Podcasts about responsible investment pri

In this episode, we explore the transformative power of stewardship in the investment world. Moving beyond short-term gains, we focus on long-term value creation and tackling pressing issues like climate change. We'll discuss the need for increased industry-wide stewardship resources and how investors can leverage active ownership to drive positive change. Join us as we hear from Emmet McNamee, Head of Progression and Innovation at the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) discussing the growing importance of stewardship resources and Kim Farrant, General Manager, Responsible Investment at HESTA sharing their practical approach to active ownership. Resources mentioned: The Cambridge Principles: System stewardship for universal owners Untools: Iceberg model Research paper: Putting resources where stewardship ambitions are Framework: The Stewardship Resources Assessment Framework Report: Global Stewardship Resourcing Survey Data Report

May 2024 – Responsible Investment Trends for Asset Owners In this podcast you will hear the key pension news from the last month summarised by Aon's Jennifer Michel and John Harney. This month Jennifer and John are joined by Eilidh Wagstaff from the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and Craig Campbell from Aon's Responsible Investment Team to discuss the key developments of Responsible Investment and the practices asset owners can adopt to be ahead of peers. Further information: Read HMRC's April Newsletter: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pensions-schemes-newsletter-158-april-2024/newsletter-158-april-2024 Read the Pensions Regulator's latest review of climate-related disclosures: https://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/media-hub/press-releases/2024-press-releases/review-shows-how-pension-trustees-are-addressing-climate-risks-and-opportunities Read the PRI's ‘Global responsible investment trends: Inside PRI reporting data' as mentioned in the interview: https://www.unpri.org/investment-tools/global-responsible-investment-trends-inside-pri-reporting-data/12222.article#storytext-end Read the DWP's quick start guide for pension trustees regarding the Taskforce on Social Factors as mentioned in the interview: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/considering-social-factors-in-pension-scheme-investments-a-guide-from-the-taskforce-on-social-factors/quick-start-guide-for-pension-trustees Read the FCA's scenario analysis guide for asset managers: https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/corporate/cfrf-guide-2023-scenario-analysis-guide-asset-managers.pdf Watch the PRI's ‘A legal framework for impact': https://www.unpri.org/policy/a-legal-framework-for-impact/4519.article Listen to Aon's New Investment Insights Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/investment-insights-podcast/episode-1 Email us your topic suggestions, comments and questions to TalkToUs@aon.com

In this episode of the ESG Insider podcast, we're talking to David Atkin, the CEO of Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).   David shares his takeaways from Climate Week NYC, where he spoke during an event hosted by S&P Global Sustainable1. He also tells us what to expect from the PRI in Person conference taking place in Tokyo Oct. 3-5. And he talks about the role of Asia in the transition to a low-carbon economy, the importance of a just transition, and the collaboration that needs to happen between Climate Week NYC and COP28, the UN's big climate conference taking place in Dubai later this year.    "The public sector and the private sector need to work together. But you need to have companies who've got R&D budgets that are creating technology innovation that investors can get behind and provide the capital," David tells us. "That can only happen at a scale if public sector comes to the party and provides the right policy settings but also creating the right project pipeline.”  PRI is an industry association of investors around the globe who have signed up to the PRI's principles, which focus on incorporating ESG issues into investment practice. The organization has more than 5,000 signatories around the globe, representing more than $120 trillion in assets under management.  Find prior episodes for Climate Week NYC here: Unpacking government's role in catalyzing low-carbon solutions: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/unpacking-government-s-role-in-catalyzing-low-carbon-solutions At Climate Week NYC, seeking solutions at the nexus of climate, water and social issues https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/at-climate-week-nyc-seeking-solutions-at-the-nexus-of-climate-water-and-social-issues At Climate Week NYC, using collaboration to tackle supply chain emissions https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/at-climate-week-nyc-using-collaboration-to-tackle-supply-chain-emissions On the ground at Climate Week NYC: The challenge of Scope 3 emissions https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/on-the-ground-at-climate-week-nyc-the-challenge-of-scope-3-emissions What to expect from Climate Week NYC:  https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/what-to-expect-from-climate-week-nyc-2023 This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.  Copyright ©2023 by S&P Global DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.  

Mitch Reznick is the Head of Sustainable Fixed Income at Federated Hermes and the Co-Portfolio Manager of the company's SDG Engagement High Yield Credit Fund.  With over 23 years experience in the corporate credit industry, he was previously the Co-Head of Credit Research for the global credit team at Fortis Investments, and prior to that was an associate analyst in the leveraged finance group at Moodys Investors Service in New York.Mitch has a Master's in International Affairs from Columbia University, a Bachelor's in history from Pitzer College and is a CFA charterholder.  He is Co-Chair of the Federated Hermes Sustainability Investment Centre and holds several advocacy roles, including founding board member of the European Leveraged Finance Association (ELFA); Co-Chair of the Credit Risk and Ratings Advisory Committee at the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and workstream member CFO Coalition for the SDGs of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). Formerly, Mitch was Co-Chair of the Capital Markets Advisory Committee of the IFRS Foundation; member of the Sovereign Working Group (PRI); workstream member of the UK-China Green Finance Task Force; and served on the Green Finance Advisory of the City of London.In today's episode, Mitch recounts that it was early in his career while working in the leveraged finance team at Moody's that he fell in love with finance in general and specifically with the high yield corporate credit world. He later moved to London as a high yield fund manager for Fortis Investments and then left in 2008 for Federated Hermes as part of a team hired to rebuild the credit business in the wake of the global financial crisis.Mitch discusses how early on he observed that Federated Hermes was well-placed to bring sustainable fixed income solutions to the market and since then he has been focused on ESG integration and building investment solutions that deliver financial returns while delivering positive change for society and the environment with engagement being the catalyst.  Mitch describes in detail the Federated Hermes SDG Engagement High Yield Credit Fund which he is Co-Manager. He discuss at length the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and what they mean in the fixed income space.We talk about greenwashing, ‘greeniums', ‘step-ups', transition bonds and much more.Mitch is active on a number of technical working groups and work streams that are currently developing the connection between sustainability and fixed income investments. As a representative of a large investor in the fixed income space, he is very much in the flow of this evolution and represents the current thinking on the subject.About the SRI 360° Podcast: The SRI 360° Podcast is focused exclusively on sustainable & responsible investing. In each episode, Scott Arnell interviews a world-class investor who is an accomplished practitioner from all asset classes. In my interviews, I cover everything from their early personal journeys—and what motivated and attracted them to commit their life energy to SRI—to insights on how they developed and executed their investment strategies and what challenges they face today. Each episode is a chance to go way below the surface with these impressive people and gain additional insights and useful lessons from professional investors. Connect with SRI 360°: Sign up for the free weekly email update: https://sri360.com/newsletter/ Visit the SRI 360° PODCAST: https://sri360.com/podcast/ Visit the SRI 360° WEBSITE: https://sri360.com/ Follow SRI 360° on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SRI360Growth/Follow SRI 360° on FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SRI360Growth/

Brian interviews Katie Wheatley. Katie serves as Head of Canada for the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), and is based in Montreal, Quebec. At the PRI, she works with a broad network of institutional investors to build sustainable markets that contribute to a more prosperous world for all. Katie's approach to responsible investment is informed by her previous work across Canada in community development, Indigenous rights recognition, and environmental conservation. We'll focus on institutional investment, and the trend towards investing responsibly. We'll unpack the acronym 'ESG,' talk about motivations in pursuing RI, what it means in practice, and what Katie's work at the PRI involves.

In this episode of Hymans Robertson On... our host, Ben Farmer, presents the latest instalment in our Investment series and is joined by Olivia Mooney, Responsible Investment Consultant, and Paul Chandler, Director of Stewardship at the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). During the episode, we discuss the importance of stewardship, take a look at what good stewardship means in practice and the future of stewardship.

