Volume 2: Issue 2

When we think of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) we often put the E first. We desire solutions to the critical problems with the way humanity treats nature — we are not yet “at one” with nature. 

 

We at INTEGRATE would like to see ESG become GSE.  One cannot get to the E without first getting S right, and S cannot be achieved without first getting G right. Governance is where it all begins and is why it is the first of our five pillars. Governance starts at the board and in the C-suite. The first principles of how businesses work with society (employees and community) and the environment are set by the direction of CEOs and supported by their Boards. The Business Roundtable recently invited the idea of thinking about business as more than profit and maximizing shareholder value and returns.

 

We will explore this subject in great depth at our INTEGRATE Conference Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 at Fordham University, Gabelli School of Business in New York City. We will discuss not only the why, but the how of good governance as this conference is about adopting, operationalizing, and executing ESG innovation at scale.

 

For now, suffice it to say that becoming more regenerative in our social contracts and in our environmental impacts is a choice that happens at the top. It must be balanced with our “standard” business metrics, such as growth and profitability. These new standards must have equal weight or they will never flourish. You, as CEOs and CFOs, must be purpose-driven leaders and create the business models we need to deliver the change we want to see in our world.

 

 

Trenton Allen founded Sustainable Capital Advisors (SCA) in 2012 to build upon his successful career in the financial-services industry as an investment banker and financial advisor. Throughout his career, Mr. Allen has participated in over $30 billion of financings, including public debt offerings and private placements (debt and equity). Mr. Allen is a frequent speaker at major energy and infrastructure conferences and is widely regarded as a thought leader in the financing of clean energy projects. He served as an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Delaware, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, teaching the graduate level course Sustainable Infrastructure Finance. Mr. Allen serves on the boards of CleanEnergyWorks PaceNation and IREC. Mr. Allen is a graduate of Harvard College where he majored in Chemistry.