The Greener Way

On a recent visit to Sydney, MSCI's global head of sustainability and climate index Sebastien Lieblich sat down with The Greener Way to shed light on how institutional investors, particularly superannuation funds, are changing their approach to climate investing.
Gone are the days of simply excluding or divesting companies, he says. Asset owners are looking more closely at the role benchmarks and index design can play in implementing their goals, embedding climate considerations in investment strategies.
Lieblich also touches on the potential ramifications of the current geopolitical environment and how a disruption to traditional energy sources and supplies could impact the global transition.

We record on Gadigal land and we pay our respects to the traditional custodians of country and elders past and present.
https://www.fssustainability.com.au/

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Quant + ESG Without the Black Box: Transparent Sustainable Investing with AXA IM’s Ram Rasaratnam | The Greener Way
In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar speaks with Ram Rasaratnam, CIO of Equity Quant Investing at AXA IM, part of BNP Paribas, about some of the misconceptions about quant investing, including calling it a ‘black box’.
Describing it instead as “fundamental investing at scale”, Ram explains how sustainability portfolios can be built with clearly defined steps that show both the ESG overlays and the fund manager’s core fundamental decisions.
Asked on the impact of AI, Ram shares how the latest technology has transformed the fund’s investment toolbox - but that the market, despite all the quant analysis in the world, still keeps him on his toes.
01:38 Quant as fundamentals at scale
03:39 Separating ESG and returns
05:27 Machine learning toolbox
07:42 Markets keep changing
08:54 Mindset shift for ESG quants
We record on Gadigal land and we pay our respects to the traditional custodians of country and elders past and present.
https://www.fssustainability.com.au/

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Energy security vs net zero: What Australia’s new “fuel czar” means for investors
This week on The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar speaks with economist Nicki Hutley about energy security after the federal government appointed Anthea Harris as a new “fuel czar” to oversee Australia’s fuel supply amid Middle East conflict and rising oil and LNG prices.
Hutley explains how fuel supply risks flow through the whole economy—from transport and manufacturing to agriculture—and why petrol demand is relatively inelastic.
They discuss how short-term fuel security measures should not derail Australia’s net zero reduction targets, arguing governments can address near-term risks while accelerating renewable rollout and planning.
00:13 Energy security returns
01:03 Why a fuel czar?
02:08 Fuel shocks hit economy
04:39 Renewables and net zero
06:38 Keep transition moving
07:55 Investing in energy security
09:36 Uncertainty and budget watch
Links: https://www.nickihutleyeconomics.com.au/

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Australia’s mandatory climate reporting (2026): What investors need to know | Dr Mary Stewart (ERM)
This week on The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar speaks with Dr Mary Stewart of ERM about Australia’s new mandatory climate disclosure regime introduced in 2024 and what the first wave of calendar‑year reports, due next month, means for investors, boards, and markets.
Dr. Stewart frames climate as a knowable risk with opportunity, urging investors to look for clear, accessible disclosure of what companies know, don’t know, and how they will close gaps on issues like scope 3 and scenario analysis, and argues strong Australian reporting could raise global investor expectations.
01:29 What mandatory reporting is
02:22 Who must report first
03:41 Early report quality check
05:43 Adequate versus gold standard
07:23 CEO And CFO ownership
09:49 Sector risks and market impact
13:16 Investor checklist for disclosures
15:01 Australia sets global expectations
15:52 Wrap up and disclaimer

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Gender pay gaps in financial services: What WGEA’s new targets mean for employers & investors
In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar talks with Mary Wooldridge, CEO of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), about why gender equality in financial services matters and how new national reforms will affect employers, investors and super funds.
Wooldridge explains that WGEA collects yearly gender‑equality data from businesses with more than 100 employees and publishes their gender pay gaps. The latest results show some improvement, with an overall median pay gap of 11.2%, but a much higher 21.4% in financial services, along with ongoing imbalances across pay levels.
She also outlines new rules requiring large organisations to set and meet gender‑equality targets over three years, with public reporting and consequences for those that fall behind.
01:01 How pay gaps are measured
03:01 Key findings and stats
04:42 Financial services reality check
05:55 Reforms and target setting
06:58 Compliance and consequences
08:10 Choosing the right targets
09:44 What works in practice
11:56 Board and C-suite accountability
14:35 On ESG and gender equality
Links: WGEA Data Explorer

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

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