April Newsletter 2022
Dear Valued Risk Insights TM / ESG GPS TM Subscriber,
APRIL NEWSLETTER 2022
As we arrive in the second quarter of the year, the world finds itself facing many challenges. On the home front, KwaZulu–Natal experienced an environmental disaster due to heavy rainfall resulting in floods, mudslides and structural breakdown in coastal areas. This natural disaster has caused loss in lives and thousands of families and people that are still missing. This disaster is yet another incident of the effects of climate change. We all have a responsibility to contribute consciously to the future of our planet by reducing greenhouse emissions!
Throughout the twenty first century our world has seen many humanitarian crises including wars in Syria and Iraq with millions dead and displaced. As the conflict in Europe continues, thousands of people have died and millions displaced. We have not seen such devastation in Europe since World War II. Wars have a major impact on ESG as it affects leadership through governance and society and carbon emissions impacting our planet!
The Covid pandemic has continued to affect lives of people across the world. China entered its fifth week of “Zero Covid” strategy, with a harsher and wider lockdown to prevent further negative impact on its economy. South Africa has just entered the fifth wave of the pandemic.
The challenges experience is resulting in ESG taking centre stage by leadership, good people and good companies consciously uniting to protect and save our Planet.
ESG GPS will allow us contribute to make Africa more sustainable … every step counts. We appreciate your ongoing support and being a part of Risk Insights™ ESG GPS™ orbit!
Watch the space as in 2022 Risk Insights™ will be introducing many new products as well as launching ESG GPS™ Ratings and other products in multiple countries in Africa and across the Globe. For now, here are a few highlights about our April activities and upcoming events.
NEWEST MEMBERS TO THE RISK INSIGHTS TEAM
To address growing requirements of its clients on the continent and beyond Risk Insights™ is growing its offering of various ESG products… ESG Ratings (ESG GPS™), ESG GPS™ X-Ray, ESG GPS™ Rating Watch and many more. Our team is growing and stronger. This month we onboarded three new members into our Risk Insights family.
We introduce:
Nadia Kahn - Human Resources Team Bio
Ricolen Chetty - ESG Equity Ratings Team Bio
Rogerio Sardinha - Creative and social media Team Bio
LAUNCH OF THE WEF NEW CHAMPIONS COMMUNITY LOCAL CHAPTER SOUTH AFRICA TAKING PLACE IN JUNE 2022
World Economic Forum New Champion companies are dynamic high-growth companies that are championing new business models, emerging technologies, and sustainable growth strategies in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. New Champions are mindful of their impact on society and aspire to participate in building a better future.
Risk Insights and Imperial have partnered with the World Economic Forum to create the first New Champions Community Local Chapter South Africa.
This Local Chapter aims to amplify the World Economic Forum global initiatives via supporting relevant country projects and ensure engagements of the South African business community to drive and accelerate impact on the ground. Risk Insights and Imperial have chosen three initial projects which are focusing on critical issues in South Africa which include: Health and Wellbeing, Education, Gender Equality, Innovation, Sustainable Infrastructure and Climate Action. Join us by pledging your support to three projects “Step Up to a Green Start Up”, “Unjani Clinic” and “SA Trails Network” to create sustainable impact in South Africa.
JOINT HENLEY BUSINESS SCHOOL AND RISK INSIGHTS ACADEMIC RESEARCH PROJECT: MAJOR MILESTONE ACHIEVED
Henley Business School, the only quadruple-accredited business school in Africa, and Risk Insights, creator of ESG GPS™, announced the achievement of a major milestone in the joint ESG research project on Adoption and Practice of Environmental, Social and Governance Factors in South African Listed Companies: A Board Perspective. Risk Insights team and Henley Business School and the project’s Steering Committee consisting of Mr. Andrey Bogdanov Risk Insights, Dr Abuobayda Shabat Risk Insights, Dr Nkem Khumba Risk Insights and the University of Michigan, Prof Danie Petzer Henley Business School, Prof Filipe Morais Henley Business School and Risk Insights; Mr Kuben Naidoo South African Reserve Bank, Jayne Mammat PwC and Itumeleng Monale Johannesburg Stock Exchange were very pleased to announce the successful completion of this major milestone - literature review as a team of researchers are embarking on interviewing of the key Board and C-suite executives to collate input on how ESG is interpreted and integrated into strategy, operations, and reporting in South African listed companies. For more information, please follow the link on picture
FITC BOARD LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME
Risk Insights was pleased to have its Principle & CEO Mr Andrey Bogdanov and the Chairman of its Nigerian ESG GPS Ratings Dr Blessing Ayemhere to speak at the FITC Board Leadership Programme. The programmes’ theme discussed “Board Oversight of ESG Sustainability and Reporting for Long Term Value Creation” and took place on the 25th of April 2022. Risk Insights presented the Overview of the ESG Landscape Emerging Trends, challengs, and a perspective on ESG globally and in Africa. Nigeria is the largest economy on continent and is one of Risk Insights ESG GPS rated stock exchanges.