Fiona Reynolds is the CEO of Conexus Financial. She served as the CEO of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) for over nine years. As part of her role in the UK, she was on the board of a number of organisations including UN Global Compact, Climate Action 100+, the UK Green Finance Institute, the Greening the Belt and Road Global Committee, and the Asset Owners Net Zero Alliance Fiona has 25 years' experience in the financial services and pension sector. She joined the PRI from the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST), where she spent seven years as CEO. Fiona was named one of the 20 most influential people in sustainability globally by Barron's magazine and has twice been named one of Australia's one hundred women of influence by the Australian Financial Review. Fiona also serves on the Board of Frontier Investment Consulting, the investment Committee of the Laudes Foundation and Advisory Boards of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, PWC, Affirmative Investment Management and the Advisory board of BASF.On this episode of Outside In Fiona talks with Jon about her unconventional start, a failed coup at the PRI, '80s rock and balancing people, profit and planet. Fiona also discusses how responsible investing has gone mainstream on her watch, with the resulting increase in risk to ethos and ethics, and how she has followed the money to change the world.

Join Ed and Ron for a deep dive on the problems with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, or lack thereof. ESG has replaced the Triple Bottom Line and began to receive global attention due to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) report, and is seen as a means for advancing the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SEC is now proposing regulations that will force public companies to disclose environmental risk factors, at tremendous cost. What could go wrong? Quite a lot. Metrics for ESG are completely subjective, nor grounded in empirical reality as demonstrated when three different ESG watchdogs rated Tesla: Best, Worst, and Middling. How helpful. If an oil company is rated, it is automatically Worst (unless it is Gazprom in Russia, which received a very high ESG rating before the Ukraine invasion), even though oil companies saves countless lives every single day. For all these reasons and more, we dissent from the hokum being pushed by advocates of ESG.

Join Ed and Ron for a deep dive on the problems with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, or lack thereof. ESG has replaced the Triple Bottom Line and began to receive global attention due to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) report, and is seen as a means for advancing the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SEC is now proposing regulations that will force public companies to disclose environmental risk factors, at tremendous cost. What could go wrong? Quite a lot. Metrics for ESG are completely subjective, nor grounded in empirical reality as demonstrated when three different ESG watchdogs rated Tesla: Best, Worst, and Middling. How helpful. If an oil company is rated, it is automatically Worst (unless it is Gazprom in Russia, which received a very high ESG rating before the Ukraine invasion), even though oil companies saves countless lives every single day. For all these reasons and more, we dissent from the hokum being pushed by advocates of ESG.

Join Ed and Ron for a deep dive on the problems with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, or lack thereof. ESG has replaced the Triple Bottom Line and began to receive global attention due to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) report, and is seen as a means for advancing the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SEC is now proposing regulations that will force public companies to disclose environmental risk factors, at tremendous cost. What could go wrong? Quite a lot. Metrics for ESG are completely subjective, nor grounded in empirical reality as demonstrated when three different ESG watchdogs rated Tesla: Best, Worst, and Middling. How helpful. If an oil company is rated, it is automatically Worst (unless it is Gazprom in Russia, which received a very high ESG rating before the Ukraine invasion), even though oil companies saves countless lives every single day. For all these reasons and more, we dissent from the hokum being pushed by advocates of ESG.

In this episode we feature Luo Nan, Head of PRI China. Listen to learn more about the history of establishing and building the responsible investment movement in China, including climate-related investments. Nan has a wealth of experience in climate change. Before joining PRI in 2017, she was the Head of Institutional Infrastructure Investment at the British Embassy in Beijing, where she lead on attracting Chinese capital investment into UK renewable energy and infrastructure activities. We cover the story of moving from 10 to 80 China-based signatories of the Principles for Responsible Investment in a matter of years, the role of foreign asset owners in Chinese ESG investment, and how carbon pricing lessons from Sweden may be helpful for decarbonization. Relevant links: Luo Nan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nan-luo-91184516/ PRI: https://www.unpri.org/ PRI China Launch: https://www.unpri.org/news-and-press/pri-hires-first-ever-head-of-china/353.article

The recent meteoric rise of ESG or sustainable investing is both compelling and undeniable. Today, more than 3,500 asset managers and related organizations representing more than $120 trillion in assets under management subscribe to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), which are a set of voluntary and aspirational principles that encourage the incorporation of ESG factors into investment decisions.But as more and more professional investors publicly proclaim their ESG and sustainability bona fides, real questions persist as to both their sincerity and their actual impact on the pressing social and environmental challenges of our day—most notably, climate change. Tariq Fancy served as the first Chief Investment Officer for Sustainable Investing at BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager. But since leaving the firm, he has become a prominent critic of the efficacy of ESG investing and the greenwashing efforts of many investment firms and a strong proponent of policy solutions to address climate change.In this episode, hosts Chad Reed and Jeff Eckel dive deep with Tariq into the heart of ESG investing and the sustainable capitalism movement. We also speak with Tariq about the mission and initiatives of the education technology nonprofit he now leads—Rumie. We hope you find this discussion as insightful and thought-provoking as we did.LinksThe Secret Diary of a Sustainable InvestorSEC Chair Gary Gensler: Prepared Remarks Before the Principles for Responsible Investment “Climate and Global Financial Markets” Webinar (07.28.21)United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)RumieTariq Fancy on LinkedIn

There has been a lot in the press recently about activist investors, the increasing importance of ESG, and how big money can move the needle on climate.Here on this podcast, I've had a number of episodes related to ESG and investing as well. In this week's show, I'm talking to Rob Gardner. Rob is the Director of Investments at St. James's Place Wealth Management, where he is responsible for growing and protecting the wealth of over 850,000 clients totaling over 145 billion pounds. Rob describes himself as a financial activist "on a mission to make money a force for good for people and the planet and create ‘financial wellbeing in a world worth living in'"We had a fascinating conversation covering everything like different approaches to investing,  the power of your pension, and the importance of biodiversity for climate mitigation. I especially loved Rob's 'practical steps anyone can take today' advice: contact your HR department to ask about how your pension is invested. When I looked into my own pension, it turns out it is with VidaCaixa who are committed to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) that Rob referred to in the podcast. I also loved Rob's take on how crypto could potentially help out. WhaleCoin anyone? This was a truly fascinating episode of the podcast and as always, I learned loads, I hope you do too.If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to leave me a voice message over on my SpeakPipe page, head on over to the Climate 21 Podcast Forum, or just send it to me as a direct message on Twitter/LinkedIn. Audio messages will get played (unless you specifically ask me not to).And if you want to know more about any of SAP's Sustainability solutions, head on over to www.sap.com/sustainability, and if you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show. Thanks.And remember, stay healthy, stay safe, stay sane!Music credit - Intro and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper

Pension fund trustees in the United Kingdom are now under a fiduciary obligation to manage environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks on behalf of the members of the fund. This is not an easy duty to fulfil.That is partly because pension fund trustees cannot simply choose what they believe to be right in terms of ESG. They must ensure the fund has sufficient assets to pay the promised pensions (in defined benefit, or DB, schemes) or maximise the value of the pension portfolio of the members (in defined contribution, or DC, schemes).Trustees have somehow to demonstrate that they take ESG fully into account, without causing financial detriment to the fund. Needless to say, there is no shortage of investment consultants and asset managers willing to declare that this is a bogus dilemma, because ESG-driven funds will outperform in future years.The “wall of money” ESG strategies are attracting may prove them right, even after taking into account the massive transactions costs of transitioning to an ESG-driven strategy.But proving ESG credentials will take more than ditching managers that buy oil, mining, tobacco and firearms stocks and appointing managers that invest in renewable energy, or adding an ESG fund to the defined contribution pension plan roster, or signing up to the United Nations-backed Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI).It will take data, not just to choose investments but to convince members and regulators that the fund is fulfilling its duty to take ESG seriously.The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has told trustees that they ought to sign up to the Stewardship Code published by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). Its purpose is to encourage the “responsible allocation, management and oversight of capital to create long-term value for clients and beneficiaries leading to sustainable benefits for the economy, the environment and society.”Trustees have since October 2019 had to include in their Statements of Investment Principles verbiage on how they vote at AGMs and how they engage with the companies they invest in – even though the switch to passive investing makes it virtually impossible for some funds to do this.In addition, trustees must (since October 2020 for DC schemes from 1 October 2021 for DB schemes) report how they fulfilled their ESG responsibilities in the previous year, in online, publicly available statements.Although there is no shortage of consulting services and ratings from the major investment consultants, and a wide variety of other products from data vendors, rating agencies, technology vendors and global custodian banks – many of which want asset managers as clients, not asset owners – the extent and quality of the data about ESG factors falls far short of what is required to make informed and convincing public statements.This Future of Finance webinar will explore what ESG data is available, where the most serious shortcomings lie, and what is needed to fix them Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CFA Society Chicago member Rich Excell, CFA, talks with Fiona Reynolds, the CEO of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) on the catalyst in the move away from maximizing shareholder value to a focus on all stakeholders to the firm. Over half of the world’s investable AUM are now PRI signatories so this is a must listen for anyone in the investment industry. Connect with Rich on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/richexcellcfa/ and Twitter @ExcellRichard  Connect with Fiona on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/fiona-reynolds-6b987168/ and Twitter @Fireynolds Podcast References: https://www.unpri.org/ For more episodes go to www.cfachicago.org/podcasts  

