THE SUMMER EDITION
As the summer season is officially underway this edition of the ESG minute is focused on “hot” topics that continue to highlight ESG issues and risks. Please reach out to us if you want to start the conversation on your own ESG Journey! ✉️ In this issue we discuss:
Environment: Miami-Dade County hires the first ever Chief Heat Officer (CHO), Jane Gilbert
Social: June 11th The Elmhurst Art Museum launches a special program with Members of Congress and housing leaders from the State of Illinois expanding on their current exhibition “In Focus: The Chicago Freedom Movement and Fight for Fair Housing”
Governance: On May 26th, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) Chief Gary Gensler stated he would like to see more regulations around the $2 trillion cryptocurrency market.
Responsible Investing: Watch video from our webinar series of Christine Calderon, CFP® & Carly Barton from BNY Mellon Wealth Management discussing Responsible Investing strategies.
Environment: Miami-Dade County hires the first ever Chief Heat Officer (CHO) August 2020 was officially listed at the warmest summer on record for the Northern Hemisphere. And, this summer is also forecasted to be one of the hottest summers on record. Miami-Dade County has appointed the first ever Chief Heat Officer (CHO) - Jane Gilbert - to address the impacts of warmer weather on their community. Read perspectives from Gilbert on what actions they are taking to combat rising temperatures.
Social: Elmhurst Art Museum - "In Focus, The Chicago Freedom Movement & the Fight for Fair Housing
On June 11 the Elmhurst Art Museum will launch a special program with Members of Congress and housing leaders from the State of Illinois. Expanding on their current exhibition “In Focus: The Chicago Freedom Movement and Fight for Fair Housing” this pre-recorded conversation expands on the national issue of housing discrimination and how it affects communities in Illinois. WATCH to gain insights from State lawmakers about current governmental policies and programs that create an equitable infrastructure and help families build wealth
Governance: Call for Regulation in the Cryptocurrency Market
The recent Ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline, which halted operations and created a gas hoarding frenzy in the southeast, was resolved by paying an estimated $5M via a crypto wallet to retrieve the stolen data. Although the FBI was able to hack DarkSide criminal organization's bitcoin wallet and recover the payment, this highlights just how vulnerable companies & government agencies are to cyber attacks and specifically ransomware. It was reported that in 2020 ransomware payments rose 300% over the previous year to approximately $350 million. With crypto wallets being the primary method of payment due to the inability to trace the transactions back to the criminals.
On May 26th, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) Chief Gary Gensler stated he would like to see more regulations around cryptocurrency exchanges. The Cryptocurrency market is now a +$2 Trillion dollar industry, and one that is a primary facilitator of ransomware payments.
Responsible Investing
Responsible Investing, Sustainable Investing, ESG or Impact Investing these terms have reached the mainstream, but are they just a fad? We had a great discussion with Christine Calderon, CFP® & Carly Barton from BNY Mellon Wealth Management where they debunk myths around sustainable investing and explain why it is more than a passing trend.
IN OTHER NEWS:
At the latest G7 summit in London, G7 leaders support making climate change disclosures mandatory and in alignment with TCFD standards.
The concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere reached historic levels in May after emissions plunged in the first months of the coronavirus pandemic, according to data released Monday by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
June is Pride Month. Learn how leading organizations are supporting their LGTBQ+ employees year round
#ESG #Insights #ClimateChange #LeadwithPurpose #SocialJustice #Civilrights #SEC #Cryptocurrency #ResponsibleInvesting