Episode 140: CSFI The ESG Gap in Trade Finance
The global economy needs to transition to net zero and trade finance should be a powerful lever in making that happen. But the development and adoption of ESG standards in trade finance has been slow. So, what’s behind the delay? Technology? Data? Product-market fit mismatch? The challenge of getting global co-operation? This podcast is led by Helene Panzarino, CSFI Director, Fintech Innovator, and Author, and features Vera Spender Koubek, MBA, MSc, PIEMA, a sustainability consultant and adviser and Charles Radclyffe, Founder and CEO of EthicsGrade who discuss why trade finance is not delivering its full ESG potential covering: key barriers to ESG adoption including the qualitative nature of the industry which makes it difficult to standardise data and unify metrics; metrics that may not be fit for purpose leveraging ESG data to identify and mitigate supply chain risks the role of technology in enabling greater transparency and traceability in transacting, reporting and decision-making the state of collaboration between FIs and key partners to direct capital to sustainable opportunities in emerging markets and support the likes of SMEs, and female-owned businesses to address gender imbalances the potential lack of financial instruments to incentivise ESG improvements, (penalise poor performance) and create greater industry alignment with sustainable best practice.