Sustainability and financial risk has been two separate topics for corporate reporting. This is changing. Do we need Chief Value Officers who integrate the two: the company's impact on the external environment, and vice versa, the environmental impact on the company? How will your business make money in a world that has met the Sustainable Development Goals? Who are the people in the boardrooms, and what knowledge and competencies do they need for ensuring that the business operates inside some set planetary boundaries, and give long-term value for shareholders? Guests: Turid Solvang, founder and executive director of FutureBoards. Former head of the Norwegian Institute for Directors. Martin Skancke, Chair of Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). Headed the Norwegian Commission on Climate Risk in 2018, and is a member of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures. As usual, the hosts are Kim Gabrielli (UN Global Compact Norway) and Øystein E. Søreide (Abelia). Producer: Kristian Tvedt Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/t7rbdu/IAJ_ChrisFowle_032321.mp3 Stewart: Who doesn’t want to talk about ESG these days and why not go to the source? Today, we are joined by Chris Fowle of PRI. Chris, welcome. Chris: Thanks, Stewart. It’s great to be with you. Stewart: It is great for you to be here. My name’s Stewart Foley and this is The […]

How the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) helps insurers get started and make progress in ESG integration

Fiona Reynolds, Managing Director of Principle for Responsible Investment (PRI) was Interviewed LIVE on "The Traders Network” hosted by David Nelson at the UNCTAD U.N Sustainable Stock Exchange (SSE) Event. It was held at the New York Stock Exchange on September 24, 2015.Interview featured on iHeart Radio and equities.com.To inquire about being a guest on this show or others: Matthew Bird CommPro Worldwide C: +1 (646) 401-4499 E: matt@commpro.com W: www.commpro.com Visit: http://tradersnetworkshow.com for more details about the show.

For many investors, the financial outcome of their investments is not their only objective. Some investors are also interested in the impact and role of their investments in promoting sustainability and responsible actions. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing is a term for investments aiming for long-term positive impact on society and the environment with positive financial returns. For instance, the world's largest asset manager BlackRock recently stated in their 2020 Letter to Our Clients that “sustainability should be our new standard for investing”. They see especially climate risk as a transition and investment risk for investors, and for their portfolios. Sustainability-oriented portfolios can provide higher risk-adjusted returns. On efficient markets, returns are viewed as compensation for taking on risks, and therefore sustainability-oriented investing should not yield excess returns. The Bank of Finland (BoF) has had responsible investment practices in place for several years. It takes into account the risks and sustainability aspects related to investment activities. By signing the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in December 2019, BoF committed to incorporating environmental and social, and corporate governance issues into its investment decisions and ownership policies and practices. One might ask, is ESG investing about achieving higher risk-adjusted returns? Can responsible investing work to mitigate risks during poor economic times for investors, i.e., work as a kind of insurance against bad times? How does the BoF actually implement responsible investment strategy? Find out answers to these and other timely questions by listening Niclas Meyer, post-doctoral researcher at Hanken with Anna Hyrske, Principal Responsibility Specialist at Asset Management Department, Bank of Finland podcast on ESG investing!

Ben Constable-Maxwell is Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing at M&G Investments, leading the strategy on impact investing as well as covering sustainability issues such as climate change and the circular economy.  He has been central to the development of ESG integration within M&G’s investment processes and has supported the development of ESG solutions for clients across asset classes.  Ben plays an active industry role as a member of various sustainable and impact investment initiatives, interacting with companies, policymakers, NGOs and other investors. He is a Trustee at Firefly International youth organisation, which provides educational and mental health support for young people in conflict-affected areas in the Balkans and Middle East.  Previous to joining M&G in 2003, Ben spent four years with the Equities team at Invesco Perpetual.  He has an honours degree in Classics from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Highlights:  “We have a responsibility to integrate ESG across our suite of investments and asset classes” If you think about the the issues that drive performance, the issues that really can cause major blow ups, often they're ESG related. Data breach, oil spills, falling faul to a major diversity and inclusion related scandal are all things that can hit the reputation and bottom line of consumers. We just think you have to take into account all these risk whether ESG funds or not, right across all $350B assets. “We have a suite of ESG funds that covers different asset classes. Over the last 10 years, in particular the past 4-5 years, the ESG integration programs across M&G started in equities and fixed income, but is now broadening out to all asset classes on behalf of clients. All of them now say they embrace and integrate and ESG approach.” We have to and our clients wants specifically designed funds with clearly articulated ESG integration programmes  Impact financing fund - Private debt investments in liquid debts investments that have a net positive impact such as social housing, energy efficiency and green buildings, renewable energy infrastructures ESG needs to be managed and communicated just as how the risk function has evolved over the past 10-15 years. There is expectation from clients that ESG is an important part of the process. It’s not just the ESG team, it has to come from the leadership. Companies are not just seeing this as a leadership issue, they are seeing this as a survival issue. Shifting from competitive, moated competitive advantage thinking to a open-minded, supportive, collaborative approach. Mindset shift in healthcare sector with Covid - the role is not just to protect your IP and generate super normal returns but to provide healthcare and save lives. M&G Triple “I” framework: Investment, Intentionality, Impact. Investment: sustainable business models, good company, long-term. Intention comes from purpose, clarity of purpose and authenticity. Examples of KPIs - Millions of tons of greenhouse gas saved, avoidance of virgin material and use of virgin forest. Millions of trees saved, millions of people accessing financial services in underserved communities. Move from a shareholder primacy perspective to a stakeholder responsibility perspective. A company should genuinely be thinking about its responsibilities to all stakeholders and future generations. Impact adjusted accounting approach - we need a new accounting system for the 21st century. Collaboration is at an all time high, to navigate the complexity of changes and behaviours we need.  Time Stamp: [03:00] What is sustainable and impact investing? [05:00] What does M&G do? [10:00] ESG issues and integration programs [12:00] Positive impact fund [15:00] ESG as an ongoing process [20:00] Evolution of risk functions and ESG [22:00] Internal asset owner and leadership expectation  [26:00] Oil and gas, BP, Climate Action 100 [28:00] Measuring impact and “Triple I” framework [35:00] Competitive markets, collaborations and partnerships [38:10] Redesign capitalism [41:00] Stakeholder capitalism, behavioural change and leaders [42:00] The purpose of a company [46:23] Are we at an inflection point? Authentic and ethical? [48:00] Call-to-action Useful link: Ben Constable Maxwell - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ben-constable-maxwell-593b9b12b M&G Global Positive Impact Fund https://www.mandg.co.uk/adviser/funds/positive-impact-fund/gb00bg884724/ John William Olsen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwilliam Thembeka Stemela Dagbo - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thembeka-stemela-dagbo-78aa3a2a Veronique Chapplow - https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronique-chapplow-1b544a12 Richard Sherry https://uk.linkedin.com/in/richard-sherry-94b58668 Climate Action 100 Plus - http://www.climateaction100.org/ The Impact Management Project - website (https://impactmanagementproject.com/) GIIN https://thegiin.org/ GIIN IRIS+ framework - video (https://youtu.be/80-_j2s8Tbg)   The Investment Association - website (https://www.theia.org/) The Global Reporting Initiative + The Global Reporting Standards - website (https://www.globalreporting.org/) SASB (https://www.sasb.org/) George Sarafeim, Harvard Business School, Impact Weighted Accounts (https://www.hbs.edu/impact-weighted-accounts/Pages/default.aspx) UN Principle for Responsible Investment - PRI (https://www.unpri.org/) Big Four ESG reporting framework standards (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ila-and-partners_big-four-accounting-firms-unveil-esg-reporting-activity-6714852025818984449-Xt0k) . Deloitte + Ernst & Young  + KPMG + PwC -------- Connect with JP Dallmann on Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jp-dallmann/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/JPDallmann) , or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/inspiredbyjp/) . Contact us to help you transition into Sustainable & Impact Investing - ILA & Partners (https://www.linkedin.com/company/impact-leaders-advisors) How to incorporate SDGs into your business model - Fast Forward 2030 (http://fastforward2030.com/) Impact Leaders is produced by Podcast Publishing (http://podcastpublishing.help/) -------- Important: The content shared on this podcast does not constitute a request, offer, recommendation or solicitation of any kind to buy, subscribe, sell or redeem any investment instruments or to perform other such transactions of any kind.

