Does investing with environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in mind really make a difference? Is it just greenwashing? Are your investments leading to positive change in the real world?
These aren’t just talking points. They’re questions that really matter. This year, we invited clients and professionals to join us for two events in Bristol and London for a dialogue on ESG investing and to tackle these questions head-on.
Our South West Regional Director, David Burridge, and Head of Impact, Steve Watters, were joined by speakers from Legal & General Asset Management (LGAM) and Tribe Impact Capital for an inspiring discussion. We believe investing is about more than getting a financial return – it’s about actively shaping the future you envision and doing more with your money to advocate for positive change.
“When faced with a company that is not operating ethically, investors have two choices: engage or divest. In our experience, engaging with a company to hold its board to account, and engaging with the company’s suppliers or clients often has the potential to have more impact.” Source: Is ESG investing a con? report
Ben Cherrington from LGAM shared what effective engagement truly looks like – and how it’s driving impact. We know that simply divesting and making bold ‘carbon saved’ claims just doesn’t stack up. Real change comes from effective asset manager engagement on urgent global issues.
“Some funds proudly report their carbon emissions ‘reduced’ or ‘saved’ because they’ve sold shares in an oil company, even though that company carries on drilling, polluting, and emitting. Let me just be ultra clear on this. Sadly, no emissions have been reduced.” David Burridge, Paradigm Norton
We also heard from Chris Toy from Tribe, one of the leading lights in the UK when it comes to impact investing and our intentional investment partner.
Our growing community is actively engaged in this fascinating discussion, and we think there is a growing number of people who are concerned about this topic. They want to see positive change as a result of investment and to be able to save for their retirement without compromising on their desire to build a better future.
We shared our report on this topic with attendees. In the report, we delve into the myths and misconceptions of ESG, explore why there’s distrust around sustainable investing, and look at how the Financial Conduct Authority is tackling greenwashing. We also offer our perspective on what a sustainable investment fund is, and how we’re encouraging real-world change with our responsible and intentional investment portfolios.
Our ambition is to run regular events like this and continue to grow our community of like-minded people who care about supporting the transition to a lower carbon economy – and holding the investment industry to account.