Projects

The Global insurer’s involvement in the illegal Israeli Occupation. This report by consumer watchdog SumOfUs reveals AXA’s investments in Israeli banks which in turn directly finance illegal Israeli settlements. It also highlights the ways in which Elbit Systems profits from supplying the Israeli military with a variety of banned and controversial weapons, as well as technologies used to sustain the occupation.

This report presents a benchmark for Voluntary Standard Systems (VSS) which comply with the FEFAC Soy Sourcing Guidelines. These are guidelines drafted by the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation as minimum criteria for the sourcing of soy, to avoid illegal deforestation and other sustainability risks.

Given the important role of Chinese demand in soy production, and of Chinese financial institutions in financing and investing in the soy value chain, CDP sought to better understand the investment and lending decisions of the Chinese financial institutions involved. This research examined the financial flows from Chinese financial institutions to companies participating in the soy supply chain, identified major players, and estimated the volume of investment exposed to deforestation risk.

This briefing sheds light on those European financial institutions which provide the largest support to key European coal power utilities, and reveals the ranking of the eight financial institutions most exposed to coal. These investors and creditors cannot keep such highcarbon assets in their portfolios without taking action, and have only two responsible options: exclude or engage forcefully.

Many fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies have publicly committed to a 2020 deadline to end deforestation in their supply chains. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that most FMCGs will not meet this deadline. NGO campaigns indicate increasing reputation risks for the sector. For an FMCG company, business risks related to tropical deforestation, such as market access risk, stranded asset risk, and the risk of higher costs of capital, contribute to only a small deviation in the total share value. However, reputation risk may become a much stronger value driver for them. This study explores the scientific knowledge on valuing this reputation risk.

This report exposes the risks behind doing business with companies directly tied to illegal deforestation in Bolsonaro’s Brazil. Europe and United States-based companies and financiers were identified here have now been made aware of their roles within their supply chains and portfolios. They should swiftly act upon this information to minimize exposure to the risks they run.

Using the methodology developed by Profundo together with the civil society organisations collaborating in the Fair Finance Guide International network, the Thai Fair Finance Guide coalition assessed and ranked the responsible credit and investment policies of the main Thais banks for the first time. Profundo provided training and advice to support their assessment. Want to learn about Fair Finance Guide? Watch this video: https://youtu.be/zdks3jqmvuw

Profundo researchers participated in the Belgian #EUarms bootcamp, organised by Lighthouse Reports and Bellingcat. In cooperation with Belgian journalists from Knack, Le Soir and VRT, the bootcamp investigated the sales of Belgian arms across the world, including to Saudi Arabia. The team used open-source intelligence to trace the arms in the conflict in Yemen.