RISK INSIGHTS CEO TO SPEAK AT ESG/IMPACT INVESTING & SUSTAINABLE FINANCE SUMMIT 2022
The summit will bring together key stakeholders in the impact investing & sustainable finance space with key focus on Impact Investing, Sustainability, Green Finance and Climate change. Coming in the backdrop of COP26, the summit will address critical and necessary interventions that investors will need to deploy towards achieving the UN sustainable development goals as well as to mitigate against climate related risks.
Risk Insights Principal and CEO along with UN Environments Dr Richard Munang; The International Finance Corporations Kevin Njiraini, Susan M. Lund, Issa Faye and Neil Gregory; EBS Advisory’s’ James Brice; Martens Advisory’s’ Nicole Martens; Resilience Capital Ventures LLCs’ Gillian Marcelle; Roy Gluckman of the Cohension Collection; Roberto Panzica European Commission Joint Research Centre; Hofstede Insights’ Dr Okey Okere; Rise impact Fund and Pathisa Fund’s Deresh Lewangee; The Johannesburg Stock Exchanges’ Nicola Comninos and Shameela Soobramoney; Sustainable and Responsible Investment Practices Angelique Kalam; ADIC’s Ipolitu Mubiru; , Investment Manager at Frankfurt School Financial Services Michael Crayne; ShEquity, Impact Investors, Innovation Catalyst, AFRI prospects’ Pauline Koelbl; Logos Capitals’ Silvio Pupo Casco; and the Climate Policy Initiatives’ Julio Lubianco and many more will speak at the ESG / Impact Investing & Sustainable Finance Summit 2022.
RISK INSIGHTS CEO TO SPEAK AT THE 3RD ANNUAL AFRICA PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT SUMMIT 2022
The Annual Africa Pensions and Retirement Summit is an annual Africa focused summit designed and produced to cover the African pensions industry. The summit’s third year has been hosted in different African countries and has so far been held in Kenya and South Africa. The third installation of this continental showpiece will be held in the Island nation of Mauritius in May 2022. With a key focus and covering all key issues impacting the pensions and retirement industry on the continent, the summit brings together key stakeholders and industry professionals, regulators, policy makers, academics, researchers, trustees, principal officers, investment managers, asset and fund managers, actuaries, insurers, and other financial services intermediaries from across the African continent.
DID YOU KNOW?
Risk Insights™ strategic business intelligence tool ESG GPS™ X-Ray reports the ESG related materiality factors disclosed by companies listed at Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Nairobi Securities Exchange and Nigeria Stock Exchange. Rapidly drawing out the most vital factors disclosed by these listed companies and interpreting these factors into bite sized facts is what our “Did You Know” posts are highlighting to all stakeholders.
To view some of the latest from our Did You Know series on companies on JSE Retail, Food and Beverage, Travel and Leisure.
Watch the space for more information about materiality factors of the industries and companies from South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and other countries are coming.
WINDOW ON THE WEEK SEASON 4
Risk Insights™ continues to provide you with strategic insights into ESG with its Window on the Week and starts the year with season four. This April we our Window on the Week presenter Matshidiso Motsomongwe, Co-Head of the ESG Equity Ratings at Risk Insights™, who touched on hot topics in the ESG space as Risk Insights™ uses listed companies voluntary and mandatory disclosure to create ESG comprehensive reports on listed companies from different exchanges using Ai and machine learning. Matshisho dissected sustainable standards of investing, gender equity policies for listed companies and ESG trends to watch out for in this decade.
To watch this month’s Window on the Week Episodes, Click on the pictures below or head over to our YouTube Channel Here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRqg27zTaq1w7Hskmszstzg
Food for Thought:
ESG's big test: Fast fashion, and a $100B fashion juggernaut
April 14, 2022, Pitch Book
JSE Sustainability and Climate Change Disclosure Guidance
JSE
War's ESG dilemma for investors: Solve short-term needs or confront long-term goals
March 25, 2022, Pitch Book
The Changing Landscape—ESG and Taxation
April 22, 2022, Bloomberg tax