There has been rapid growth in women’s labour force participation over recent decades and the industries projected to experience the greatest employment growth in coming decades are female-dominated. In addition it is well documented that companies with women in senior decision making positions perform better. Despite these gains, the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately hit women workers, increasing the need to adopt a gender lens in investment. Taking strong action to create and sustain high quality jobs for women will be critical in the recovery and create a more inclusive economic recovery. This session looks at the gender gap and the tools and processes available to improve the gender lens for investors both organisationally and for the companies they invest in.[vc_quotes layout=”accordion” 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Climate is by far the number one sustainability priority for investors in 2021 according to a poll of asset owners from more than 32 countries which came together for the Top1000funds.com online Sustainability event in March.
The experience of the collaboration between six large US insurers to successfully invest in affordable multi-family rental housing is a lesson for any institutional investor looking to impact investing.
Bert Feuss, senior vice president, investments at the $13.5 billion Silicon Valley Community Foundation, SVCF, explains why diversity is so important, the steps the impact investor has taken to address the institutionalised lack of diversity, and the impact on performance.
CalPERS and CalSTRS recently hosted over 400 attendees from academia, business, and investment to explore the connection between diversity, human capital and performance. And gave participants tangible next steps on how to increase diversity within their workplace and fresh momentum to push the diversity cause.
The €9 billion ($10 billion) Dutch fund for disabled workers, PWRI, has introduced a proprietary index that tilts towards companies that prioritise workers’ rights and health and safety issues. It’s a revolutionary approach to reflect the fund’s distinctive ESG priorities and a guide for other investors wanting to prioritise the “s” in ESG.
On International Women’s Day we spoke to Mass PRIM CIO, Michael Trotsky about diversity and inclusion.
He was part of the CFA Institute’s diversity and inclusion project and believes the industry is at a perfect inflection point to make inroads into improving its score on diversity.
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