The EU Parliament recently passed a law introducing a labelling system for what can be considered “green.” Nathan Fabian, Chief Investment Officer of UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) explains why we need precise definitions around what can be labelled “green” and how companies and investors can use the taxonomy regulation to report their environmentally sustainable activities. 

Nathan Fabian is Chief Responsible Investment Officer with the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). The PRI believes that financial markets today have not adequately priced-in the likely near-term policy response to climate change. In this podcast, we talk about the release of the Inevitable Policy Response, a project that aims to prepare investors for the associated portfolio risks. Overview of Nathan Fabian, PRI, podcast: 1:30 You were an advisor to Senator Penny Wong. What was that about? 2:00 What does a Chief Responsible Investment Officer do? 4:30 The PRI recently launched its Inevitable Policy Response. What is inevitable about it? 6:00 It can be hard, sitting in Australia, to see how political neutral climate is as an issue in most countries in the world. 9:00 Coal: “Institutional Investors broadly have already made a judgement on coal.” 11:00 Coal: “We are really just exiting a legacy industry at this point.” 13:00 Stranded assets: “A fire sale of assets is not going to be in the interest of institutional investors.” 14:30 How do you translate the uncertainties of climate risk into a valuation model? Is it possible? 16:00 Give your best estimate and adjust your valuation along the way. You can’t just ignore it. 17:00 We did some asset level modeling to get estimates. 18:45 Australia is still considered in the policy paper as a country that will phase out coal in an early stage. Why? 20:00 Is there a danger that the message will get lost in the turmoil of the pandemic? 20:30 “Will the support packages under the pandemic prolong the life of companies that were already struggling? That certainly is a risk” 22:30 “Are we accelerating the energy transition, or are we propping up companies that we are going to have to unwind anyway in the future? We are at important crossroads.” 24:30 “There is this myth around the green transition that you have to come up with unproven technologies that are going to radically transition our economies. But most of the opportunities are there and they exist in all sectors of the economy.” 26:00 “We think land use has been overlooked. But we expect a lot of change in this sector.” 27:30 So what are the next steps with the policy paper?

Nico chats to Will Martindale, Director of Policy & Research at Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). They discuss PRI's role in driving sustainable finance, the importance of stewardship activities and the role that policy can have in driving a green recovery to COVID-19 crisis.

Carnot Capital is an investment management company, specialized in the area of energy and resource efficiency. Carnot Capital is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and measure the impact of their investments by mapping the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Andres Gujan is the Cofounder and Portfolio Manager at Carnot Capital. Andres Gujan was an analyst for engineering, real estate and electricity companies at Valartis Bank. In this context he was responsible of the investment portfolio of Valartis Bank, has been a consultant for institutional clients and involved in the issue of derivative investment products. Prior to that, he held leading positions in financial analysis at Bank Vontobel and at Kepler Equities, where he was a responsible analyst for the first share placement of BKW FMB Energy. Andres Gujan started his career at UBS. Andres Gujan is a graduate of the University of St. Gallen (lic.rer.publ.HSG) and is a chartered financial analyst (CFA). Dominique Sekyra is the Head of Business Development at Carnot Capital. Dominique used to work for Knight Vinke (Switzerland) AG where he was responsible for Investor Relations. Prior to this, Dominique worked for the UHNWI team of Bank Vontobel AG's Private Bank. Dominique holds a Master of Science (MSc) in International Business Economics from the University of Westminster in London. Highlights: “We don’t buy sustainability reports, we buy good companies” “At the time there were a lot of sustainable funds around, but we thought that these funds were not that sustainable. Because sustainability is also a financial aspect. A lot of these funds disappeared because they were investing in business models that were not sustainable in the end. So companies that went basically bust.” Carnot capital has two well established  funds - Carnot Efficient Energy Fund and Carnot Efficient Resource Fund. They also recently launched a circular economy index together with Bank Vontobel. Investing in established companies with products and services in industrial, transport and buildings technology, rather than energy transition into renewables. They also invest in resource efficiency such as food sector for example fisheries, agriculture, clean air and clean water. “And only if you ask those specific questions, you actually drill a little bit deeper than the usual biannual analyst call which is mainly very financial heavy, and governance heavy. We are able to ask a different set of questions to competing funds and that is our edge.” There is a lag between how rating agencies analyse these companies and how we interpret these companies with dialogue and deeper research and ESG ratings. Heatmaps of aggregation of the portfolio companies and SDG impact “In our experience, it is impossible to do impact investing without being an active investor.” “I think there will be two streets, two avenues. Either you analyze everything, and you analyze it with not enough depth or granularity, or you focus like us on a specific sector or even a specific portfolio.” How partnerships with banks can scale impact investing -1) create actively managed certificates and create derivatives themed around resource funds 2) traditional managed accounts where they pick out the best qualities from niche impact investors The challenges of climate change and resource scarcity will still be around after the coronavirus crisis. Highlights: [03:24] What is sustainable and impact investing? [07:00] How the investments moved from reducing energy consumption to sustainable and impact investing [16:20] Engagement with companies to push for efficiency numbers and realising these for investors [21:00] Regulatory coming in that will impact footprint and handprint [26:24] Methodology for assessing and measuring environmental impact [31:46] Investor clients coming to Carnot Capital [34:00] Active investing vs ETFs and passive investments [36:07] Challenge of scaling funds like Carnot Capital’s [38:09] Coronavirus crisis and its impact on the market  [43:00] More about Andres and Dominique and what inspires them [47:25] Call to action Useful links: Andreas Gujan’s Linkedin (https://ch.linkedin.com/in/andres-gujan-39207015) Dominique Sekyra’s Linkedin (https://ch.linkedin.com/in/dominique-sekyra) Andreas Walther - Chief Impact Officer of Carnot Capital Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-andreas-walther-797564146/) Carnot Capital (http://carnotcapital.com/) Carnot Efficient Energy Fund (https://www.carnotcapital.com/investor/carnot-efficient-energy) Carnot Efficient Resources Fund (https://www.carnotcapital.com/investor/carnot-efficient-resources) Circular World Index (https://www.carnotcapital.com/news/180-carnot-capital-publishes-the-second-edition-of-its-impact-investing-research-paper-2-1) Carnot Capital Twitter (https://twitter.com/carnotcapital) Carnot Capital Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/company/carnotcapital/) Belimo (https://www.belimo.com/) Bertrand Piccard - Solar Impulse (https://solarimpulse.com/) Jeremy Rifkin - The New Green Deal (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Green-New-Deal-Jeremy-Rifkin/dp/1250253209) Connect with JP Dallmann on Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jp-dallmann/) , Twitter (https://twitter.com/JPDallmann) , or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/inspiredbyjp/) . Contact us to help you transition into Sustainable & Impact Investing - ILA & Partners (https://www.linkedin.com/company/impact-leaders-advisors) How to incorporate SDGs into your business - Fast Forward 2030 (http://fastforward2030.com/) Find talent and careers with impact - Realchangers (https://www.realchangers.com/) Impact Leaders is produced by Podcast Publishing (http://podcastpublishing.help/)

