Category

ESG

Cash & Working CapitalESG
October 1, 2020

Dangling Carrots in Supply Chain Finance to Boost Sustainability

HSBC’s SCF incentives help a big retailer make progress on sustainability goals.The pandemic has prompted companies to pay more attention to their supply chains, to support key suppliers and make them more resilient and sustainable. A recent HSBC survey found that 70% of companies want to improve control over supply chains, half seek more transparency, and a third want to accelerate making them more environmentally sustainable, planning investments over the next 12 to 18 months to do so.The assistant treasurer…
Justin Jones
Love0
ESGTreasury Management
October 1, 2020

Tough Love Is What You Want From a Career Sponsor

Takeaways from the latest Women in NeuGroup event, sponsored by Deutsche Bank.Women—and men—who seek sponsorship to help them advance professionally should expect the relationship—if it’s a good one—to involve some tough love. That insight was among the key takeaways from a Women in NeuGroup virtual meeting held this week. Sponsorship is not mentorship. Tough love is one way to distinguish sponsors from mentors—a difference addressed at the spring WiNG event as well. While mentors may offer you a shoulder to…
Justin Jones
Love0
BankingESG
October 1, 2020

Talking Shop: Exploring Minority Bank Deposits Amid Increased Public Interest

Question: “Minority bank deposits: Is your organization active or exploring given increased public interest?”  “I’m looking to connect with those with experience in this area and discuss best practices. In addition, I’m looking to identify contacts at any recommend .” The member included a link to a Fortune article, which discusses Black-owned financial institutions amplifying the call for racial justice by drawing more private capital into their communities.  Peer Answer: “Hi, we are close to finalizing agreement/structure with a start-up (CNote) which…
Justin Jones
Love0
Accounting & DisclosureESG
September 29, 2020

SOX-Like Framework Needed for ESG/Sustainability Disclosures

Moving ESG/sustainability information from the web to the 10-K warrants attention.By Joseph NeuMembers of our group for treasurers at mega-cap companies recently heard a partner from the law firm White & Case share the findings of the firm’s latest annual survey of ESG disclosures in SEC filings by the top 50 companies by revenue in the Fortune 100. The presentation built on a topic raised by the head of ESG at a member company in a NeuGroup session last month. …
Justin Jones
Love0
Capital MarketsESG
September 15, 2020

Friedman, Profits and Treasury’s Role in Stakeholder Capitalism

50 years after Milton Friedman’s landmark essay on profits, treasurers are trying to embrace stakeholder capitalism responsibly.By Joseph NeuMilton Friedman’s essay, “The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits,” turned 50 this past Sunday. Many commentators are seeking to mark the occasion with efforts to either square stakeholder capitalism with Friedman’s view—helping stakeholders is good for long-term profitability—or call him out as myopic to the more equal, inclusive and sustainable future that young people—and others—now want. Milton Friedman…
Justin Jones
Love0
Accounting & DisclosureESG
September 10, 2020

ESG Transparency Goals Create Hard Resource Allocation Decisions

The struggle to prioritize reporting requirements for a growing list of ESG standards and frameworks. Some NeuGroup member companies are struggling to prioritize how to allocate the resources necessary to satisfy a growing list of reporting and disclosure standards as corporates strive to be more transparent about their environmental, social and governance (ESG) records. That was among the key takeaways at a recent Virtual Interactive Session where an ESG officer raised the subject of determining what information is truly useful…
Justin Jones
Love0
ESGSenior Executive
August 6, 2020

Treasury’s Key Role as Corporates Support Black Communities

Treasurers weigh investments, deposits and transactions that will benefit Black communities.Treasury teams within the NeuGroup Network are playing a key role at companies that are stepping up efforts to support Black communities and Black-owned financial institutions. NeuGroup members discussed their initiatives and options at a recent Virtual Interactive Session (VIS) that followed a webinar in which Netflix detailed its commitment to allocate 2% of cash holdings—initially up to $100 million—into financial institutions and organizations that directly support Black communities in the US.Director of…
Antony Michels
Love0
Capital MarketsESGTax
July 23, 2020

A Green Light for Tax Equity Investments in Renewable Energy

There’s still time for corporates to benefit from federal tax credits and reap attractive returns.The final session of NeuGroup’s final H1 meeting featured a presentation on green and sustainability-linked finance by U.S. Bank, sponsor of the NeuGroup for Retail Treasury. Below are some key takeaways from the session as distilled by Joseph Neu, founder of NeuGroup and leader of the retail group. Update your view on the ROI of tax equity structures. Commenting on the cash flows from a transaction presented…
Antony Michels
Love0
COVID-19ESGInvestment Management
June 2, 2020

Financing the Fight Against COVID-19: Sustainability Bond Deals

Corporates and banks fuel gains in social and sustainability bond issuance amid the battle against the coronavirus. The coronavirus pandemic may have dampened green bond issuance in the first quarter of 2020, but it has also pushed some corporates to use proceeds from sustainability bond offerings to help fight the virus. Case in point: Pfizer. Heather Lang, executive director of sustainable finance solutions at ESG ratings firm Sustainalytics—which is being acquired by Morningstar—named Pfizer as one of the institutions using proceeds…
Ted Howard
Love0
Capital MarketsESGInvestment Management
May 14, 2020

ESG: A Leading Indicator of Quality for Federated Hermes

The asset manager believes an active ownership approach to responsible investing is how to navigate this market.“ESG Investing Shines in Market Turmoil, With Help From Big Tech,” shouted a headline in the Wall Street Journal this week. The story reports that investors put a record $12 billion into ESG funds in the first four months of 2020, according to Morningstar Direct, more than double the same period last year. And more than 70% of ESG funds across all asset classes…
Antony Michels
Love0