Finance & Investing

The rapidly changing landscape of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) research providers received another major update this week as RiskMetrics Group announced the acquisition of KLD Research & Analytics. The acquisition, which has been widely anticipated for a month, follows RiskMetrics' purchase of Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, like KLD a provider of ESG research, in February. Read More

Hedge fund guru George Soros becomes latest billionaire investor to unveil plans for investing in the fight against climate change. Read More

Many existing insurance coverages will be negatively impacted by climate change, such as professional liability, workers compensation, and of course, property insurance. Without some adjustment and advanced planning, insurers will discover these and other lines of insurance to be unprofitable or possibly taken over by a government-controlled risk transfer mechanism. Read More

Fans of the TV series Amazing Race were treated to a disturbing and disheartening spectacle Sunday night, as competitors used cutters, hammers, screwdrivers, and their bare hands to tear apart electronics, throw them haphazardly into piles, exposing themselves, onlookers, and the environment to dangerous toxins. All this in the name of supposed recycling. Perhaps the show should be renamed Amazing Waste? Read More

The Community Preservation Corporation is a key player in a new public-private partnership that will provide $1 billion in construction and mortgage loans for energy efficient upgrades and property retrofits of as many as 15,000 affordable multifamily rental and coop buildings in New York. Read More

Global commercial real estate services firm CB Richard Ellis examines the economics of sustainable buildings in its recent white paper about who shoulders the costs for greening commercial real estate. Read More

One aspect of Newsweek's just-released rankings of 500 leading companies' environmental policies and performance is to view the list from an investor perspective. Specifically: Who are investors in the worst-ranked companies? Read More

A near-Herculean effort, Newsweek's new list of the greenest companies in the S&P 500 Index may be imperfect -- and are sure to be debated -- but they may also be the best effort to date to assess the mainstream corporate marketplace in the U.S. Read More

In the year since the global financial crisis began making headlines, the public and policymakers alike still hold on to a fundamental mistrust of and anger at corporate leaders. Here are six ways companies can rebuild those bridges. Read More

In these uncertain and cash-strapped times, how do you convince customers that buying green is smart and profitable? We asked four companies for their tips on selling the real value of green products and services. Read More