Leaders from Morgan Stanley, Citi, and The Carlyle Group spoke about the importance of sustainable finance.The discussion was part of Insider's virtual event"Financing Net-Zero," presented by IDA Ireland, which took take place on Thursday, May 13, 2021.
Morgan Stanley's Melissa James cited data showing that issuance in the ESG-labeled bond market was up significantly in 2020, with an 80% increase over 2019. Citi's Sandip Sen explained how the bank is working to bring clean-power companies into the fold of its investment banking division. Discussing private investments, The Carlyle Group's Megan Starr said that the ethos of the company focuses on defining impact as"change over time." Echoing James and Alexander on how better businesses translate to better bottom lines for companies, Starr said that a focus on ESG is not just a moral obligation — it's a financial one.