Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

I am an ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) analyst with an alpha-centric approach to ESG research. After all, ESG investing is, first and foremost, investing. "Alpha-centric" does not mean apathetic, however. Quite the contrary. I believe global sustainability – i.e., environmental stewardship, social equality, and economic prosperity – is imperative, and private-sector capital is its cornerstone. Private-sector capital still has fiduciary responsibilities. Profitability is necessary for sustained impact. The Triple Bottom Line. People, Planet, AND Profit.

More importantly, you. I value your investment in Smartkarma research, and commit to Insights worthy of your time and money. That means giving ASEAN ESG the attention it deserves, and with Insights that are substantive and differentiated; the intersection of material and under-covered. You can expect investigative research into emergent ESG issues; data-driven analyses of deals (pre-IPO ESG research, ESG-focused M&A consequence analyses, etc.); and trading-oriented ideas like ESG short selling and playing ESG index constituency changes.

I bring both ESG expertise and traditional investing experience, as well as some rather unique perspectives on ESG (a lesson in governance from Enron, anyone?). I spent the last decade exclusively on ESG, researching links to equity returns, credit ratings, cost of capital, and yield spreads. I also contributed to ESG reporting standards (SASB and GRI), and the MBA curriculum (Impact Investing) at the Kellogg School of Management. Previously, I was an Institutional Investor and Wall Street Journal All-Star sell-side analyst at J.P. Morgan.

Please, feel free to contact me about anything.

Carbon Footprint of Freight Transportation and Logistics and Other ESG Issues

JD Logistics (京东物流) Pre-IPO - Tethered to JD Group and Looking Beyond

JD Logistics Pre-IPO: What Are the Concerns and Negatives?

In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/carbon-footprint-of-freight-transportation-and-logistics-and-other-esg-issues" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:48581" rel="noopener">Carbon Footprint of Freight Transportation and Logistics and Other ESG Issues</a>, I addressed the most material aspects of global freight and logistics – specifically, its carbon footprint and future direction thereof. It also conveyed optimism, a silver lining around a mostly negative ESG topic.<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jd-logistics" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31500:1" rel="noopener">JD Logistics (JDL HK)</a> is part of that silver lining, an unequivocal bright spot, and a company that is more "solution" than "problem" in what is otherwise a problematic space from a sustainability/ESG perspective. JDL is a clear leader in the "greening" and decarbonisation of global supply chains.This is especially important given JDL's China-focus, one of the two largest logistics markets worth nearly US$3 trillion (and growing) of the US$10-12 trillion global total. Whilst an economic boon, the yang that goes with that yin is GHG emissions, and China needs companies like JDL.

In Carbon Footprint of Freight Transportation and Logistics and Other ESG Issues, I addressed the most material aspects of global freight and logistics – specifically, its carbon footprint and future direction thereof. It also conveyed optimism, a silver lining around a mostly negative ESG topic.JD Logistics (JDL HK) is part of that silver lining, an unequivocal bright spot, and a company that is more "solution" than "problem" in what is otherwise a problematic space from a sustainability/ESG perspective. JDL is a clear leader in the "greening" and decarbonisation of global supply chains.This is especially important given JDL's China-focus, one of the two largest logistics markets worth nearly US$3 trillion (and growing) of the US$10-12 trillion global total. Whilst an economic boon, the yang that goes with that yin is GHG emissions, and China needs companies like JDL.

JD Logistics: More Solution Than Problem in a Problematic ESG Space