By Mediatree, inspired by insights from Impactivise’s recent webinar and research
At Mediatree, we work closely with our partners across the corporate and financial ecosystem to decode the fast-evolving dynamics shaping investor communication.
Recently, Impactivise hosted a thought-provoking webinar: “Climate finance: so what now for CFOs, IROs, and CSOs?”, that explored how corporate leaders can navigate today’s shifting climate finance landscape.
Mediatree attended the discussion, which featured Patricia Gentile (A2A), Gianfranco Di Vaio (CDP) and Fabrizio Palmucci (Impactivise) and we came away with one clear message: Investor appetite for credible, climate-aligned assets remains strong, but the definition of credibility is changing.
From Green Fatigue to Green Demand
While narratives around “green fatigue” have gained traction, the data tells a very different story. As Impactivise highlighted in their analysis, institutional demand for climate-aligned corporate assets sits around $22 trillion, versus a supply of just $14 trillion.
That $8 trillion gap represents both an opportunity and a challenge. Investors are actively seeking credible transition stories, but credibility now requires more than ESG labels or ambitious targets. It demands evidence, integration, and financial fluency.
The Shift: From Targets to Tangible Capital Allocation
One of the most important takeaways from the Impactivise webinar was the changing nature of investor expectations.
Investors are moving beyond carbon metrics and sustainability ratings, they want to understand how capital allocation supports a company’s climate commitments.
As Gianfranco Di Vaio observed:
“Engagement with investors now outweighs labels.”
And Patricia Gentile added:
“Speak the same financial language — sustainability must show value creation.”
For Investor Relations Officers (IROs), this evolution means stepping into a pivotal role of translating the company’s sustainability ambitions into clear, financially grounded stories that resonate with capital markets.
IROs: Translators Between Climate and Capital
Impactivise’s work highlights that IROs are increasingly at the centre of climate finance credibility.
Their role bridges investors’ need for evidence with the company’s strategic and financial reality.
From the webinar and Impactivise’s broader research, three practical imperatives emerged:
- Master Climate Assessment Frameworks
Understand how investors assess climate performance, from SBTi to MSCI and TPI.
IROs who can contextualise these models and clarify where their company’s approach differs build confidence and avoid misinterpretation.
- Make Engagement Targeted and Two-Way
Organise dedicated climate-focused investor sessions in collaboration with CSOs and CFOs. Engagement shouldn’t just be about reporting progress, it should invite investor dialogue. Providing context on constraints, dependencies, and trade-offs helps investors see your transition plan as credible and grounded.
- Link Climate Ambition to Capital Allocation
Investors increasingly view capital allocation as the ultimate signal of authenticity.
IROs should clearly articulate how climate priorities influence financing, investment, and risk management decisions. This isn’t only about communicating targets, it’s about demonstrating how sustainability drives long-term business value.
The Cross-Functional Advantage
A recurring insight from the Impactivise webinar was that climate finance can no longer be siloed. True credibility comes from cross-functional collaboration between Finance, Sustainability, IR, and Strategy. When all functions align on evidence, language, and narrative, the company projects consistency and leadership, both of which investors reward.
Key Takeaways for IROs
- Credibility is the new currency. Investor appetite remains strong, but proof now outweighs promises.
- Understand investor logic. Learn how climate assessments shape perceptions, and proactively address gaps.
- Integrate climate and capital. Link sustainability to capital allocation and risk management to show financial relevance.
- Foster investor dialogue. Two-way engagement builds trust and clarifies investor expectations.
- Collaborate across the C-suite. Alignment between CFOs, CSOs, and IROs strengthens both narrative and impact.
From Ambition to Investor-Ready Strategy
Through their C-Bridge Framework, Impactivise helps CFOs, CSOs, and IROs bridge climate and capital, turning ambition into investor-ready strategies.
At Mediatree, we share this mission. As we continue to collaborate with Impactivise, our goal is to help companies communicate their climate narratives credibly, consistently, and in the language investors value most.
The message from the market is clear: demand for credible climate-aligned assets is strong. For IROs, the opportunity now lies in turning engagement into evidence, and in doing so, shaping the corporate stories investors want to invest in.
If you’re interested in watching the full webinar, it is available through the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNwZyAyqeMY