Different asset classes have different sustainability demands and different challenges including availability of data. This session looked at the potential to have different execution strategies across asset classes for net zero and sustainability ambitions.


Speakers
Hyewon Kong, vice president, head of responsible investment, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (Canada)
Alison Loat, managing director sustainable investing and innovation, OPTrust (Canada)
Piers Hugh Smith, global stewardship manager, Franklin Templeton (United States)


Chair
Amanda White, director of institutional content, Conexus Financial (Australia)

The transition to a low carbon economy will not happen with the flick of a switch. This session examined the role of investors in financing the transition to a low carbon economy including the granular data and measurement involved in assessing and understanding the credibility of a company’s transition plans.


Speakers
Carsten Stendevad, co-chief investment officer for sustainability, Bridgewater Associates (United States)


Chair
Amanda White, director of institutional content, Conexus Financial (Australia)

Since the dawn of sustainability investing, more than 15 years ago, the debate over the balancing act of active risk, tracking error and sustainability has persisted. This session looked the relationship and how various investors tackle the debate.


Speakers
Marc-Olivier Buffle, head of thematic research and client portfolio managers, Pictet Asset Management (Switzerland)
Eric Farls, senior portfolio manager, and ESG committee member, Maryland State Retirement and Pension System (United States)
Charles Hyde. head of asset allocation, New Zealand Super (New Zealand)


Chair
Amanda White, director of institutional content, Conexus Financial (Australia)

What does it really mean to implement a net zero strategy? As more and more investors make pledges for net zero they are tasked with setting a strategy to achieve these goals. This session looked at the challenges of implementation including what behaviour changes are needed and how investors really need to allocate.


Speakers
Michael Cappucci, managing director, sustainability, Harvard Management Company (United States)
Bertrand Millot, head of sustainability, CDPQ (Canada)
Fionna Ross, head of sustainability institute, Americas, ABRDN (United States)
Rachel Teo, head of total portfolio sustainable investing and head of sustainability, GIC (Singapore)
Charles Wu, chief investment officer, State Super (Australia)


Chair
Fiona Reynolds, chief executive, Conexus Financial (Australia)

As carbon emissions continue to rise investors need to innovate on the nature of investment mandates says Colin le Duc, a founding partner of Generation Investment Management. He says real world impact is going in the wrong direction, even though sustainable investing is booming, and the credibility of transition plans is under scrutiny.

 

What is the Fiduciary Investors series?

Through conversations with academics and asset owners, the Fiduciary Investors Podcast Series is a forward looking examination of the changing dynamics in the global economy, how decision making should adjust for different market pressures and how investors are positioning their portfolios for resilience.

The much-loved events, the Fiduciary Investors Symposiums, act as an advocate for fiduciary capitalism and the power of asset owners to change the nature of the investment industry, including addressing principal/agent and fee problems, stabilising financial markets, and directing capital for the betterment of society and the environment.

Like the event series, the podcast series, tackles the challenges long-term investors face in an environment of disruption,  and asks investors to think differently about how they make decisions and allocate capital.

This panel looked at effective stewardship practices and explored collaboration and targeted campaigns. Through case studies this session examined the next generation strategies and tools for effective investor engagement and what frontier topics investors should be considering.


Speakers
Louise Davidson, chief executive, ACSI (Australia)
Marie Laure Schaufelberger, group head of ESG and stewardship, Pictet Group (Switzerland)
Aeisha Mastagni, investment director, sustainable investment and stewardship strategies, CalSTRS (United States)


Chair
Fiona Reynolds, chief executive, Conexus Financial (Australia)