Carbon-intensive firms are likely to lose 43% of their value thanks to policies designed to combat climate change, according to reports.Meanwhile, the most progressive companies will see an uplift of 33% in their value. The forecast was commissioned by the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).Representatives of fossil fuel companies told the BBC they were already adapting their businesses to take climate change into account. But the PRI study suggests major winners and losers will emerge between, and within, big sectors. Adding that, Manufacturers slow to move to EVs will see their value fall, as governments realize that petrol and diesel models must be phased out faster for climate targets to be met. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/newscast-africa/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The bushfires in NSW and Queensland recently reinvigorated the conversation about global warming and whether the Australian government is doing enough to combat it. I’ll refrain from sharing my thoughts on this topic (I’m sure no one cares what I think about this anyway), but I thought it was timely to write a blog about sustainable investing. If you are concerned for the environment, this is a way of ‘putting your money where your mouth is’.Sustainable investing grew by 35% between 2016 and 2018. It now accounts for over $70 trillion of assets globally.What is sustainable investing?Substantiable investing means that you only invest in companies that are combating climate change, are socially responsible and have good governance practices. In simple terms, its investing in businesses that are doing the right thing. And, maybe more importantly, not investing in the businesses that are doing the wrong thing.Sustainable investing is often referred to as ESG investing. ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance:§ Environmental relates mainly to climate change (greenhouse gas emissions) but also includes, resource depletion, waste disposal, pollution and deforestation.§ Social relates to matters such as human rights, modern slavery, child labour, working conditions, and employee relations. It includes avoiding investing in companies that are involved in tobacco, adult entertainment, weapons, gambling and so on.§ Governance relates to matters such as bribery and corruption, executive pay, board diversity and structure, political lobbying and donations, tax strategy.The organisation Principals for Responsible Investment (PRI) was established in 2006 under auspices of United Nations to help its signatories (investment managers) better understand and effectively implement sustainable investing principals.What impact can this have?An ESG fund can have a massive impact by avoiding companies with high carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, for example. There are two types of omissions to consider: (1) actual omissions and (2) potential omissions. Potential omissions mainly relate to mining companies. It is the reserve of raw materials (minerals or whatever they are mining) that they have identified that still is yet to be mined.By eliminating high CO2 omitting companies, your portfolio can reduce actual omissions by over 70% globally (and over 60% in Australia). That is, an ESG portfolio omits over 70% less CO2 than its comparable index does (i.e. the whole market). And better still, it reduces potential omissions by over 99% (both globally and in Australia)!An ESG portfolio means that you are not investing in companies that are doing the most harm to the environment.Does ESG investing reduce diversification or increase investment risks?A common concern is that if we filter out the companies that do not meet the EGS screens, does that mean we lack diversification or are under/over exposed to various sectors? The answer is no.The table below compares the portfolio sector weightings (top 6 sectors only) for standard global investment fund versus an ESG product. As you can see, there are small differences, but the allocation has not been materially skewed away from or towards any sectors.See table at https://www.prosolution.com.au/sustainable-investing/ The standard global fund invests in 6,058 companies, so it’s very well diversified. The EGS fund invests in 1,562 companies which is substantially fewer than the standard product, but still very well diversified.The ESG option has a slightly higher amount of portfolio concentration. In the standard product, the top 10 companies account for 9% of the overall fund. Whereas with the ESG option, the top 10 companies account for 15% of the total fund. Again, this does not substantially alter investment risks in my opinion.What is the impact on investment returns?Sustainable investing products are relatively new and not many have a long history of returns yet, particularly index style products. However, a ruled-based fund manager that we use, Dimensional established its product in 2016. Its investment return in the 3 years to October 2019 was 12.64% p.a. this compares favourably with its standard (non-EGS) product which has returned 10.27% over the same period. So, in this case, ESG returns have been higher.In another example, Australia’s’ largest industry super fund (AustralianSuper) has had a mixed investment option called “Socially Aware” and it has returned 9.67% p.a. in the 10 years ended 30 June 2019. This is reasonable comparable to its Balanced option which returned 9.76% p.a. over the same period and its asset allocation is comparable. Unfortunately, AustralianSuper does not publish any information on diversification or concentration so it’s impossible to assess the portfolio’s risk.In summary, it is my view that it is reasonable to assume that you may not forgo any material investment returns by choosing to invest sustainably. That said, it is important to maintain a diverse and considered asset allocation and used a broad spectrum of investment methodologies whilst, at the same time, maintain ESG compliance. Doing both of these things at the same time is very important.How can you invest sustainably?Just like with most things in life, whether you invest sustainable or not doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing decision. You can gradually start to tilt your investments (including your superannuation) towards sustainable investments. Or, of course, you can switch to 100% sustainability tomorrow. If this is of interest, you should speak with your independent financial advisor and/or superannuation fund to find out more.Or, of course, speak to us as we can combine our evidenced-based, low-cost investment strategies with a sustainability overlay. This will ensure you adopt the most successful investment methodologies and structure whilst still ensuring your investments reflect your personal values.

Did you know, investing the money in your savings into sustainable funds can have a 27 times bigger positive impact on your carbon footprint than eating less meat, taking public transportation, reducing your water use, and flying less, combined? In this episode of Sustainability Matters Today, I interview JP Dallmann, Sustainable & Impact Investment Advisor and host of the “Impact Leaders” podcast. The Impact Leaders podcast features individuals who focus on Impact Investment and Performance with Purpose. JP is the CEO of ILA & Partners, helping Investment Managers and Companies that want to transition into Sustainable & Impact Investing. In 2017, JP started Impact Founders - a community of impact-driven entrepreneurs who use profit and technology as a force for good. He is also the co-founder of Realchangers, a platform that matches mission-driven talent with impact-driven companies that are solving the most pressing global issues of today. And he is a contributor to Forbes.com, where he promotes impact investing, the SDGs and change in our systems. Please make sure to subscribe to the Sustainability Matters Today podcast to learn more about other champions of sustainability like JP. Enjoy the episode! Resources: Impact Investing: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/impact-investing.asp Sustainable Development Goals: https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030.html Impact Leaders Podcast: https://audioboom.com/channels/4974335 Impact Investing Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jpdallmann/2018/12/31/impact-investing-just-a-trend-or-the-best-strategy-to-help-save-our-world/#7d87d3b475d1 Negative/Exclusionary Screening: https://thoughtfulfinance.com/2018/07/24/definitions-negative-exclusionary-screening Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI): https://www.unpri.org John Elkington Books: https://johnelkington.com/publications/books Ray Dalio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Dalio JP Dallmann website: http://jpdallmann.com You can read the transcript of the episode here: sustainabilitym.at/JPDallmann Watch the full episode: https://sustainabilitym.at/Youtube-JP-Dallmann

In today’s episode, we'll learn about how the European Union is defining sustainability for investors and business.  Our guest is Nathan Fabian, Rapporteur for the Taxonomy Group of the European Union Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance.  The Taxonomy group is developing a green taxonomy for sustainable finance products that will form part of the EU’s action plan to promote sustainable finance and investment.  Nathan is also Chief Responsible Investment Officer at the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).  We’ll be discussing Nathan’s insights into the work of the EU Taxonomy group gained from his role as Rapporteur and how the EU’s initiative will have significant implications for sustainable finance globally.  For full show notes and links mentioned in this episode, visit http://bmo.com/sustainabilityleaders

