One of the world’s most powerful investors is again urging that chief executives rapidly and boldly embrace the green economy or be swept aside by a wave of faster, smarter competitors.
Two years ago Mr Fink shocked many observers by telling the leaders that BlackRock would be placing climate change and sustainability at the centre of its investment approach. This would include dumping stocks in companies heavily invested in thermal coal and by demanding that companies it invests in outline their exposure to climate change risks, their contribution to emissions and their plans to reduce them.
“Stakeholder capitalism is not about politics. It is not a social or ideological agenda. It is not ‘woke.’ It is capitalism.”“Stakeholder capitalism is not about politics. It is not a social or ideological agenda. It is not ‘woke,’” writes Mr Fink. “, [his emphasis] driven by mutually beneficial relationships between you and the employees, customers, suppliers, and communities your company relies on to prosper.
The businesses that flourish will be those that boldly leverage their advantages in expertise, market knowledge and capital during a period of fast transition to a decarbonised economy, he writes.
Start with China or forget it.