Sustainability Now

Laura Nishikawa, Head of Emerging Risks R&D at MSCI sits down with Jenn-Hui Tan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Fidelity International, as part of the MSCI Prospectives Podcast to discuss the next phase of sustainable investing. As the public narrative grows noisier and more politicized, they look past the headlines to the economic fundamentals shaping the transition and portfolio management.
The conversation explores where momentum in the energy transition is really coming from, why markets continue to struggle with physical climate risk and how investors are adapting to weaker policy signals, shifting governance dynamics and greater uncertainty in capital markets.

As food retailers work to digitize and enhance their logistics and supply networks, they’re becoming more exposed to cybersecurity risks. In this episode, we discuss how a wave of recent cyberattacks has exposed vulnerabilities across the sector — how prepared companies really are, and why investors may want to sit up and take notice.

Host: Gabriela de la Serna, MSCI Research & Development
Guest: Cole Martin, MSCI Research & Development

Flat prices, steady volumes — carbon markets in 2025 might seem uneventful. But dig a little deeper, and a clearer picture emerges: buyers are paying more for quality. We explore how media scrutiny, new rating systems, and evolving buyer expectations are reshaping how carbon credits are valued.

Host: Bentley Kaplan, MSCI Research & Development
Guests: Nicholas Baldwin & Utkarsh Akhouri, MSCI Research & Development

For years, institutional investors treated human rights as a checkbox exercise, something to monitor after the fact. But a new wave of regulation and stakeholder pressure is forcing a fundamental shift from passive oversight to active due diligence. In this episode, we explore how forward-thinking investors are moving beyond retroactive screening to implement proactive human rights risk management across their portfolios. 
Episode Reading: Human-Rights Risks in Portfolios: From Oversight to Due Diligence
Host: Mike Disabato, MSCI Sustainability & Climate
Gust: Aura Dron, MSCI Sustainability & Climate

When policy and markets move in different directions, the results can be surprising. In this episode, we explore five sustainability and climate trends we'll be watching in 2026. From AI-boosted clean tech and central banks enforcing climate risk rules, to investors reckoning with physical hazards in private equity and the rise of state ownership in strategic sectors. We unpack how materiality is maturing, policy is pivoting, and capital is flowing into what works.
To register for the 2026 Trends to Watch webinar, click here.
To review all our trend research we have put out to date, click here.
Host: Bentley Kaplan, MSCI Sustainability & Climate
Guest: Liz Houston, MSCI Sustainability & Climate