Beyond Meat initial public offering (IPO) share price soars over $80 from $25 surprising everyone and encouraging offerings that could excite ethical and sustainable investors. Learn how to find animal-friendly investments. UN agency PRI says socially responsible investing (SRI) should wake up to modern slavery. Unilever better investment over Johnson & Johnson says sustainability analyst. Transcript & Links May 10, 2019 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast Ethical & Sustainable Investing News to Profit By! for May 10, 2019. Presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investment resources. Now to this podcast. Again, for any terms that are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them! Also, you can find a full transcript, live links and sometimes bonus material at my podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts ------------------------------------------------------------- Many of you listening are interested in ESG or SRI bond and fixed income investments. And with good reason. A recent article titled, Largest 10 Socially Responsible Fixed Income ETFs, by Todd Shriber of ETF Trends, reviews two leading funds in this space. They are the iShares Global Green Bond ETF (on Nasdaq GM: ticker BGRN) and VanEck Vectors Green Bond ETF (on the NYSEArca: ticker GRNB). These bond funds have great pedigrees. However, the article’s title might suggest the review is of ten SRI fixed income ETFs and that’s a little misleading. Concerning the ten listed—but not reviewed—I wouldn’t put them in the same category as the two funds examined in the article. The SRI credentials of the ten listed are mainly that they invest in government securities and blue-chip company bonds. Of course, governments fund all sorts of things that ethical and sustainable investors might argue aren’t socially responsible. And even though blue-chip companies such as Apple are frequently top SRI holdings, their bonds aren’t usually going directly to fund green projects. Whereas, the iShares Global Green Bond ETF and VanEck Vectors Green Bond ETF specifically fund projects and activities related to environmental and social concerns. ------------------------------------------------------------- Well, I can’t resist the temptation to not talk about the great Beyond Meat initial public offering! It came out at $25 on May 2 and has traded over $80 since then. For a good review of what the company is and what it faces regarding competition etc., see this MarketWatch post, Beyond Meat goes public with a bang: 5 things to know about the plant-based meat maker, by Ciara Linnane. Quoting Ciara, she says, "The maker of the Beyond Burger, which is sold at Whole Foods and restaurant chain TGIF, among others, priced its initial public offering at $25 a share… raising at least $240 million at a valuation slightly shy of $1.5 billion." Close quote. Now at $80 a share Beyond Meat has a staggering market valuation of about $5 billion! I'm delighted to see this offering, as one of the most important things we can do to slow down carbon emissions and climate change, is to reduce our consumption of meat. However, some climate researchers are skeptical about the net benefit of highly processed vegetarian and vegan offerings on the climate. That this IPO went so well is a testament to the fact that even many conservative financial types are recognizing there’s money to be made in climate change. However, I suspect that most of the interest probably comes from younger investors. Furthermore, this could indicate the beginning of a thrilling era for new investment offerings that ethical and sustainable investors can get excited about! Obviously, the underwriters significantly underestimated demand for Beyond Meat’s shares. When IPOs triple in price right after being launched it means that the issuer—the company—could have gotten far more for their shares. Though Beyond Meat is probably happy, they’re probably unhappy that they could’ve raised double or triple of what they got! So, Beyond Meat is an exciting short-term play but with so many competitors to its products over the medium to long-term, it's not obvious it will be a winner yet. ------------------------------------------------------------- For a good review of what Beyond Meat’s success means for two burger chains offering vegan burgers, see this post, titled, Tim Nash's sustainable stock showdown: battle of the burger chains, Corporate Knights, Canada. Admittedly this review is of the Canadian market, but it has bearing on the US and other markets too. Of course, Americans or anyone can invest in the Canadian stocks of the burger chains mentioned in that post. After a great review, Mr. Nash finalizes his recommendation as follows, and I quote, “A&W Food Services of Canada (which has no corporate connections to A&W’s American locations) is obviously a much smaller company than Restaurant Brands, but... with a higher dividend and a lower beta, A&W provides a nice mix of income and growth potential. The chain is the clear winner.” Close quote. ------------------------------------------------------------- Now, for ethical and sustainable investors interested in the animal-friendliness of their investments, read this article by Meredith Jones of MarketWatch, titled, Opinion: Here’s how to check the animal-friendliness of your investments. Quoting her, she says, “It’s easy to check which individual stocks are ‘cruelty-free,’ but you can’t yet invest in a vegan investment index." She offers several ways to checking which investments are free of animal-related products and testing. If you’re interested in finding more organizations that can help you in this endeavor, check-out my Investing for the Soul sites’ pages Environmental Organizations & Resources and Organizations Promoting Corporate Ethical, Social & Environmental Responsibility. ------------------------------------------------------------- Turning to a completely different aspect of investing, let’s talk about separately managed accounts at financial institutions compared to owning a portfolio of ETFs. Now separately managed accounts aren’t for everyone as they usually require a sizeable investment. However, if you meet the threshold they could be better for US investors than ETFs, says Johny Mair at ThinkAdvisor. Mr. Mair says in an article titled, ETF vs. SMA: Which Is Better for Sustainable Investing? That, and I quote, “SMAs are ideal for values-based investing as they allow investors to actively screen for certain product areas (e.g. oil, tobacco), or ‘bad actors’ that they deem antithetical to their values. They also allow for more specificity, e.g. designating a certain percentage of revenue from carbon emissions to be included in one’s portfolio. Furthermore, because SMA investors directly own the underlying securities, they can opt to play an active shareholder role, working to impact corporate behavior through voting proxies or shareholder resolutions." End quote. Of course, for those who might not have the means for an SMA—or even for those who do—check out my DIY Ethical-Sustainable Investing Pays Tutorial. There, in 1-hour you can get a handle on how to easily and very cheaply put together your own personal values-based profitable portfolio—nonmatter its size. ------------------------------------------------------------- In looking for companies we all want to know about their ESG ratings. However, you might not be aware of which ESG rating firms are good. Well, a new report reviews the various ESG rating services. Go to this recent post in IR Magazine, headlined, ESG Ratings – A look at the ESG ratings landscape. Register at the bottom of the page to download the PDF report. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ethical and sustainable investors are concerned with many issues, but one that they might not have thought of and which is still a global problem is modern slavery. Fiona Reynolds, head of the UN’s Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI), says that ‘“There are a lot of ESG conversations around climate change ... but it is interlinked with modern slavery,’ Reynolds told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview. ‘We see many climate migrants and refugees who end up vulnerable and at risk of being trafficked,’ she added.” Close quote. Another quote from the article states, that, “The U.N. estimates that some 40 million people are trapped in modern slavery, from factory jobs to forced marriages.” End quote. Perhaps it’s something you might ask the companies you like who might have the potential for such involvement. The Reuters post is by Kieran Guilbert and titled, 'Look for the laggards' - investors told to target modern slavery. ------------------------------------------------------------- Lastly, another good comparative analysis by Tim Nash at Corporate Knights for ethical and sustainable investors has the title, Tim Nash’s sustainable stock showdown: Johnson & Johnson vs. Unilever. He says, and I quote,” With thousands of J&J cancer lawsuits pending, you might want to freshen up your portfolio with a cleaner company… J&J and Unilever are companies with very similar financial profiles, but, in my view, Unilever’s brand is thriving while Johnson and Johnson’s is deteriorating.” For decades, J&J has a been a favorite investment for ethical investors—but not so much anymore as Mr. Nash’s post makes clear. Yet, most ESG funds still have it in their holdings. Check your holdings and see. Perhaps you still like J&J for other reasons. However, at the very least, these lawsuits and the negative publicity surrounding them is proving costly to the firm’s bottom line and stock price. ------------------------------------------------------------- So, these are my top news stories for ethical and sustainable investors over the past two weeks. Again, to get all the links or to read the transcript of this podcast and sometimes get additional information too, please go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and look for this edition. And remember, I’m here to help you grow in your investment success—and investing in opportunities that reflect your personal values! Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the content of this podcast or anything else investment related. I can’t say I’ll have all the answers for you and some answers I can’t give due to licensing restrictions. But where I can help I will. Now, a big thank you for listening—and please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Come again! Bye for now!

