The SDGs in action

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The SDGs are a framework for looking at the broader global challenges the world needs to solve. This session looks at case studies of how investors are using SDGs to shape a view of the future and incorporating that into an investment framework.[vc_quotes layout=”accordion” 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title=”Moderator” el_class=””][vc_empty_space height=”10px”]

Related reading

APG Responsible Investment report 2019 Climate Progress Dashboard forecasts global warming of 3.9°C despite Covid-19 crisis How working flexibly can give investors an edge Latest sustainability articles from Schroders Renewed, Recharged and Reinforced: Urgent actions to harmonize and scale sustainable finance (Report of the Global Investors for Sustainable Development Alliance to the European Commission) Sustainability: six ways the corporate world will have to change SustainEx: Quantifying the hidden costs of companies’ social impacts The PRI SDG report What Covid-19 means for climate change and the impact of the pandemic on the food industry (Sustainable Investment Report)[vc_empty_space height=”10px”]

Key takeaways

Claudia  
  • We are actively engaging with Amazon to influence their corporate behaviours.
  • We need to be transparent about what we do and how we do it.
  • We actively seek stakeholder feedback to enable us to become better investors.
  • Given our asset class focus, we have a specific focus on contributing to the sustainable city SDG.
  • We are currently focused on the contribution to the SDGs and are moving ever closer to an analysis of outcomes.
Andy
  • The SDGs are part of the pathway out of the crisis, however the SDGs existed before the crisis and they will exist after it. The crisis rallied action around the SDGs.
  • Some of the countries most impacted by COVID-19 have been the countries which suffer from the greatest social tension and inequality. These root causes need to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
  • Ironically, climate change gets a disproportionately large amount of airtime and yet is one of the easier items to understand and measure.
  • We need to be very clear about what we are trying to achieve and about how we are communicating and targeting that objective.
  • Fundamentally, tackling the SDGs means change. Some companies and industries will not survive this change. Investors have the opportunity to support those committed to undertaking the change journey. This is an incredibly complex challenge. It will serve us all well to collaborate to get the best outcome. Targeting the SDGs is not a philanthropic endeavour, it is an investment question and a question of ensuring the allocation of client capital is aligned to the direction in which the world is moving.
  • The world of the future will look different. ‘You don’t arrive at the future by looking through the rear view mirror.’ We need to look forward and turn the SDG conceptual framework into a tangible strategic imperative.
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Poll results

Are you aligning your investments with the SDGs?[vc_line_chart x_values=”” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22No%2C%20but%20plan%20to%20in%20the%20next%2012%20months%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2240%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22blue%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22No%2C%20our%20board%20is%20still%20unconvinced%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%227%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22pink%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22No%2C%20this%20is%20not%20our%20fiduciary%20duty%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%223%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22chino%22%2C%22custom_color%22%3A%22%23ebebeb%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Unsure%2C%20due%20to%20political%20and%20ideological%20differences%20in%20the%20organisation%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2230%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22violet%22%2C%22custom_color%22%3A%22%23f79468%22%7D%5D”]

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