Test 2

Speakers include:
- Jason Eis, Executive Director, Vivid Economics
- Kathrin Wartmann, Associate Director, Climate Research, Sustainable Fitch
- Brian Hensley, Partner, Kaya Advisory
- Lily Burge, Senior Policy Research Analyst, Climate Bonds Initiative
- Catherine Higham, Policy Fellow, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change, LSE
- Moderated by: Daniel Gallagher, Head of Climate Technical Guidance, PRI

This second webinar in the Quarterly Briefing series for 2023 will provide PRI signatories with the latest insights from the Inevitable Policy Response (IPR) and up-to-date analysis of global climate progress and trends in Q2 2023 so far.

Expert panelists will discuss the implications of these insights for investors and look ahead to the rest of 2023, assessing trends against the IPR Forecast Policy Scenario (FPS), a detailed assessment of climate policy acceleration in energy, carbon pricing, transport, land use and agriculture, driven by multiple factors including the coming COP 2023 Global Stocktake and 2025 Ratchet.

Speakers include:
Rory Cardy, Product Manager – Accountability Initiatives, PRI
Aditya Vikram, Head of Accountability and Product Communications, PRI

This session will provide an introduction to the PRI’s minimum requirements for investor signatories reporting in 2023. The presenters will provide an overview of the background to the PRI’s minimum requirements and explain what the PRI expects of its signatories to meet them. Participants will learn how to identify the minimum requirements when reporting and leave the session with an understanding of how PRI engages with signatories that do not meet them.

We will also host a moderated Q&A session, where participants can ask questions about the PRI’s minimum requirements.

A recording of this session will be available afterwards.

Speaker include:
- Isabella Coin, Specialist, Stewardship (Nature), PRI
- Bonnie Groves, Specialist, Stewardship, PRI
- Chloe Horne, Specialist, Stewardship (Advance), PRI
- Clara Melot, Specialist, System Stewardship, PRI
- Jude Otaibi, Stewardship Analyst, Climate Action 100+, PRI

Are the tides changing? This session will focus on the key takeaways from this year’s proxy season and what this could mean for 2024. Participants will also leave this session equipped with the tools and guidance PRI offers to support investors throughout the proxy cycle.

There is an increasing regulatory and societal expectations for investors to conduct human rights due diligence. In this session, we will bring together different voices to discuss how investors should, in practice, identify and act on human rights risks. What systematic approaches are being taken by investors? What challenges and limitations exist, and how can they be addressed?

Plastic pollution is a global challenge and systemic issue, exposing financial institutions to a range of material financial risks. Every year we produce 300 million tonnes of plastic waste (more than the weight of the entire human population) and only 9% of this is recycled.

International action has been increasing. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (target 7), calls for the reduction of pollution risks from all sources by 2030, including ‘preventing, reducing, and working towards eliminating plastic pollution’ as part of this.

Additionally, last year saw the adoption of a resolution at the UN Environment Assembly, to end plastic pollution and create an international, legally binding agreement on plastics. This resolution was supported by 175 nations and is currently under development between now and 2024. Although policies and regulations on plastic use have risen dramatically in recent years, this agreement has the potential to make a substantive difference by harmonising goals and action from policymakers worldwide.

Ahead of the upcoming third round of negotiations in November to develop this agreement, this webinar explores:

Why plastic waste and pollution is a risk to financial institutions, including the opportunities of a circular economy for plastics to address climate and biodiversity risks;
How financial institutions can take action to address this issue; and
How financial institutions can engage with the UN global agreement currently under development.

The flagship Forecast Policy Scenario models the impact of climate policy acceleration forecast by IPR on the real economy up to 2050+. It analyses detailed effects on carbon & clean energy, transport, industry, buildings, land use, agriculture & NBS.

Net Zero prospects, carbon pricing & carbon removals are also included in the multiple sector & national based assessments.

In this Deep Dive, expert panelists will outline for signatories the major FPS conclusions & outlook to 2030 and 2050 & discuss short and long term transition, opportunity & volatility implications.

