Be Part of the Conversation At Climate Week NYC and Our Upcoming Events

Dr. Richard Scholz

Head of Impact Analysis

Dear readers,

This September, New York hosts two forums that shape the global agenda: Climate Week NYC, where business, finance, and civil society share approaches to environmental challenges, and the UN General Assembly, where governments set priorities for development and investment. We will contribute to both, demonstrating how health and impact are interconnected. 

International commitments on climate and health are one thing – action is another. In this edition of our newsletter, we explore how to turn broad goals into strategies that genuinely guide progress and investment. From Volkswagen’s use of Impact Valuation to Mitsubishi Chemical Europe’s evidence-based materiality assessment, to our TNFD Working Group on valuing impacts – we share approaches that translate visions into results.

Enjoy the read!

Best wishes,

Health and Finance on the Global Stage: Climate Week & UNGA80

WifOR is in New York to highlight the connection between health investments and their social and economic benefits.

📅 Climate Week NYC
🕒 September 25, 2025 | 4:00–5:30 PM EDT
🎤 Session: “Transition Valuation: The Future of Investment and Corporate Finance”
Hosted by Greenings and WifOR Institute as part of the Transition Valuation Project.
Learn more and register here.

📅 80^th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80)

🕒 September 24, 2025 | 3:30–5:30 PM EDT
🎤 Invitation-only roundtable: “Rethinking Health Investment in the Face of NCDs:  Building the Economic Case”
Contribution by Dr. Malina Müller (Head of Health Economics, WifOR), hosted by Foreign Policy.

Throughout these events, Laura Merz (Research Associate, Impact Analysis) will represent WifOR on site.
👉 If you are in New York and would like to connect, please feel free to reach out!

Free Masterclass – Maximizing the Value of Sustainability Data 

November 26th | 2:00–3:00 PM CET | Online 

The questions raised in New York mirror those faced by companies worldwide: Can ESG data move from reporting to shaping decisions? Tackling this challenge is the focus of our upcoming Masterclass. Together with Volkswagen, we will examine how Impact Valuation helps rebuild trust and embed sustainability into corporate strategy.

🎤 Speakers:

• Dr. Dirk Voeste (CSO, Volkswagen Group)
• Dr. Richard Scholz (Head of Impact Analysis, WifOR Institute)
• Katrin Ostwald (Senior Impact Strategist, WifOR Institute)

Join us to learn how Impact Valuation translates sustainability metrics into monetary terms – enabling organizations to compare impacts, manage risks, and benchmark performance more effectively.

👉 I want to join the Masterclass.

Case Study: How WISIT Enhanced Mitsubishi Chemical Europe’s Double Materiality Assessment

When preparing its double materiality assessment, Mitsubishi Chemical Europe encountered challenges that many companies face: qualitative judgments without objective scoring criteria, uncertainty about hotspots along the value chain, and a lack of stakeholder involvement.

By using WISIT – WifOR Institute’s Sustainability Impact Tool, Mitsubishi Chemical Europe complemented interviews with quantitative data and sector benchmarks. This created a transparent, audit-ready basis for deciding which ESG topics to prioritize.

🎯 The outcome: a structured, evidence-based assessment that supports CSRD compliance and strengthens internal decision-making.

👉 Learn more about WISIT here

TNFD Working Group: Key Takeaways & Heads-up
 

In the second session of our TNFD Working Group on Impact Measurement and Valuation, 25 participants from science and business came together to explore the practical applications, opportunities, and limitations of monetizing nature-related impacts.

Key takeaways:

• Monetization can strengthen decision-making. Participants stressed the value of beginning with sound estimates rather than waiting for fully validated metrics.

• While CO₂ and its consequences are often seen as a global challenge, biodiversity, land use, and water impacts are felt regionally. Starting with these areas helps highlight the direct benefits of action.

• Standards and transparency are key to credibility. Harmonized value factors and political guidance are needed to ensure consistency and prevent misaligned incentives. 

Led by Laura Merz (Research Associate, WifOR), the group is part of the German TNFD Consultation Group and continues to test approaches for operationalizing the framework. The next session takes place on October 23, 2025 (10:30 AM –12:00 PM CET). 👉 Register here.