Only a decade ago, the idea of a standalone firm researching the environmental and social impact of corporate activity would have been dismissed out of hand. Yes, one or two ethical funds did exist, but only as a tiny cog within a large machine.

Today, green investment and, consequently, analysis of green issues is big business. And few organisations have done more to facilitate the change in attitudes than the Enhanced Analytics Initiative . An international collaboration between some of the world's largest institutional investors and asset managers, the EAI represents about €1,800bn (£1,336bn; $2,659bn) in assets under management. Its remit is to encourage sellside research of extra-financial issues, such as political and regulatory risks, the quality of human resources management, governance structures, the environment, corporate ethics and stakeholder relations.