Speakers:
Lily Burge, Senior Policy Research Analyst, Climate Bonds Initiative
Sophie Coutaux, ESG Lead for Corporate Ratings, Fitch Ratings
Jason Eis, Executive Director, Vivid Economics
Jakob Thomae, Project Director, IPR

Moderated by:
Daniel Gallagher, Head of Climate Technical Guidance, PRI

The recently released Inevitable Policy Response (IPR) 2023 Forecast sees Direct Air Capture (DAC) emerging as an important negative emissions technology later this century, following delays in government action on climate and a breach of the 1.5C of warming limit in the 2030s. In this event, invited speakers will explore the rationale behind IPR’s expectation that DAC will rise in importance, and review the engineering challenges, policy considerations, and financing opportunities for the responsible investment community in the coming decades.

Speakers:

Jakob Thomae, Project Director, IPR
Jennifer Anderson, Managing Director, Co-Head of Sustainable Investment and ESG, Lazard Asset Management
Mark Fulton, Founder, IPR
Peter Webb, Visiting Fellow Oxford Institute for Energy Studies
Moderator: Dr Ben Allen, Director, ESG Issues, PRI

Aimed at banks, institutional investors and insurers at the beginning of their journey in addressing nature loss, this webinar will introduce how nature is connected to climate change and finance, as well as key concepts and initiatives.

This session, co-organised by the PRI and ICGN, will outline practical resources and examples to help investors ensure that their managers’ approach to stewardship and sustainability are aligned with their own objectives.

Confirmed speakers
Caroline Escott, Senior Investment Manager, Active Ownership, Railpen
Lucas Schoeppner, Manager, Sustainable Investment Strategies, Wespath
Carol Nolan Drake, Senior Policy Manager, ICGN
Tom Attwooll, Senior Specialist, Asset Owners, PRI

The worldwide deterioration of nature is a source of material risk for institutional investors, as long-term value creation is dependent on a wide range of ecosystem services. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework has provided governments and non-state actors with a framework for action. During this webinar, speakers will provide an update on Spring, PRI’s stewardship initiative for nature that convenes institutional investors to use their influence to halt and reverse biodiversity loss across the globe by 2030. They will discuss the initiative’s company selection framework, reflect on its focus companies and provide detailed information about the opportunities for PRI signatories to participate in Spring.

Confirmed speakers:

Ben Wilmot, Co-founder and Managing Director, Canbury Insights
Pooja Daftary, ESG Analyst, MFS Investment Management
Shipra Gupta, Investment Stewardship Lead, Scottish Widows
Moderated by: Tim Steinweg, Head, Nature, PRI

This session will explore trends from the 2023 proxy season and how these are shaping 2024 AGMs. PRI specialists will introduce the resources we offer investors to help keep you up to date throughout proxy season. PRI signatories will present their focus areas and approaches. Join to ask questions and find out how to use PRI tools to support and strengthen your stewardship efforts.

Confirmed speakers:
Emma Henningsson, Manager Active Ownership, AP7
Sachi Suzuki, Senior Manager - Investment Stewardship, HSBC Asset Management
Moderated by: Bonnie Groves, Specialist, Collaboration Platform, PRI

This webinar will explore how investors can craft effective responsible investment policies that drive real-world change. We will discuss common gaps in current policies and how asset owners and investment managers can bridge these, while meeting fiduciary duties. The session will also cover evolving stakeholder expectations and best practices for updating responsible investment policies to meet new standards and regulations.

Topics covered will include:

• how to consider governance processes when writing or updating a responsible investment policy;
• how sustainability targets and priority areas can inform policies and how their success can be monitored;
• how to implement responsible investment policies that drive real-world change;
• how policies can increase alignment between asset owners, investment managers and other stakeholders; and
• which future focus areas investors could incorporate into their policies.

This webinar will explore how investors can craft effective responsible investment policies that drive real-world change. We will discuss common gaps in current policies and how asset owners and investment managers can bridge these, while meeting fiduciary duties. The session will also cover evolving stakeholder expectations and best practices for updating responsible investment policies to meet new standards and regulations.

Topics covered will include:

• how to consider governance processes when writing or updating a responsible investment policy;
• how sustainability targets and priority areas can inform policies and how their success can be monitored;
• how to implement responsible investment policies that drive real-world change;
• how policies can increase alignment between asset owners, investment managers and other stakeholders; and
• which future focus areas investors could incorporate into their policies.

