even more in influence in the coming years.
This is one of the key findings from a recent study by Bloomberg Media, sponsored by Mubadala Investment Company.
The research captures insights from more than 800 global business decision-makers, including venture capitalists, government officials and fund managers in the US, China, the UK, France and the UAE.
It found that sustainable investing is a high priority today and will increase in focus by 2030 for many in the private and public investment sectors.
Globally, 79 per cent of respondents said sustainable investing is a significant consideration in their investing process today, with that figure rising to 86 per cent in the UAE.
This finding should be a source of pride for the UAE as our leaders articulate a vision of a more sustainable future.
The study highlights how ESG has become a significant part of investment decision-making to drive a sustainable future, shareholder value and overall returns.
It also addresses a key misconception about ESG: that it is inherently in conflict with making a profit.
Forty-four per cent of respondents to the study said their top motivation for considering ESG in investment decisions was the prospect for greater returns.
In China, half of the respondents said they hoped for bigger profits while the figure was 53 per cent in France and 46 per cent in the UK.
ESG assets will hit $50 trillion by 2025, according to Bloomberg. The findings are backed up by how survey respondents say they are building their portfolios.
Seventy per cent of respondents said their allocation to sustainable investment has increased over the past five years. The rest said their allocation had remained flat and none said it had decreased.
Looking to the future, 83 per cent agree that sustainable investments will be a high priority by the end of the decade, with 45 per cent predicting their ESG capital allocations will increase by at least 20 per cent over the next five years.
Capturing sunlight at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park — in pictures
Realising this potential, however, requires a continued maturation of ESG data, mechanisms and tools, as well as a conducive market environment.
The barrier cited by more respondents than any other, at 35 per cent, is the lack of consistent and widely accepted standards, which makes calculations and comparisons challenging.
It is important to recognise that a key driver behind this challenge is simply that the ESG data market is still immature and requires times to strengthen its standards and methodologies.
This will improve over time and highlights the need for a focused effort by investors, companies, financial institutions and regulators to drive greater integrity in ESG data and harmonisation.
With 86 per cent of all respondents in the study believing that responsible investment is a powerful driver of a more sustainable future, all parties — public and private — need to co-ordinate and push for more standardisation.
We must be patient and purposeful as market participants move to a more codified and consistent approach based on common definitions and high-quality data.
At Mubadala, we wholeheartedly believe that embedding ESG into our investment life cycle will drive stronger financial returns and produce positive outcomes for society.
This is consistent with our multi-generational mandate, in which we seek to provide stability and prosperity over the very long term.
Helping to drive convergence in market norms and a common understanding of what it means to be a responsible investor is a core part of our pragmatic approach to ESG integration.
A good example of this is our support for the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework, which we are extending to companies we invest in to determine their understanding of the potential direct and indirect financial effects of climate change on their operations.
Mubadala is also actively working with the One Planet Sovereign Wealth Funds (OPSWF) network to promote the adoption of the TCFD to integrate climate-change risks and investing in the smooth transition to a low-emissions economy.
Abu Dhabi will host this year’s OPSWF’s annual conference, an important step in the conversation about ESG standardisation.
As individuals and companies in the UAE and abroad, we must continue to institutionalise the integration of ESG principles and considerations into our investment processes and daily lives to ensure that the potential of responsible investing is not left unrealised.
Ahmed Al Calily is the chief strategy and risk officer at Mubadala Investment Company
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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RESULTS
Bantamweight: Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) beat Hamza Bougamza (MAR)
Catchweight 67kg: Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) beat Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) beat Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg: Mosatafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) beat Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight: Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) beat Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78KG: Rashed Dawood (UAE) beat Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight: Sallah-Eddine Dekhissi (MAR) beat Abdel Enam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg: Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG) beat Rachid Hazoume (MAR)
Lightweight: Mohammed Yahya (UAE) beat Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg: Souhil Tahiri (ALG) beat Omar Hussein (PAL)
Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km
On sale: now
Price: from Dh195,000
Specs
Engine: 2-litre
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 255hp
Torque: 273Nm
Price: Dh240,000
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Most match wins on clay
Guillermo Vilas - 659
Manuel Orantes - 501
Thomas Muster - 422
Rafael Nadal - 399 *
Jose Higueras - 378
Eddie Dibbs - 370
Ilie Nastase - 338
Carlos Moya - 337
Ivan Lendl - 329
Andres Gomez - 322
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Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
ENGLAND WORLD CUP SQUAD
Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
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Company%C2%A0profile
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Company%C2%A0profile
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Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
Match info
Premier League
Manchester United 2 (Martial 30', Lingard 69')
Arsenal 2 (Mustafi 26', Rojo 68' OG)
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The Lowdown
Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss
Rating: 4/5
Dunki
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Timeline
1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line
1962
250 GTO is unveiled
1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company
1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens
1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made
1987
F40 launched
1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent
2002
The Enzo model is announced
2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi
2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled
2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives
2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company
2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street
2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary
Andor
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
