Sustainability in finance and insurance
Catalysts in the global sustainability shift
The financial services industry stands at a pivotal juncture in the sustainability landscape, increasingly recognised as both a critical driver and a key beneficiary of the global transition towards sustainable development. Global sustainable fund assets reached nearly $2.8 trillion at the end of 2023, highlighting a growing commitment to integrating long-term sustainability into financial practices.
Key ESG issues affecting the financial services industry include climate risk management, investment in sustainable projects, data privacy, cybersecurity, diversity and inclusion, ethical governance, transparency, and regulatory compliance.
How organisations handle these issues influences risk profiles, stakeholder trust, and long-term financial performance.
Finance & insurance case studies
Finance & insurance insights
Meet our specialist consultants for finance and insurance sustainability
Joaska Mischke
Director of Sustainability Solutions
Joaska leads strategic initiatives for our clients and embeds sustainability into organisations within an ever-evolving business landscape. As a specialist in sustainability, materiality, and transformation, Joaska excels at developing and integrating complete ESG and sustainability strategies. She has also successfully led numerous CSRD-aligned double materiality projects, both as part of broader strategies and standalone efforts. Her expertise in incorporating CSRD requirements into business processes ensures value creation beyond compliance.
Joaska attended the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) where she obtained an MSc in Management, Organisations and Governance. She also holds diplomas in Design Thinking from IDEO, Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge and Sustainable Business Strategy from Harvard Business School. She is a registered Associate at the Institute of Environment Management and Assessment (IEMA) and is a GRI-certified sustainability professional.
Will Bourns
Solutions Manager – Impacts and Dependencies
Will specialises in the quantification of corporate greenhouse gas emissions across direct operations and supply chains in a range of sectors. This enables Will and the team to create net-zero targets and align strategies for companies to halt the worst impacts of climate change by transitioning their companies to 1.5 degrees. Will’s love for the natural world has led him to work with organisations to understand Forest Land and Agricultural emissions (FLAG), associated targets as well risks and opportunities associated with climate and nature.
Will studied Zoology and Natural Sciences at the University of Liverpool and since graduating Will expanded his knowledge through memberships at PIEMA and EI. Before joining Simply Sustainable Will worked at a series of not-for-profit organisations from WWF to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home as well as We are Albert where he created an emissions calculator tool used by the film and TV industry to support the supply chain in quantifying its impact. Outside of work, Will volunteers at Care4Calais, a charity supporting asylum seekers and refugees in the UK and Europe.