Australia’s fast moving sustainability advisory and investment bank Pollination is on the growth path again, this time snaring a $20 million equity investment from Japan’s Mizuho Bank.
The Australian powerhouse founded by Martijn Wilder and Tony O’Sullivan just five years ago is set to spread further into global markets with the investment funding growth in Japan, South East Asian, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
The new partnership with the Japanese bank is all about global growth and utilising Pollination Australian and global expertise to bring new clients along on the journey.
Pollination will help Mizuho’s clients to develop and implement decarbonisation and nature strategies – especially those in “hard to abate sectors” such as resources, investment and finances to support their transition aspirations.
The new work will include client expansion in nature investment, including Taskforce on Nature-Related Disclosure readiness, natural capital and biodiversity strategy, and participation in carbon markets.
The sector is one of the latest to take the corporate stainability world by storm, albeit from a very low knowledge base and little understanding of the pathways needed to improve natural capital outcomes.
A new guidebook, Nature. Data. Action – a practical guide for getting started with nature intelligence, released by the advisory firm is designed to help. It targets companies in mining, property and industrial sectors accelerate their engagement with the nature crisis and teach them how to “minimise risk and grasp the opportunities on offer”.
New leadership
To help with its growth the company has also appointed a new chief operations officer.
Kalika Jayasekera comes from London’s Softbank Investment Advisers and previously the Blackstone Group where she was managing director and head of regulatory affairs and compliance for the EMEA regions.
Jayasekera joins such luminaries as former Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) chief executive Audrey Zibelman who sits on the company board.
Fast growth
It’s just five years since the company kicked off and it now has more than 250 clients across the globe, a footprint in four continents, a climate asset management business as well as a natural capital asset manager, which has raised more than US $1billion.
Martijn Wilder, founder and chief executive of Pollination said: “Mizuho Bank is a highly sophisticated partner in sustainable finance. This investment is a significant vote of confidence in our business, marking the beginning of a powerful strategic partnership that will accelerate our reach and impact.”
Yasuhiko Ushikubo, Mizuho Financial Group’s group chief sustainability officer said: “Clients face a wide range of issues and needs related to sustainability, and the pace of change is increasing. In order to support them, specialised knowledge on sustainability on a global basis is essential.
“Through this alliance with Pollination, a strong partner, we will support our clients in developing and implementing strategies to deal with these sophisticated problems, and contribute to resolving climate change issues and realizing a nature-positive future not only in Asia but the rest of the world as well”
No more excuses – or tripping points
Pollinatino’s new guidebook is in response to the recent Biodiversity COP 16 in Colombia.
“What we are hearing more and more is that leaders across mining, property and industrials recognise the need to act now on nature but don’t feel they are ready or able,” Pollination managing director Beth Keddie said.
“There’s a good understanding that clear and reliable data is key to understanding and mitigating the risk exposure companies face when it comes to nature. But many of those we talk to feel they don’t have access to the data they need or in the form they need to get started responding to the challenges of the nature agenda.”
“Where data should be a logical starting point for corporate action on nature, it is instead emerging as a commonly cited tripping point.”
Keddie added that the firm was hoping to dispel the idea that companies in heavily regulated industries are “not ready to act” because they don’t have access to the ideal data sets required despite having enough data to get started.
– w/ Tina Perinotto