Led by Quoniam Investments 

Led by Union Investment

Led by Baillie Gifford

• The importance of ESG to Foresters Financial as a mutual, and the role of members
• Collaborating internally, which parts of the business work together on ESG risk and reporting, and collaboration across the group
• External collaboration, for example with asset managers

Asset managers are in the midst of a rapid shifting of the goal posts by being forced to adapt to a wall of sustainable finance regulation. Yet, by embracing this regulation, it serves as an opportunity for managers to evolve and enhance their processes for the ultimate benefit of their clients and society more broadly.

-  Exploring the evolving regulatory landscape, including EU SFDR, EU Taxonomy, TCFD, and upcoming frameworks such as the UK SDR and Green Taxonomy

- Overcoming the burden by embracing these frameworks and improving operations and investment processes

- Embedding frameworks in KPI banks, impact analysis and active ownership plans so that investment processes and regulatory requirements can work alongside each other

- Anticipating future changes and being pro-active to make the most of new regulations to evolve and enhance existing ways of working

ESG is most often talked about as being one thing, predominantly in the context of long equity positions. Integrating ESG or implementing dedicated ESG objectives in strategies such as credit, macro, systematic, equity long/short, and insurance-linked strategies has its own nuances and discussions that allocators and asset managers should be having. This presentation will discuss the following, including the nuances specific to the strategies and asset classes:

• The spectrum of approaches to ESG
• ESG integration
• Exclusions, inclusions, and impact   investing
• Engagement
• Responsible corporate and market citizenship
• The discussions asset managers and allocators should be having

Drawing on two decades exploring the world of responsible investment as a consultant, asset owner, asset manager and non-executive director in this address Sally will look into what the future might hold for the S in ESG. Using examples from old age care and corporate innovation, she will consider a number of current questions, including:

• Are we valuing in financial terms   what is important to the world and society? 
• How well do we cater for different preferences and time horizons?
• What innovations are needed, and what mindsets will hold us back?
• When will more bicycles reach women in Africa?

While ESG has been around for more than two decades, it is only in the last few years that it has really gathered momentum and importance. And whereas most organizations are comfortable with the ‘E’ and the 'G’, the ‘Social’ is proving to be more of a challenge. ‘Social’ was originally seen through the narrow lens of human rights – now it encompasses labour issues, diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I), workplace health and safety, and product safety and quality.

• How and why the ‘S’ is making a material difference in understanding an organization’s culture, value and risk profile
• Originally set up in a framework of ‘do no harm’, the importance of ESG has shifted to a position of ‘is this world a better place because my company is in it?' For a business to make a positive contribution to the world, ESG has to be anchored in the core business of an organization
• Measuring the 'S' is a challenge. This is not about setting minimum standards. It is about setting targets that organizations should aspire to, and, for these, governments and 'progressive' regulation have a role to play because the economy won’t thrive unless people and the planet are thriving

Most asset owners have a commitment to achieve zero net carbon by 2050. Many have also set interim decarbonization targets. Against the backdrop of evolving regulation and standards, how are investors approaching the implementation of these commitments?

As standards and best practice evolve, so too do corporate ESG disclosures. In this session, learn strategies to help make sense of what a company chooses to disclose and alternate means to gather important information and infer meaning. Explore topics such as:

• The importance of using frameworks to identify material ESG issues
• How comply or explain policies and promote data transparency
• Inferring meaning from a company's governance structure and resourcing
• Looking beyond a company's Annual Report