Nomura – ESG360

In this podcast, Alex Rowe, Lead Portfolio Manager – Nomura Asset Management, and Daniela Dorelova, Sustainable Investment Specialist – Nomura Asset Management, speak with Daniel Babington, Portfolio Manager – TAM Asset Management Ltd., on the impact of ultra processed foods (UPFs) on our health. They also discuss the financial implications of UPFs, concentration of spending and the interest across the investment community in the potential impact on food manufacturers and retailers. This podcast is presented from a Global Sustainable Equity Strategy perspective and does not represent the Nomura Asset Management U.K.'s firm-level view. To read the whitepaper from Nomura Asset Management's Global Sustainable Equity Team, visit: https://www.nomura-asset.co.uk/download/insight/NAM_Ultra_Processed_Foods_May_2024.pdf

We speak with the individuals who featured in the Summer 2024 edition of Nomura Greentech's Sustainable Heroes magazine, which shines a spotlight on the trailblazers transforming our core systems to create a better world.  All of this edition's Sustainable Heroes have demonstrated 'stubborn optimism' and a mission-driven mindset to slash carbon emissions, grow vital new industries, reduce waste and provide access to funding. We hear from Xavier Barbaro, CEO of Neoen, a renewables producer, who is accelerating the roll out of battery storage as the next revolution in the green energy transition.  Sanjeev Krishnan, Managing Partner at S2G Ventures, a multi-stage investment firm, focused on the food & agriculture, oceans and energy sectors, explains his mission to transform our systems to support a planet of 10 billion people. Leon Farrant, CEO of Green Li-ion, a battery recycling company, talks about his innovative technology to create a circular economy for lithium-ion batteries. Luzius Wirth, CEO of idverde, a sustainability-focused landscaping company, is seeing more demand for biodiversity projects combining urbanization and nature.  

We talk with the individuals who featured in the Winter 2023 edition of Nomura Greentech's Sustainable Heroes magazine, which shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who are transforming our key systems to create a better world. All of this edition's Sustainable Heroes have demonstrated tremendous courage and a mission-driven mindset to cut carbon emissions, grow vital new industries, reduce waste and provide access to funding. We hear from Amy Schumacher, CEO of The Heritage Group, a US-based sustainability investor, who explains how she applies generations of business experience to grow vital new industries such as battery recycling. Roeland Baan, CEO of Topsoe, a Danish engineering company, speaks about accelerating the rollout of green hydrogen to fight emissions in hard-to-abate industries. Pierre Paslier, Co-Founder of Notpla, a London-based maker of seaweed packaging, describes his mission to consign single-use plastic to history. Nancy Floyd, Founder of Nth Power, a US sustainability-focused venture capital firm, explains how the Inflation Reduction Act combined with strong funding are a game-changer for clean tech firms.

In our latest ESG360 podcast, we speak with David Verbitsky, Head of AgTech & Sustainable Food at Nomura Greentech, about precision fermentation, a technology that is now being used for the manufacture of food and food ingredients.  David explores the demand for this nascent but growing market, as well as some of the challenges including scaling products, bringing down costs and convincing consumers.

In this episode, we feature 4 individuals who appeared in the Summer 2023 edition of Nomura Greentech's Sustainable Heroes magazine, which shines a spotlight on some of the trailblazers who are leading the charge to accelerate the net zero transition. We will hear from Niall Dunne, CEO of Polymateria, a UK-based maker of green packaging, who is pioneering the use of biotransformation technology to eliminate the scourge of plastic pollution. Sébastien Clerc, CEO of Voltalia, a French renewables producer, explains how energy dependence concerns in Europe will accelerate the potential of wind and solar. Hidetake Takahashi, Head of Energy and Eco Services at ORIX, a leading Japanese financial services group, speaks about doubling renewable energy capacity through strategic acquisitions. Dharsono Hartono, CEO of PT Rimba Makmur Utama, which operates one of the worlds' largest natural capital projects, explains how he is protecting and conserving forests in Indonesia to save millions of tons of carbon.

The recent UN accord to protect 30% of the Oceans by 2030 combined with growing investor appetite are providing the ingredients to unleash growth in blue bonds, which aim to conserve and grow the ocean economy.

In this episode, we discuss cyber security as an ESG factor or governance risk with Jason Mortimer, Head of Sustainable Investment for Fixed Income at Nomura Asset Management. We examine the growing threat of cyber security, regulatory tightening, and why it should be on the minds of ESG investors. We also take note of how Nomura Asset Management's approach to cyber security risk helps investors avoid companies that may be overly exposed to cyber attacks, by integrating measures of cyber security performance in the credit analysis of companies to help clients make better investment decisions.

In this episode, we delve into global policy and regulatory themes for the year ahead with Andrew Bowley, Managing Director for Group Sustainability Strategy at Nomura. We examine whether ESG can regain the ground it lost in 2022 after banks threatened to leave key climate groups and asset managers faced pressure from investors and politicians over their primary duty to maximize returns. We also discuss the policy outlook in Japan with Kohei Okazaki, Nomura's ESG policy expert. We discuss how Japan's GX (green transformation) league may evolve and whether Japan will make progress on reducing its reliance on coal.

In this episode, we explore the outlook for sustainable M&A with Jeff McDermott, Global Co-Head of Investment Banking at Nomura. We hone in on the sectors to watch including carbon capture technologies and sustainable food, while considering whether the coming 12 months may be a tipping point for moving away from a fossil fuel economy. We also discuss the outlook for ESG bond deals with Jarek Olszowka, Nomura's Head of Sustainable Finance. We examine how the green bond market will continue to flourish and whether social bonds may see increased inflows amid the prospect of a global recession and a cost-of-living crisis. We also touch on the trend towards biodiversity and Japan's booming market for transition bonds.

In this episode of our ESG 360 podcast, we review the key takeaways from the ESG in East Asia series, including the shortcomings in current 'S' data and why the 'S' component is under-researched. We take note of the data for five big geographies in East Asia and where, in particular, Japan and South Korea stand broadly versus peer countries. We also discuss the business opportunities inherent in the 'S' factor and which industries came out top.