In this webinar, we will explore how to effectively incorporate ESG factors into multi-asset portfolio construction and design. Expert panellists will examine the importance of identifying, analysing, and incorporating material ESG factors across asset classes – thinking about macro themes, thematic opportunities, and strategic asset allocation. Practical examples will be used to showcase different approaches.

Topics covered will include:

• which asset allocation approaches are being used;
• how ESG considerations are evolving in strategic asset allocation; and
• how private markets and sustainability outcomes can be considered in the asset allocation process.

In this webinar we will explore screening approaches and how to create effective exclusion criteria. The discussion will also highlight the pros and cons of climate screening. Participants will gain an understanding of how diverse approaches to ESG screening are applied in live portfolios.

Topics covered will include:

• why screening is used in portfolios;
• how to choose a screening approach by type (e.g. positive, negative, norms-based) or theme (e.g. climate, human rights);
• which trends are driving industry practice and how are they influencing engagement;
• how asset owners think about screening when designing investment mandates; and
• how asset class considerations and data challenges can be considered during screening.

This webinar will explore the PRI’s 2023 reporting data, what it reveals about signatories’ current practices and which areas have room for further development. The discussion will highlight differences across asset classes, investment strategies and geographies, and identify priority actions for large and small investors.

Topics covered will include:

• how levels of ambition and action differ between asset owners and managers;
• how approaches to assessing and managing climate-related risks and opportunities vary;
• which ESG topics and responsible investment practices are gaining traction among investors in different regions;
• how aligned investors are with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; and
• whether investors are increasingly focused on impact and sustainability outcomes.

This webinar will explore the PRI’s 2023 reporting data, what it reveals about signatories’ current practices and which areas have room for further development. The discussion will highlight differences across asset classes, investment strategies and geographies, and identify priority actions for large and small investors.

Topics covered will include:

• how levels of ambition and action differ between asset owners and managers;
• how approaches to assessing and managing climate-related risks and opportunities vary;
• which ESG topics and responsible investment practices are gaining traction among investors in different regions;
• how aligned investors are with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; and
• whether investors are increasingly focused on impact and sustainability outcomes.

Increased demands for transparency, new asset owner expectations and accusations of greenwashing have impacted due diligence, manager selection, and reporting. This webinar will explore key topics including RFP and DDQ design, critical assessment questions for asset owners and methods for verifying and interpreting investment manager responses. The discussion will cover how asset owners and investment managers can develop valuable and mutually beneficial relationships, as well as scenarios where escalation is needed.

Topics covered will include:

• how ESG considerations can be incorporated into Requests for Proposals and Due Diligence Questionnaires, focusing on critical questions for asset owners;
• how asset owner due diligence requirements can differ and where there is potential for alignment;
• how asset owner requirements can be translated into investment management agreements;
• how reporting and data can inform manager engagement and monitoring to align with asset owner objectives; and
• how due diligence and monitoring approaches are maturing across asset classes and sustainability issues.

The Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance recently published a Call to Action (https://www.unepfi.org/themes/nzaoa-call-to-action-to-the-asset-management-industry/) addressed to the asset manager community relating to integration of systemic climate stewardship principles. This Call to Action references best practices published in the last two years by the Alliance, relating to asset owner engagement of asset managers on proxy voting, engagement, and lobbying. During this webinar, the Alliance will be discussing this recent call to action and what it might mean for asset managers interested in working with Alliance members on these topics. All asset managers are welcome to attend this webinar and are encouraged to ask questions.

