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• Standard Chartered’s CSO Joins Ketan Patel to Discuss Global ESG Initiatives and Life Science Funding

In this installment of the Force for Good Show, host Ketan Patel interviews Marisa Drew, the Chief Sustainability Officer of Standard Chartered. The discussion explores how one of the world’s leading financial institutions is integrating ESG principles into its core lending and investment strategies.

Bridging the Financing Gap A major focus of the interview is the global “financing gap” for the United Nations SDGs. Marisa Drew explains that while trillions in capital are available, the challenge lies in effectively mobilizing those funds toward sustainable projects in emerging markets.

Key strategic points discussed include:

• The Transition to Net Zero: How Standard Chartered is supporting high-emission clients in their move toward carbon neutrality.
• Capital Mobilization: Why public-private partnerships are the key to unlocking large-scale investment in the global south.
• The Role of Technology: A look at how fintech and data are improving the transparency of sustainable investment outcomes.

Why It Matters For institutional investors and sustainability leaders, Drew’s insights highlight three critical market shifts:

1. Risk Management: The transition from view ESG as a “compliance checkbox” to seeing it as a fundamental part of financial risk assessment.
2. Impact Verification: The growing need for rigorous, data-driven reporting to prevent greenwashing in the banking sector.
3. Inclusive Finance: Why expanding access to capital for underserved populations is essential for global economic stability.

“Mobilizing capital toward sustainable outcomes is the great challenge of our generation,” noted Drew. “At Standard Chartered, we are committed to being a catalyst for that change.”

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