Earlier this year, we took the show on the road for our first episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast recorded live in London. We sat down in front of an audience with three guests to understand the direction of travel for sustainability, climate and the energy transition: What has changed in 2026, where are the challenges and where are the opportunities?
Today, we're bringing you highlights from that April 29 event. Sonja Gibbs, who is Managing Director of Global Markets and Policy at the Institute of International Finance (IIF), explains how sustainability is evolving into a broader conversation about business resilience that includes topics as wide-ranging as climate adaptation, innovation, infrastructure and energy security.
The IIF is a global network of financial institutions, and Sonja says that for many members, sustainability is "more integrated across business lines than so much of a separate silo."
The Iran war is contributing to this shift by bringing issues of energy security and energy affordability to the fore. "The Middle East conflict just highlights how fragile our global energy system is," Sonja tells us. "What it's leading to is really hard questions about what is the optimal energy mix in different countries and different regions."
Guest Steve Howard calls this "the next phase of the energy transition," in which renewables serve as a platform for business model innovation.
Steve is Vice Chairman of Sustainability at Singapore-based Temasek, a global investment firm with a net portfolio value of US$324 billion as of March 2025. He says that even while some business and government leaders shift attention toward energy security and affordability, they can't lose sight of the opportunities in sustainability.
"We know that tackling climate change gives us good economic growth," Steve says. "We also know an inclusive economy where you bring people out of poverty creates the best, widest economic growth. We all have to invest into that future."
And to understand the landscape for standards and reporting amid this geopolitical conflict and rising climate risks, we speak with Richard Barker, a member of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). Richard explains how the ISSB is focusing on adoption and implementation of its existing standards while setting new standards at a pace that makes sense for markets.
"In order to have a standard that works in a capital market context, it needs to be global and it needs to be mandatory," Richard says. At the same time, he says, "It's really important for us in this evolving world of sustainability reporting that we don't go faster than the market."
Further listening:
Further reading:
Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global
DISCLAIMER
By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.
Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).
This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.
S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.