Speakers:

• Bertrand Millot, Head of Sustainability, CDPQ
• Jake Barnett, Managing Director of Sustainable Investment Strategies, Wespath
• Patrick Peura, ESG Engagement Manager, Allianz SE
• Isidro Ajona-Gonzalez, Senior Investment Manager, Allianz
• Maria Clara Rendon, Director Responsible Investing, University Pension Plan Ontario
• Hilkka Komulainen, Head of Responsible Investment, Aegon UK
• Kalina Lazarova, Governance and Voting Lead, Phoenix Group
• Samantha Chew, Stewardship Lead, Aegon UK
• Clara Mokry, Deputy Head of Sustainability, Kenfo
• Troels Borrild, Head of Responsible Investments, AkademikerPension
• Eliya Devay, Engagement Track co-Manager, UNEP FI

In the first of the joint IPR/PRI Quarterly Briefing series for 2024, expert panelists will assess the latest analysis from IPR of global policy implementation post the COP28 Stocktake, through to end Q1 2024, against the flagship 1.8C Forecast Policy Scenario & 1.5C Required Policy Scenarios.

Implications of an acceleration in policy commitments on energy, transition, land use & climate finance will be highlighted in this comprehensive overview for investors. Additional focus will be given to the rising importance of Agriculture, deforestation & NBS in emissions mitigation and wider developments in emerging markets.

Confirmed speakers:
Jane Ambachtsheer, Global Head of Sustainability, BNP Paribas AM
Magali Caroline Van Coppenolle, Global Head of Policy, Climate Bonds
Sylvaine Rols, Senior Specialist, Nature, PRI
Kavita Srinivasan, Project Manager, IPR
Jakob Thomae, Research Director, IPR
Moderated by: Gina Hanrahan, Senior Specialist, Climate Policy, PRI

This webinar will offer insights into the upcoming UN Biodiversity Conference COP16, scheduled for October 2024 in Cali, Colombia. It will delve into the preparations made by governments and private finance sectors to effectively translate their aspirations into actionable plans for implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). This landmark agreement was adopted by 196 parties at the UN Biodiversity Conference COP15 in December 2022, to guide global action on biodiversity and nature. It provides a framework for bold action and policy alignment across economic sectors, with a clear call to align public and private financial flows with its mission of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030.

During the webinar, you will hear more on the preparation of COP16 as we delve into the process of countries updating their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) following the adoption of the GBF. Additionally, we'll facilitate discussions among representatives of financial institutions, exploring how to engage with governments on the GBF implementation and their needs in creating an enabling policy environment to reduce negative impact and increase positive impact on biodiversity through investments.

This session aims to help signatories understand the 2024 reporting requirements. During the session, we will provide an overview of the 2024 Reporting Framework, what to report on (based on signatory type), the resources available to support signatories and how to navigate the Reporting Tool. We will also host a moderated Q&A session, where participants can ask questions of our subject matter experts. The latest information can be found on the R&A Updates webpage.

Confirmed speakers:
• Giulia Scaminaci, Head of Reporting Framework & Assessment Services
• Jayces Garello, Product Manager, Reporting Framework & Assessment Services
• Andrew Easton-Fei, Associate Product Manager, Reporting Framework & Assessment Services

The unprecedented scale of biodiversity loss currently occurring is a systemic risk contributing to the potential breakdown of financial and natural systems. At the same time, addressing the drivers of biodiversity loss may unlock opportunities generating up to US$10trn in annual value by 2030. In this webinar, we will explore further the case for investor action, but also focus on the steps that investors can take to strengthen capabilities and build impactful strategies and practices on this critical issue.

Speakers:
Adepeju Adeosun Napier, Senior Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY
Hugh Garbutt, Assistant Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY
Teboho Makhabane, Head of ESG and Impact, Sanlam Investments
Andrew Shalit, Shareholder Advocate, Green Century Capital Management
Simon Whistler, Head of Real Assets, Principles for Responsible Investment

This session will introduce the PRI’s minimum requirements for investor signatories reporting in 2024. Attendees will receive an overview of the minimum requirements and how they can meet them, while our asset owner guidance senior specialist will provide an insight into robust practices for developing and maintaining a responsible investment policy. Participants will learn how to identify the minimum requirements when reporting and leave the session with an understanding of how PRI engages with signatories that do not meet them. We will also host a moderated Q&A session, where participants can ask questions about the PRI’s minimum requirements.

Speakers include:

Rory Cardy, Product Manager – Accountability Initiatives, PRI
Yejin Hur, Associate Product Manager – Accountability Initiatives, PRI
Tom Attwooll, Senior Specialist – Asset Owners, Guidance, PRI