The ESG Insider newsletter compiles news and insights on environmental, social and governance developments driving change in business and investment decisions. Subscribe to our ESG Insider newsletter, and listen to the ESG Insider podcast on SoundCloud, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
If you needed more evidence that the sustainability movement has gone mainstream, look no further than this year's Super Bowl advertisements. During the National Football League's championship game Feb. 7, Detroit-based automaker General Motors Co. aired a commercial in which comedian Will Ferrell pledges that the U.S. will "crush" Norway in the competition to produce electric vehicles.
"Soon, everyone can drive an EV," the actor, of Anchorman and Elf fame, tells the camera.
The Super Bowl ad comes on the heels of GM's pledge to become carbon-neutral by 2040, turn 40% of its U.S. models electric by the end of 2025 and offer 30 all-electric models globally by mid-decade. This week, we bring you research from S&P Global Market Intelligence on plug-in electric vehicle sales, which have surged as governments decarbonize their transportation sectors. See our Chart of the Week for a global breakdown of projected sales.
In the latest ESG Insider podcast, we dive into stakeholder capitalism — what it means, and why the topic took center stage at the annual Davos conference. And as the U.K. plans a new national infrastructure bank to achieve its net-zero target, we revisit the government's original Green Investment Bank — and its controversial sale.
Chart of the Week
Top Stories
Podcast: 'Stakeholder capitalism,' the buzzword at Davos
Stakeholder capitalism — the idea that companies are responsible for their role in society in addition to making money for shareholders — has taken on new meaning thanks to COVID-19. It was the buzzword among major players in the ESG world like BlackRock Inc. CEO Larry Fink at Davos. Listen to the latest episode of the ESG Insider podcast to hear the World Economic Forum's ESG Project Lead share the backstory on a set of new stakeholder capitalism metrics.
Contentious Macquarie sale back in focus as UK plans new green investment bank
Set up in 2012, the Green Investment Bank was a key early backer of the U.K.'s offshore wind industry and also helped draw private money into a range of other ventures, from biomass and waste-fired power plants to energy efficiency projects. But the government decided to sell the bank to Australian financial giant Macquarie Group Ltd. in 2017 to reduce public debt, kicking up a flurry of criticism over abandoning the bank's green mission.
Top electric vehicle markets dominate lithium-ion battery capacity growth
Surging plug-in electric vehicle sales are leading to growing investments in lithium-ion battery capacity to meet rising demand. As plug-in electric vehicle uptake increases across Asia, Europe and North America, there is greater geographical diversification in lithium-ion battery production capacity, bringing it closer to points of vehicle production and sales.
Environmental
Shell sees fossil fuel business remaining 'foundational' amid energy transition
European offshore wind draws record investments in 2020
'2030 is the new 2050': Utilities pressured to hasten decarbonization goals
Social
Amazon workers' union vote in Alabama could spark more organized labor effort
Facebook to deepen efforts against false claims on COVID-19, vaccines
Chinese solar group blasts US calls to avoid supplies from Xinjiang
Governance
BlackRock's Fink: Customization will be a 'revolution' in sustainable investing
Deloitte points to 'sea change' in mining sector ESG reporting
Russian banking association issues guidance for implementing ESG principles
ESG Indices
Upcoming events
GreenBiz 21
GreenBiz
Feb. 9-11
Online
Climate and Sustainable Finance
Option Finance/Bank of France
Feb. 11
Online
Responsible Company: ESG and Financial Instruments
Responsible Investor
Feb. 17
Online
Sustainability Week
The Economist
March 22-25
Online
Impact Investing World Forum 2021
Impact Investing World Forum
March 22-23
Online
PRI in Person
PRI
Sept. 14-16
Tokyo
The European SDG Summit 2021
CSR Europe
Oct. 11-14
Online
COP26
United Nations Climate Change Conference
Nov. 1-12
Glasgow
Questions or suggestions? Contact S&P Global Market Intelligence's ESG News team at ESGNews@spglobal.com.