GMO, the investment firm, has ideas for climate proofing investment portfolios. Municipal bonds might have considerable climate risks. S&P’s ESG product raises conflict of interest issues as in financial crises of 2008-9. YUM! Brands takes an environmental leadership role in the food industry and radical new wind power technology could disrupt the wind energy industry. Transcript & Links April 26, 2019 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast Ethical & Sustainable Investing News to Profit By! Presented by Investing for the Soul, April 26, 2019. Now again, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them! Also, you can find a full transcript, live links and sometimes bonus material at my podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts News So, here are some key items of news for the period April 12 to 26, 2019. The first item is titled, 3 Ways to Make Your Portfolio More Climate-Aware, by Jon Hale at Morningstar. I really respect Jon. He’s doing an incredible job at Morningstar in orienting that famous investment research firm towards ESG. In his latest post he highlights the work of GMO—no that’s not genetically modified organisms—but a top-notch investment house. For decades I've heard—and you too I'm sure—that if you narrow your investment universe you will get lower returns. Well, consider this from Jon’s post, quote, "Grantham and his colleagues at GMO looked at what happens when you remove a single sector from an S&P 500-based portfolio. They created S&P 500 portfolios ex energy, ex healthcare, and ex the other eight sectors in the index, going back to 1989, 1957, and 1925. They found that the range of returns for the ex portfolios was only 50-60 basis points annualized, distributed above and below the S&P 500's return. In the case of the ex energy portfolio, it underperformed the S&P 500 by just 5 basis points annualized from 1925 to 2017, underperformed by 7 basis points annualized from 1957 to 2017, and outperformed by 3 basis points annualized from 1989 to 2017. Grantham's conclusion: 'You can divest from oil--or about anything else--without much consequence for performance.'" Close quote. So, according to GMO, divest from fossil fuels and not worry about lower returns! Nonetheless, I would be happier if this research was written-up and published in an appropriate peer-reviewed journal and critiqued. Incidentally, Grantham says that the fossil fuel sector is way overpriced considering its risks. ------------------------------------------------------------- Now, do you invest in, or are considering investing in, municipal or local authority bonds? Have you thought about climate change risk concerning municipal bond investments? Well, you should! Bernice Napach writing in ThinkAdvisor under the title, How to Reduce Investment Risk From Climate Change and Other ESG Woes, writes, and I quote her, that, "If no counter action is taken, such as reducing fossil fuel use, close to 60% of U.S. metro areas will lose 1% of more of gross domestic product, which will not be offset by comparable growth in other metro areas." Close quote. Think about all the risks—and costs—municipalities might face regarding fires, flooding events, excessive winds, etc. So, before investing in municipal bonds, be satisfied concerning their climate change risks and plans. By the way, this article has a great map of the US showing those areas likely to be affected by Category 4 and 5 hurricanes between 2060 and 2080. It’s quite alarming. Also, be sure to understand municipalities long-term pension and other liability risks. Many analysts believe these alone could sink many American cities in the decades ahead. Hence, even with the tax advantages in some jurisdictions, tread carefully in municipal bond waters! ------------------------------------------------------------- If you want a good understanding as to the state of ESG data and information for investors, read the post, What investors actually want from sustainability data, by Ariel C. Pinchot and Giulia Christianson on Greenbiz.com. Needless to say, it’s still a work in progress. If you’ve ever tried to analyze ESG info across companies—even in the same industry—it’s usually impossible as they often use different metrics. Furthermore, unless the data is independently audited and verified, it can’t be relied upon. The article describes in detail how these issues might be soon overcome. Incidentally, you should subscribe to Greenbiz.com. It’s a great source of information for ethical and sustainable investors. ------------------------------------------------------------- Many ethical and sustainable investors shy away from the fast food industry because of the poor health and negative environmental issues they help create. Well, here’s some good news in a post, titled, Yum! Brands shows leadership among fast food peers, takes encouraging first step to mitigate its climate change impacts. Quoting the post, “The parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut committed to pursue a science-based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its operations, franchises and supply chain (Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions), and to explore purchasing renewable energy.” Sometimes it pays well to invest in companies that are just beginning to make strides on ESG issues. Studies show that such companies often offer better alpha, that is, upside stock price potential, than established ESG winners. ------------------------------------------------------------- One new interesting ESG barometer on the horizon is a new ratings’ service by S&P called S&P Evaluation. S&P will rate—at the request of the companies themselves—the ESG credentials pertaining to the company’s ability to operate successfully in the future. You can read about in the post, Official ESG Evaluations from S&P Coming to Insurance Sector in Near Future, by Don Jergler, Insurance Journal. Quoting the post, "'The ratings giant on April 11 announced the roll out of its ESG Evaluation, describing it as 'a new benchmark that provides a cross-sector, relative analysis of an entity's capacity to operate successfully in the future.'" Close quote. Well, S&P's new ESG Evaluation product sounds great. However, I see some big snags with it. First, companies request to be rated—unlike the rating groups such as Sustainalytics and MSCI, etc., who rate companies regardless of what the companies themselves might want. Secondly, though not mentioned, S&P’s standard credit ratings require companies themselves to pay to be rated. Is this yet another conflict of interest like the one that got these credit rating agencies in hot water back in 2008/9? Can you trust such ratings then? Thirdly, will the details of the ratings be public or just a rating’s number? That’s important as its the details that many ethical and sustainable investors will want to see. ------------------------------------------------------------- Now we have another survey of financial professionals showing that it’s the ‘g’ for ‘governance’ in ESG that’s really important to them. However, for many of you listening to this podcast, I’m sure that you might think the environment and or social criteria are at least equally important. I think this just illustrates the state of ESG currently. There’s still much dispute about the quantity, quality, and standardization of the E and S information for it to be in the forefront for many investment professionals. The survey was reported on Nasdaq by Kurt Schact with the title, ESG in Investment Management: New Age or Just Noise? The depth of the survey is extraordinary as 1,100 financial professionals and 23 workshops in 17 investment centers around the world took part, says the article. The survey was conducted by the CFA Institute and Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). This confirms other surveys that have tried to determine the relative importance of each of the three variables that make-up ESG. What this might mean for you is that when doing your own ESG research on companies—and looking for maximum gains—you might want to weigh governance more highly than environmental and social factors. At least for now. ------------------------------------------------------------- Incidentally, if you’re invested in wind turbine companies, beware, as there’s a possible new disruptive competitor with a radically new kind of wind turbine that could be twice as efficient as present ones. This new development in wind turbine efficiency—if Vestas and others are unable to replicate it due to patents, etc.—could mean dramatic shifts in the industry ahead! See the post, Wind Power For Half The Price? Clarkson Professor Says Yes. ------------------------------------------------------------- So, there we have it for this podcast! Again, to get all the links or to read the transcript of this podcast and sometimes get additional information too, please go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and look for this edition. And remember, I’m here to help you grow in your investment success—and investing in opportunities that reflect your personal values! Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about this podcast or anything else investment related. A big thank you for listening—and please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Come again! Bye for now! © 2019 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul. All rights reserved.

