Carlo Bellavite Pellegrini is Full Professor of Banking and Finance, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan in the Department of Economic Policy. His main research interests include banking and finance, corporate governance, ESG and sustainability, law and finance, law and economics, microfinance issues, corporate finance, and corporate histories of banks and industrial corporations.

Laura Pellegrini is Associate Professor of Banking and Finance, Research Fellow, Lecturer B at the University of Bari, Aldo Moro, Italy. Her main research interests include banking and finance, corporate governance, corporate finance, systemic risk and sustainability, law and finance, law and economics, political connections and corruption, and stability and efficiency issues in financial intermediaries.

Part I: Climate Change challenge, CSR, ESG issues: the state of the art.- Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapater 2: Self-consciousness and awareness as adaptation enablers.- Chapter 3: Climate change challenges and the policy makers initial response.- Chapter 4: SRI, ESG and Value of Sustainability.- Chapter 5: Consortium company, Circular Economy and ESG: the Comieco Case Study.- Chapter 6: Environmental, Social and Governance issues: the empirical literature review around the World.- Part II: ESG, Cost of Equity and Firm' Performance: empirical evidences across Industries around the World.- Chapter 7: ESG, cost of equity and Profitability in the Oil&Gas Sector.- Chapter 8: Automotive and tyre sector: sustainability as the new "value" for shareholders.- Chapter 9: How much does matter ESG ratings in Big Pharma Firms Performances?.- Chapter 10: Corporate Green Bond: Issuance and equity market reaction.- Chapter 11: The Sustainability Challenge for Asian Emerging Markets: some empiricalevidences.- Index.