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.

Natural Asset Companies (NACs): New ESG Asset Class Aims to Transform Sustainable Capital Markets

SGX's New Low Carbon Index Outperformed Comparable Indices and With Less Volatility

SGX/NYSE Collaboration Agreement: Right Partners, Right Place, Right Products

Announcements keep on coming from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/singapore-exchange-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1047:1" rel="noopener">Singapore Exchange (SGX SP)</a> and its SGX FIRST sustainable investing platform. Weeks after launching Climate Impact X – SGX's carbon exchange joint venture with DBS, Standard Chartered, and Temasek – the exchange announced (on 14 June) the launch of the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sgx-nikkei-esg-reit-index-futures" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33480:1" rel="noopener">SGX Nikkei ESG-REIT Index Futures (JRTA INDEX)</a> contract.For SGX, the launch further solidifies its position as Asia's leading financial exchange for all things sustainable investing and finance (and of course, REITs). For investors, the ESG-REIT Index futures contract expands the menu of products for REIT-related ESG investing. That is far more significant than it sounds; Real Estate is a sleeping ESG giant of sorts, and investment products are lacking.Therein lies the second of two goals for this Insight. The first is, rather obviously, to delve into the SGX Nikkei ESG-REIT product – the underlying index and futures contract. The second is to take it as an opportunity to broach an important, but often underrated, topic – the relationships between ESG and the Real Estate sector, including REITs. Much of it positive, or at least potentially so.Think about it. One billion buildings in the world already, and expected to double by 2060.

Announcements keep on coming from Singapore Exchange (SGX SP) and its SGX FIRST sustainable investing platform. Weeks after launching Climate Impact X – SGX's carbon exchange joint venture with DBS, Standard Chartered, and Temasek – the exchange announced (on 14 June) the launch of the SGX Nikkei ESG-REIT Index Futures (JRTA INDEX) contract.For SGX, the launch further solidifies its position as Asia's leading financial exchange for all things sustainable investing and finance (and of course, REITs). For investors, the ESG-REIT Index futures contract expands the menu of products for REIT-related ESG investing. That is far more significant than it sounds; Real Estate is a sleeping ESG giant of sorts, and investment products are lacking.Therein lies the second of two goals for this Insight. The first is, rather obviously, to delve into the SGX Nikkei ESG-REIT product – the underlying index and futures contract. The second is to take it as an opportunity to broach an important, but often underrated, topic – the relationships between ESG and the Real Estate sector, including REITs. Much of it positive, or at least potentially so.Think about it. One billion buildings in the world already, and expected to double by 2060.

Mori Hills REIT Investment Corporation (3234 JP)

Japan Metropolitan Fund Investment Corporation (8953 JP)

Japan Metropolitan Fund Investment Corporation

Ichigo Office REIT Investment Corporation (8975 JP)

Ichigo Office REIT Investment Corporation

Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment (3249 JP)

Industrial & Infrastructure Fund Investment

Global One Real Estate Investment Corp (8958 JP)

Starts Proceed Investment Corporation (8979 JP)

NTT UD REIT Investment Corporation (8956 JP)

Japan Rental Housing Investment (8986 JP)

Mitsui Fudosan Logistics Park Inc (3471 JP)

Takara Leben Real Estate Investment Corp (3492 JP)

SGX Nikkei ESG-REIT Index Futures (JRTA INDEX)

SGX Nikkei ESG-REIT Index Futures Launch Is an Ideal Backdrop for an Important Topic: ESG and REITs