Andrew Parry is Head of Sustainable Investing at Hermes Investment Management.  In this episode of Impact Leaders, Andrew shares his insights from years of experience in sustainable investing and why he is optimistic about the direction where we are heading. Responsible investing has always been at the core of Hermes, and they have been at the vanguard of ESG investing for more than three decades. Hermes is in fact a founding signatory of the Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI) when it was launched by the UN in 2006. Hermes was established in 1983 as the principal manager to the BT Pension Scheme and, as of December 2018, it managed £33.5 billion of assets and engaged on £389.4 billion in assets. The company now employs 200 investment and stewardship professionals, with 448 total staff, in its London head office, Singapore and New York. What sets Hermes apart is the focus on stewardship in impact investing. Andrew says, “we don’t want to be absentee landlords”. They have been actively engaged with government, shaping policy and standards as well as recognising the need to create demand for positive impact.  Highlights of this episode include: * How to take impact investing from private markets into the public markets * Why it is important for companies to be socially responsible * From Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) exclusions of negative screening to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) * Building great Impact Investment Funds * Focus on stewardship, influencing behaviours in government and creating demand * If you can measure it, you can manipulate it * Importance of impact narrative and setting clear goals which can then be reported on * How to avoid Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) washing and Man City’s 5 goals assumption * How millennials are inspiring Andrew and importance of learning from clients * How SDGs are the new opportunity Useful links: Hermes Investment Management - [https://www.hermes-investment.com/](https://www.hermes-investment.com/) Andrew Parry’s Linkedin - [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-parry-bb48a79/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-parry-bb48a79/) Ørsted (formerly DONG Energy) - [https://orsted.co.uk/en](https://orsted.co.uk/en) PRI Principles of Responsible Investment - [https://www.unpri.org/](https://www.unpri.org/) UNEP FI Positive Impact Initiative - [https://www.unepfi.org/positive-impact/positive-impact/](https://www.unepfi.org/positive-impact/positive-impact/) Chapters: [4:10] Pivotal moments and changes in the last 30 years? [11:45] Long history of Hermes Investment Management in impact [19:50] Behaviour change on the demand side [27:00] More people want to engage in ESG [30:00] We need to think about stranded business models [33:00] How to differentiate between traditional ESG funds and Impact funds [43:00] Why it is important to think about impact narrative  [46:00] We are still a long way away in aggregating product level to company level impact [40:00] Engagement, education, transparent reporting [55:00] Importance of answering the why question [58:00] Hurdles to promoting impact investing, not just excluding oil and gas assets [1:03:00] How we can help encourage business model transition as a way of future growth [1:05:00] Scaling impact investment to achieve SDGs [1:10:00] What drives Andrew Parry? What is leadership to Andrew?  Connect with JP Dallmann on [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jp-dallmann/), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/JPDallmann), or [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/inspiredbyjp/). How to incorporate SDGs into your business - [Fast Forward 2030](http://fastforward2030.com/) Find talent and careers with impact - [Realchangers](https://www.realchangers.com/) Impact Leaders is produced and published by Woon Tan of [Podcast Publishing](http://podcastpublishing.help/)

Investors have traditionally been left out of the dialogue between states, NGOs, civil society and corporations on social and environmental issues. Learn how that's changing as international investor initiatives, like the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), are coalescing investor interests to replicate the success of the Paris Agreement in other dimensions, such as labour rights and economic inequality. For more information visit www.man.com/maninstitute/responsible-investment This podcast was recorded on 01 June 2018. Important information: This podcast should not be copied, distributed, published or reproduced, in whole or in part. Opinions expressed are those of the author and may not be shared by all personnel of Man Group plc ('Man'). These opinions are subject to change without notice, are for information purposes only and do not constitute an offer or invitation to make an investment in any financial instrument or in any product to which any member of Man's group of companies provides investment advisory or any other services. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the statements. Unless stated otherwise this information is communicated by Man Solutions Limited which is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. In the United States this material is presented by Man Investments Inc. ('Man Investments'). Man Investments is registered as a broker-dealer with the US Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC') and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ('FINRA'). Man Investments is also a member of Securities Investor Protection Corporation ('SIPC'). Man Investments is a wholly owned subsidiary of Man Group plc. ('Man Group'). The registrations and memberships in no way imply that the SEC, FINRA or SIPC have endorsed Man Investments. In the US, Man Investments can be contacted at 452 Fifth Avenue, 27th floor, New York, NY 10018, Telephone (212) 649-6600. Copyright Man 2018

Georg Kell is the founder and former Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact. the world's largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative with over 9,000 corporate signatories in more than 160 countries. As its founding Executive Director, Georg helped to establish the United Nations Global Compact as the foremost platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible and sustainable corporate policies and practices. In a career of more than 25 years at the United Nations, he also oversaw the conception and launch of the Global Compact's sister initiatives on investment, the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), and on education, the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), together with the Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative. Georg is currently Vice Chairman of Arabesque Partners, an Anglo-German asset management firm that integrates environmental, social, and governance data with quantitative investment strategies. The firm was named as SRI Manager of the Year at the Investment Excellence Awards 2015, organised by Global Investor. In this revealing interview, Georg Kell reflects on three decades of sustainability, and highlights some of the most important changes he has seen over this time. He shares his views on the key role of corporates in dealing with the global environmental challenges we are now facing—while recognizing their role in creating these problems. In this interview, Georg focusses on three key forces reshaping markets: technology and automation, the issue of natural boundaries and, finally, changes in governance–and he explores the implications for markets, corporations and sustainability. Georg also discusses the role of finance– which he believes is now overtaking and giving direction to the corporate sustainability agenda. This is an essential interview—a fascinating perspective from a key figure at the heart of the development of today's sustainability agenda. The post Episode 51: Interview with Georg Kell, the founder and former Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact, currently Chairman of Anglo-German asset manager, Arabesque Partners. appeared first on The Sustainability Agenda.

Demand and supply is rising fast for green bonds as investors increasingly seek to invest responsibly, balancing financial objectives with concern for the environmental and social impact of their investments. In this Insights, we provide more background on these "green" securities including their investment characteristics and the types of projects they fund. Featured Speaker Yvette Klevan Managing Director, Portfolio Manager/AnalystLazard Asset Management LLC (New York)   Yvette Klevan is a Portfolio Manager/Analyst on the Global Fixed Income team. She began working in the investment field in 1982. Prior to joining Lazard in 2002, Yvette was a Senior Portfolio Manager with Offitbank. Previously she worked at Bank of America, Chase Manhattan Bank and Aramco Services Company. Yvette has an MBA in Finance and Management Information Systems from the University of Houston and a BBA in Mechanical Engineering Route to Business from the University of Texas. As of February 2018, she serves as a signatory representative to the Fixed Income Advisory Committee for the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: Annual Investment Outlook Luncheon 2018 featuring: Ian Russell, CEO, Investment Industry Association of Canada; David Rosenberg, Chief Economist, Gluskin, Sheff & Assoicates Inc.; Nick Barisheff, President and CEO, BMG Group Inc. Ian C.W. Russell: Ian Russell is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Investment Industry Association of Canada, a position he has held since its inauguration in April 2006. Prior to his appointment at IIAC, Mr. Russell headed the Industry Relations and Representation group of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada. In his 20-year tenure at the Association, he has participated actively in many committees and working groups involved in regulatory and tax issues related to the securities industry and capital markets in Canada. He is a frequent columnist in industry publications and is a presenter and speaker on industry issues and developments. This past June, Mr. Russell was appointed Chariman of the Standing Committee on Regulatory Affairs at the International Council of Securities Associations (ICSA). Mr. Russell has an honours degree in economics and business from the University of Western Ontario, and a postgraduate degree from the London School of Economics. He has completed the Partners, Directors and Officers Qualification Examination and is a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute. David Rosenberg: Mr. Rosenberg is the Firm's Chief Economist & Strategist with a focus on providing a top-down perspective to the Firm's investment process and Asset Mix Committee. Mr. Rosenberg received both a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Toronto. Prior to joining Gluskin Sheff in the spring of 2009, Mr. Rosenberg was Chief North American Economist at Merrill Lynch in New York for seven years, during which he was consistently ranked in the Institutional Investor All-Star analyst rankings. Prior thereto, he was Chief Economist and Strategist for Merrill Lynch Canada, based out of Toronto. Mr. Rosenberg is also the author of Breakfast with Dave, a daily distillation of his economic and financial market insights. Nick Barisheff: Nick Barisheff is the founder, president and CEO of BMG Group Inc., a company dedicated to providing investors with a secure, cost-effective, transparent way to purchase and hold physical bullion. BMG is an Associate Member of the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), an Associate Member of the Responsible Investment Association (RIA) and signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). Widely recognized as international bullion expert, Nick has written numerous articles on bullion and current market trends that have been published on various news and business websites. Nick has appeared on BNN, CBC, CNBC and Sun Media, and has been interviewed for countless articles by leading business publications across North America, Europe and Asia... Speakers: Ian Russell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Investment Industry Association of Canada David Rosenberg, Chief Economist, Gluskin Sheff +Associates Inc. Nick Barisheff, President and Chief Executive Officer, BMG Group Inc. *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*