How to improve sustainability investing

+ research on arming teachers; the Catholic Church and exorcism US Edition - Today's top story: How a sustainability index can keep Exxon but drop Tesla – and 3 ways to fix ESG ratings to meet investors' expectations [View in browser]( US Edition | 28 May 2022 [The Conversation]( If you pay attention to investing, you’ve probably seen ESG funds and ratings. About one-third of all investments under management right now use these sustainability criteria, including a lot of pension funds. ESG ratings look at companies’ performance on environmental, social and governance issues on the theory that companies that manage those issues well are well managed overall so are likely to make money for investors. But a good ESG rating doesn’t necessarily mean a company is a good steward of the environment. Managers of the S&P 500 ESG Index set off a roiling debate over the value of ESG ratings last week when they dropped electric vehicle maker Tesla from their index while keeping the oil giant Exxon. A few days later, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission voted to propose new ESG disclosure rules. Tom Lyon, a business economics professor at the University of Michigan, explains what happened and offers [three ideas for how to make ESG investments better reflect investors’ expectations](. This week we also liked articles about [how “-gate” became attached to so many scandals](, the abortion-related [privacy risks from phones]( and research on [arming teachers with guns](. Stacy Morford Environment + Climate Editor Tesla CEO Elon Musk, shown at an electric vehicle factory, called ESG ratings ‘a scam’ after an index dropped Tesla. Maja Hitij/Getty Images [How a sustainability index can keep Exxon but drop Tesla – and 3 ways to fix ESG ratings to meet investors’ expectations]( Tom Lyon, University of Michigan Sustainable investing’s credibility took a hit when the S&P 500 ESG index dropped the electric vehicle-maker but kept the oil giant. The SEC is now considering new disclosure rules. A view of the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. John McDonnell/The Washington Post via Getty Images [How ‘gate’ became the syllable of scandal]( Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis Many of the coinages fail to differentiate the mundane from the momentous. Has the suffix’s overuse rendered it essentially meaningless? Where you’ve been and who you’ve interacted with are not difficult for governments and corporations to find out. Maskot via Getty Images [Impending demise of Roe v. Wade puts a spotlight on a major privacy risk: Your phone reveals more about you than you think]( Susan Landau, Tufts University Even a burner phone paid for with cash can reveal your identity and where you’ve been. A data privacy expert explains. - [Arming teachers – an effective security measure or a false sense of security?]( Aimee Huff, Oregon State University; Michelle Barnhart, Oregon State University Putting guns in the hands of schoolteachers is a popular idea among gun-owners and conservatives, but research suggests it may pose more problems than it solves. - [The Catholic Church’s views on exorcism have changed – a religious studies scholar explains why]( Joseph P. Laycock, Texas State University In the 1960s, the Catholic Church sought to downplay demonic possession, but its views since then have changed. - [Conflicts over language stretch far beyond Russia and Ukraine]( Stanley Dubinsky, University of South Carolina; Anyssa Murphy, University of South Carolina; Harvey Starr, University of South Carolina; Michael Gavin, University of South Carolina It’s common for people to live near others who speak a different – but similar – language. But generally, they handle their differences without violence. - [How important is the COVID-19 booster shot for 5-to-11-year-olds? 5 questions answered]( - [Protestants and the pill: How US Christians helped make birth control mainstream]( - [Where was the world’s first zoo?]( - [Want to expand computer science education? Educate more teachers]( - [A quest for significance gone horribly wrong – how mass shooters pervert a universal desire to make a difference in the world]( - [How to make performance reviews less terrible – especially given the challenges of supervising remote workers]( - [Skin grafts for burns injuries can lead to crippling scars – a drug that blocks the skin’s ability to respond to physical stimuli could promote healing, new research in pigs finds]( - [3 in 4 fundraisers have experienced sexual harassment on the job – often because of inappropriate behavior from donors]( - More from The Conversation US - Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Global Economy & Business]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. 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