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The COVID-19 global health and economic crisis has highlighted the need for leadership and capital to be urgently targeted towards the vulnerabilities in the global economy. So what does a sustainable recovery look like and how can institutional investors collaborate to make sure it happens?[vc_quotes layout=”accordion” quotes=”%5B%7B%22name%22%3A%22Gilbert%20van%20Hassel%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22Chief%20executive%2C%20Robeco%20(The%20Netherlands)%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Gilbert%20Van%20Hassel%20has%20been%20chief%20executive%20and%20chair%20of%20the%20executive%20committee%20of%20Robeco%20since%20%20September%202016.%20Van%20Hassel%20has%20over%2030%20years%E2%80%99%20experience%20in%20the%20financial%20services%20industry%2C%20mainly%20in%20asset%20and%20wealth%20management%2C%20with%20broad%20experience%20in%20Europe%2C%20Asia%20and%20the%20US.%20Until%202013%20he%20was%20Global%20CEO%20ING%20Investment%20Management%20and%20member%20of%20the%20board%20insurance%20and%20asset%20management%20of%20ING.%20Before%20joining%20ING%20in%202007%2C%20he%20worked%20for%20JP%20Morgan%20where%20he%20held%20various%20executive%20positions%20in%20Europe%2C%20Asia%20and%20the%20US.%20Van%20Hassel%20has%20a%20Bachelor%3Bs%20degree%20in%20Applied%20Economics%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Antwerp%20St%20Ignatius%20(Belgium)%2C%20an%20MBA%2C%20with%20a%20major%20in%20International%20Finance%20from%20the%20Catholic%20University%20of%20Louvain%20(Belgium)%20and%20a%20Master%20of%20Science%20in%20Finance%20from%20Purdue%20University%20(US).%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2231903%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fgilbert-van-hassel-4720995b%2F%22%7D%5D” title=”Speaker” el_class=””][vc_quotes layout=”accordion” quotes=”%5B%7B%22name%22%3A%22Colin%20Tate%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22%20Chief%20executive%2C%20Conexus%20Financial%20(Australia)%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Colin%20Tate%20has%20been%20an%20investment%20industry%20media%20publisher%20and%20conference%20producer%20since%201996.%20In%20his%20media%20career%2C%20Tate%20has%20launched%20and%20overseen%20dozens%20of%20print%20and%20electronic%20publications.%20He%20is%20the%20chief%20executive%20and%20major%20shareholder%20of%20Conexus%20Financial%2C%20which%20was%20formed%20in%202005%2C%20and%20is%20headquartered%20in%20Sydney%2C%20Australia.%20The%20company%20stages%20more%20than%2020%20conferences%20and%20events%20each%20year%20%E2%80%93%20in%20London%2C%20New%20York%2C%20San%20Francisco%2C%20Los%20Angeles%2C%20Amsterdam%2C%20Beijing%2C%20Sydney%20and%20Melbourne%20%E2%80%93%20and%20publishes%20five%20media%20brands%2C%20including%20the%20global%20website%20and%20strategy%20newsletter%20for%20global%20institutional%20investors%20conexust1f.flywheelstaging.com.%20One%20of%20the%20company%E2%80%99s%20signature%20events%20is%20the%20bi-annual%20Fiduciary%20Investors%20Symposium.%20Conexus%20Financial%E2%80%99s%20events%20aim%20to%20place%20the%20responsibilities%20of%20investors%20in%20wider%20societal%2C%20and%20political%20contexts%2C%20as%20well%20as%20promote%20the%20long-term%20stability%20of%20markets%20and%20sustainable%20retirement%20incomes.%20Tate%20served%20for%20seven%20years%20on%20the%20board%20of%20Australia%E2%80%99s%20most%20high%20profile%20homeless%20charity%2C%20The%20Wayside%20Chapel%3B%20and%20he%20has%20underwritten%20the%20welfare%20of%2060%2C000%20people%20in%2028%20villages%20throughout%20Uganda%20via%20The%20Hunger%20Project.%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2231893%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fcolin-tate-839a5a181%2F%22%7D%5D” title=”Moderator” el_class=””][vc_empty_space height=”10px”]
Key takeaways
Social spirit needs to be nurtured for those that are working at home alone.
A sustainable recovery has the same three requirements as a sustainable economy:
We need a healthy planet – 1 million animal species are threatened with extinction
Wealth and wellbeing need to be fairly shared
Good governance across government and corporates
One silver lining is how willing people are to think differently and endure sacrifice during the pandemic.
Will the world finally wake up to the climate crisis? Hopefully, but we should not be complacent. After all, ‘This time it’s going to be different’ is a dangerous line because human behaviour is very slow to change.
Government will have to play a role to ensure the definition of fiduciary duty includes greater appreciation of sustainability considerations.
If we collaborate and persist in actively voting and engaging we can achieve great change that will impact the world far for generations to come.
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Poll results
Do you align your investment objectives with the SDGs?[vc_line_chart x_values=”” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Yes%20(24%25)%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2224%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22blue%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22No%20but%20plan%20to%20in%20the%20next%2012%20months%20(10%25)%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2210%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22pink%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22No%20but%20are%20having%20discussions%20around%20a%20plan%20for%20this%20(41%25)%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2241%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22green%22%2C%22custom_color%22%3A%22%23555555%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22No%20(24%25)%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2224%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22mulled-wine%22%2C%22custom_color%22%3A%22%23f4524d%22%7D%5D”]
The Florida State Board of Administration has made some strategic moves to take advantage of opportunities in the dislocation, including in private equity, distressed debt and active listed equities.. But CIO, Ash Williams, is concerned about the underlying real economy.
Political regimes around the world are stuck in a series of dead-ends and despair. Most importantly, the China-US relationship has hit a brick wall as their fundamentally different values and interests clash. Deterrents and robust policy is the only way forward, says Stephen Kotkin, professor in history and international affairs, Princeton University.
Nobel prize winner Esther Duflo suggests institutional investors can help alleviate poverty by fostering new supply chains and looking beyond a country's credit rating. She said there is an "unacceptable" level of poverty amongst Africa Americans and Latinos who are keeping the US economy going but dying for it.
Global asset manager Robeco has found proactive stewardship triggers important changes in corporate behaviour. Chief executive Gilbert van Hassel urges FIS 2020 Digital delegates to do the same.
In a fireside chat, CIO of CalPERS Ben Meng talks about how the fund wants to use leverage to push deeper into private assets, while Ronald Wuijster, chief executive officer, APG Asset Management said the policy response has made taking advantage of buying opportunities difficult.
Investors should use stewardship to encourage purposeful companies that provide long-term value by meeting the needs of multiple stakeholders and helping improve society. But what is a purposeful company?
Understanding the two policy making camps in China - one which is concerned about debt and one which is worried about a slowdown in growth - is key to understanding China's position in the global economy, says professor of finance at Peking University, Michael Pettis.
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