Sustainability Lessons

  In the face of a growing population, climate change, and environmental degradation, the world's food systems are facing unprecedented challenges. Conventional agriculture, with its reliance on intensive inputs and monoculture practices, has contributed to these challenges, leading to soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and greenhouse gas emissions. Regenerative agriculture offers a promising alternative, with a focus on restoring soil health, improving biodiversity, and enhancing ecosystem services. Principles of Regenerative Agriculture Regenerative agriculture encompasses a set of farming practices that mimic natural ecosystems and promote long-term soil health and fertility. These practices include: No-till farming: This involves leaving crop residues on the field instead of tilling the soil, which helps to protect soil structure, increase organic matter, and reduce erosion. Cover cropping: This involves planting crops that are not intended for har...

Introduction In recent years, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing has gained significant traction. Investors are increasingly looking to put their money into companies that align with their ethical and sustainability values. This shift towards responsible investing is a positive development for both the environment and society. However, as ESG investments continue to grow, a shadowy phenomenon called "greenwashing" has also emerged, posing a challenge for investors and stakeholders alike. What Is Greenwashing? Greenwashing is a marketing strategy where a company falsely conveys the impression that their products or operations are more environmentally friendly than they are. It's a deceptive attempt to capitalize on the growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly products by making exaggerated, misleading, or outright false claims about a company's environmental responsibility. The Motives Behind Greenwashing The motivations behind green...

Being nature positive means that the world interacts with nature in a way that’s restorative and regenerative rather than just extractive. A nature positive approach enriches biodiversity, stores carbon, purifies water and reduces pandemic risk i.e., it broadly means halting and reversing nature loss by 2030 and last year we saw the term gaining traction. G7 leaders recently announced that “our world must not only become net zero, but also nature positive, for the benefit of both people and the planet.” Research from the World Economic Forum suggests that more than half of the world’s GDP is either moderately or highly dependent on nature and what it provides for businesses and mankind. Other analysts say the loss of biodiversity is already costing the global economy more than  $5 trillion  a year. When discussing sustainability, topics like emissions and pollution are heard most often. But the conversation surrounding biodiversity loss and sustaining nature is gro...

  What is Greenwashing and why is it done? Greenwashing or green sheen is the process of conveying a false impression or misleading information about how a company’s products are environmentally sound. Greenwashing involves making an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company’s products are environmentally friendly or have a greater positive environmental impact than they actually do. It is done in an attempt to capitalize on the growing demand for environmentally sound products. Some Other faces of sustainability deception Greenhushing occurs when a company withholds ESG information, fearing negative reactions from stakeholders or investors who doubt its sustainability efforts. While not explicitly dishonest, it restricts public access to vital data, making it harder to assess climate goals, share decarbonization strategies, and calculate Scope 3 emissions, which rely on widespread reporting. Greenwishing or unintentional greenwashing, occurs ...

The Malaysia SME Emission Disclosure Guidelines Simplified ESG Disclosure (SEDG) is a guide to help small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia disclose their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. It was launched in October 2023 by Capital Markets Malaysia (CMM), an affiliate of the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC). The SEDG is aligned with the main global ESG frameworks and reporting standards, but it has been simplified to make it more accessible to SMEs. It consists of 35 priority disclosures that are divided into three categories: Basic: These disclosures are essential for all SMEs to report on, regardless of their size or industry. They include information on the company's ESG strategy, policies, and procedures. Intermediate: These disclosures are for SMEs that are more mature in their ESG journey. They include more detailed information on the company's ESG performance, such as its greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and employee diversity. Adv...

Introduction In the wake of the growing global concern about climate change and environmental sustainability, the need for standardized Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting has never been more critical. The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), an initiative of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation, has taken a significant step forward by introducing a Digital Taxonomy. This digital framework promises to revolutionize ESG reporting by streamlining data collection and enhancing transparency, comparability, and accessibility for investors, businesses, and regulators alike. Digital Taxonomy: A Game-Changer for ESG Reporting The ISSB's Digital Taxonomy represents a comprehensive and structured system of classifying and organizing ESG data. It is designed to provide a common language for reporting entities, making it easier for stakeholders to understand, assess, and compare sustainability information. The Digital Taxonom...