Christmas is just around the corner, and many children are looking forward to it (which isn't necessarily the case for their parents). Gifts, lights, carols, food, togetherness - doesn't it all awaken a magical Christmas feeling in you?

Well... we have to say we're worried about the elves: with global demand set to rise in the coming weeks, they're going back to work at full turbo.

6 days a week, instead of 5 last year.

Santa Claus, the majority shareholder, has decided to increase weekly production to boost revenues, while cutting costs by sourcing cheaper raw materials and keeping the elves' monthly salaries stable. He's the only employer in the village, so he can.

You, dear reader, as a minority investor in Santa Claus SA, can help save the elves.

The way to do this is to make your investment in Santa Claus SA conditional on compliance with ESG standards. This is one of the fundamental principles of green finance.

Kezako?

Green finance is about using public and private money, through loans or equity, to support sustainability. This enables everyone to do their bit to help promote sustainability. Most green finance is linked to specific metrics, such as ESG criteria.

ESG rating integrates three pillars:

What's more, although Santa still has a long way to go to improve his ESG rating, he is a pioneer in green mobility: deliveries are made by reindeer, which emit much less carbon than planes.

So, by choosing to invest in organizations that take ESG criteria into account, you encourage the organization to adopt practices that are more respectful of people and the planet, while ensuring better governance.

Better still: did you know that there is a positive correlation between ESG rating and investment performance? There's less risk, too!

Help organizations become more open to the world around them.

Making your investments conditional on ESG ratings also encourages organizations to innovate, to look around them and to draw inspiration from other players inside and outside the sector!

And you know what that means: more agility = more chance of survival.

Hopefully, Santa will be inspired by the diversity practices of La Petite Souris Inc. or the circular economy approach of Compagnie du Lapin de Pâques....

So you get the message: how you invest your money will have a direct impact on the lives of elves, and influence Santa to make sustainable decisions that make good business sense.

As an individual or organization, if you want to give back in a more sustainable way, you can donate to WWF (environment), Restos du Cœur (social) or Amnesty International (governance), to name but a few.

You can also calculate your ecological footprint at the following link, and start taking action today.

At AquaFin, we believe that everyone can have an impact on the world: it's an incredible place to live, so let's take care of it! That's why we integrate sustainability into all our training programs, whether they focus on strategy, finance, leadership, governance or project management.

We also organize training courses specifically on the theme of business and sustainability, based on La Fresque du Climat.

So if you or your organization is interested in ESG investment or green finance, or if you think you could explore these topics, let's talk!

Season's greetings,

The AquaFin team.