Sustainable Markets Initiative

Nature is our planet’s life support system, underpinning every aspect of our society, economy, and wellbeing - yet biodiversity is declining faster than at any time in human history. At a Goals House event during London Climate Action Week, the Sustainable Markets Initiative highlighted how we can not only protect and restore Nature but unlock and harness its economic value. Members showcased the work they were doing to progress and campaign for greater financing mechanisms, tools & measurement, and wider cooperation to drive capital into Nature. Backing this up, they provided tangible examples of their work driving investment into sectors with the most opportunity to restore and harness Nature, such as agriculture and infrastructure. Thank you to our moderator, Diana Callebaut, Managing Director & Global Head of Investments at Pollination, and panellists Ronald O'Hanley, Chair and CEO of State Street; Charlie Nunn, CEO of Lloyds Banking Group; Laura Barlow, Group Head of Sustainability at Barclays; and Robert Spencer, Global Head of ESG Advisory Services at AECOM. To learn more about the Sustainable Markets Initiative, please visit: https://lnkd.in/d3PYeKA

This week the Sustainable Markets Initiative announced the shortlisted finalists of its global competition seeking student-led, high-impact solutions to the climate and biodiversity crisis – the Terra Carta Design Lab.   Entries from the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation, National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad, Rhode Island School of Design and the Royal College of Art include a biodegradable alternative to micro-plastic made from fish scales, a speed detection system for animal road crossings, and an affordable early wildfire detection solution.   Eight winners will be chosen later this year following a judging process led by Sir Jony Ive, with all receiving funding and mentorship to further develop their innovations and enable them to be scaled and taken to market.   Reflecting on the competition, SMI CEO Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, M.V.O., MBA said that the entrants’ “work exemplifies what is possible when we put design, engineering, innovation, technology, art and global experience at the heart of systems-level change.”   Read more about this year's entrants here: https://lnkd.in/eiAKxPHf

"We need to move towards a regenerative system which produces food in harmony with nature". As Adele Jones from Sustainable Food Trust explains, #RegenerativeAgriculture offers a way of producing healthy, nutritious food for everyone at the same time as restoring ecosystems, reducing emissions and removing carbon 🥬 It’s the beginning of RE:TV’s month-long season dedicated to Regenerative Agriculture. To learn more about what farmers can do to help tackle the climate crisis, watch the extended interview with Adele on our new hub full of films and reports: https://lnkd.in/eWg5eSsX There’s plenty of food for thought!

We proudly celebrate the incredible women within our membership who are driving innovation and shaping a sustainable future across diverse industries, not only today on #internationalwomeninengineeringday, but recognising the value they bring everyday. From renewable energy pioneers and sustainable urban planners to cutting-edge technologists and environmental advocates, our women engineers are not just breaking barriers; they are creating lasting, positive change for our planet. #INWED24 #enhancedbyengineering

Our CEO, Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, M.V.O., MBA had the opportunity to highlight the #AstraCarta on a global stage today speaking at #UNCOPUOS in Vienna hosted by United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). In her remarks, she articulated the #AstraCarta vision and ambition for a default sustainable approach to #space activity, and the responsible use of space to improve sustainability on Earth: "The Astra Carta is our private sector pledge to future generations – a promise that we will navigate the next frontier with wisdom, foresight, and responsibility." Many thanks to the UK Department of Science, Technology and Innovation for the invitation and opportunity to participate. Learn more about the Astra Carta, and the Sustainable Markets Initiative: https://lnkd.in/dtv5j8N

The Sustainable Markets Initiative's Private Equity Task Force recently supported Bain & Company, alongside the Initiative Climat International, to survey investors on the Private Markets Decarbonization Roadmap. The findings showed that although 95% of investors have begun to collect decarbonisation data from their portfolio companies, only 65% said they were taking action with portfolio companies. Read more below: https://lnkd.in/esC6QsVn

Together with 25 CEOs from the Sustainable Markets Initiative, our CEO Jennifer Jordan-Saifi was delighted to present the SMI’s 2024 G7 market signals to The Pope today in Rome.

The Sustainable Markets Initiative joined the Alliance to End Plastic Waste to stress the importance of circularity.   Whether that is providing guidance to private and public sector organisations on how they can incorporate ‘circularity’ into their corporate vision and business and operational activities; leveraging partner expertise to build, share and amplify best practices, leading strategies and supportive guides to action circularity across the private sector; or supporting the acceleration of the circular economy transition across the value chain.   We look forward to working collaboratively with the Alliance to End Plastic Waste and other leading organisations in this space to achieve our joint aims of creating a truly circular economy.

It was an honour to support the City of London Corporation host the Net Zero Delivery Summit, marking the halfway point between COP28 and COP29.   Helping open the day, our CEO, Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, M.V.O., MBA, stressed that it was not only a halfway point between COPs, but a halfway point between 2020 and 2030, and it is critical we recognise the enormity of what lies ahead.   By aligning industry, finance and country roadmaps, leveraging emerging technologies and collaborating across borders, we can rapidly accelerate the transition while providing the hope and opportunity that our customers and our citizens expect.   But she noted that to do so, we must remain ambitious, and ensure sustainability is mainstreamed into every aspect of the global economy. After all, this is the growth story of our time.   Echoing our Founder, His Majesty King Charles III, she stressed that to guarantee our future, we have no other choice than to make each day count.

It was an honour to support the City of London Corporation host the Net Zero Delivery Summit, marking the halfway point between COP28 and COP29.   Helping open the day, our CEO, Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, M.V.O., MBA, stressed that it was not only a halfway point between COPs, but a halfway point between 2020 and 2030, and it is critical we recognise the enormity of what lies ahead.   By aligning industry, finance and country roadmaps, leveraging emerging technologies and collaborating across borders, we can rapidly accelerate the transition while providing the hope and opportunity that our customers and our citizens expect.   But she noted that to do so, we must remain ambitious, and ensure sustainability is mainstreamed into every aspect of the global economy. After all, this is the growth story of our time.   Echoing our Founder, His Majesty King Charles III, she stressed that to guarantee our future, we have no other choice than to make each day count.