An Initiative to improve transparency and accountability in the responsible finance industry using blockchain technology has been announced by the Responsible Finance & Investment Foundation (RFI). The initiative aims to bring together financial institutions and civil society to rebuild trust in the financial industry

The recently released report and accounts from Fairtrade reveal that the organisation has now hit a high of €8.49bn of retail sales, and has increased the strength of its balance sheet. The organisation has managed to achieve this despite some high profile retailers and manufactures leaving the scheme in recent years such a Cadbury and Sainsbury's products.

A group of local government pension funds managing £18bn have declared their commitment to ensuring their investment strategy meets the goals of the Paris Climate agreement. They are joined by Brunel Pension Partnership, one of the new pools of the Local Government Pension Scheme.

S&P Global Ratings has released research into how multilateral lending institutions (MLIs) are playing a major role in meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and why the further involvement of private capital is necessary.

HSBC has announced that it is planning to invest £250m from its pension scheme into UK renewable energy infrastructure, as another major commitment to the Government’s Green GB Week.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published a discussion paper on climate change and green finance. The paper sets out how climate change could have an impact upon the FCA’s statutory objectives of protecting consumers, protecting market integrity and promoting competition.

Arguing against divestment in a keynote speech at the Oil & Money Conference, BP chief executive Bob Dudley has made the case for continued investment in the oil and gas as essential in meeting the challenge of providing more energy while lowering carbon emissions.

The Natural Capital Finance Alliance (NCFA), together with the Natural Capital Coalition and VBDO have launched a new guide to help financial institutions understand and assess their reliance on ‘natural capital’ – an umbrella term that encompasses the clean air, oceans, ecosystems and minerals that most of our goods and services depend on.

An analysis of the UK’s power needs suggests an investment opportunity in the region of £6 billion between now and 2030 for the development of around 13GW of distributed and flexible power generation and storage assets.

Ireland has mandated six major banks as joint lead managers for a forthcoming inaugural long 12-year green bond, maturing 18 March 2031. The proceeds will be used in accordance with the Irish Sovereign Green Bond (ISGB) Framework and is expected to be launched and priced in the near future. The target market for the bond is eligible counterparties, professional clients and retail clients.

Delivery company DPD has opened an all-electric parcel depot in Westminster and announced plans for a further seven all-electric sites in the capital.

Charity My Life My Say has launched a social inclusion unit (SIU) to advise business, government, and the third sector on delivering socially inclusive products and services. Supported by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan and partnered by Plexal, an innovation hub based on the site of the former 2012 Olympic Park, its launch project will be a study into how businesses in the technology sector can deliver greater social inclusion through their phases of growth and product creation.

Hyundai has unveiled its hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, the NEXO that takes polluted air and emits cleaned air, heat and water vapour.

Amazon is to install up to 20MW of solar and storage systems on fulfilment centre rooftops across the UK over the coming 18 months, along with signing a deal for 100 per cent renewable electricity for its buildings in the UK.

Microsoft is signing the Made by Dyslexia pledge, making the technology firm the first global company to promise to help tackle a lack of resources and training in schools and homes that can hold back children who find it difficult to read, write and do maths.

All John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners heavy delivery trucks are to be changed to renewable biomethane power by 2028. The transition will cut emissions by over 80 per cent and replace the existing diesel-powered heavy trucks.

The just-released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) study has warned that global temperatures may rise by more than 1.5C with catastrophic consequences as early as 2030, and that urgent action is required to avert this.

Nissan and EDF Energy have signed a new agreement to explore the business case for recycling retired batteries from Nissan LEAF vehicles into commercial battery storage. The system would see electricity stored in the batteries and released back to the grid using EDF Energy’s PowerShift to react quickly to demand side response (DSR) initiatives.

A survey from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has assessed the views on the green economy of young people.

Nationwide Building Society is launching a partnership with homelessness charity St Mungo’s to provide a consistent and compassionate response to people rough sleeping on the high street and is urging other businesses to follow suit.

Not everyone has welcomed the Government’s Green GB Week. Although a raft of finance announcements and corporates pledges have ensued, Dale Vince, the founder of Ecotricity is not convinced and has spoken out against the initiative. Vince even went so far as to say that Green GB Week and should be called “Greenwash Week”.

MPS have proposed that the forthcoming ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars should be brought forward by eight years. Currently, the Government plans to ensure all new cars are zero emission by 2040, but a report by Parliament's Business Select Committee wants this cut to 2032.

Andrew Bailey, chief executive of the FCA has reiterated the need for greater trust and ethics in financial services in a recent speech.

Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry has written to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) asking for advice on setting a date and methods for achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions from across the economy, including from transport, industry and agriculture.

The two brands receiving the highest praise from NGOs in the last quarter are Allianz and Swiss Re, gaining their positions due to their efforts to tackle climate change. This is the second quarter in a row that they have topped the ranking from global research and strategy consultancy Sigwatch, based on its monitoring of more than 9,000 NGOs in July through September.

A judgement in the Appeal of the State has upheld a legal order to accelerate carbon emissions cuts in the Netherlands. Judges have ordered a reduction of 25 per cent by 2020 (relative to 1990). The Dutch government now faces the delicate decision of whether to appeal to a higher court or comply, with the current administration having settled for a 17 per cent reduction.

The World Bank Group (WBG) has launched its Human Capital Index, as a measure of wealth that is more encompassing that gross domestic product (GDP) and potentially more suitable top s plant that is under environmental threat.

The Government is considering making the reporting of ethnic pay mandatory, following the decision to make firms reveal their gender pay make up.

The reputation of RBS could take another decade to recover its chief executive has said. Ross McEwan has told the Press Association that whilst the bank has financially recovered from the financial crisis of 2008 (and scandals) customers are still wary of the brand. RBS is still 62 per cent owned by the taxpayer, and it is likely that repairing the image of the organisation is a pre-requisite for any attempt to sell the state-owned shares.

Langley House Trust, Autistica and Capoeira4Refugees were among the big winners at the Charity Times Awards 2018, celebrated with a packed ceremony in London last night.