ESG 2.0 2015
 

  

Summary & Asset Owner Survey Information

  


ESG 2.0 2015 - Thursday 19th November, Grange St. Paul's Hotel, London


The relationship between asset owners and managers is complex, wide-ranging and rapidly evolving. Asset owners are re-evaluating and optimising relationships with service providers on fees, governance, contracts (IMAs) and client servicing (reporting and monitoring). They are also refining RFP inclusion criteria on the big, increasingly financial environmental and social issues of our time (PRI adherence, climate change, water, pollution, human capital, corporate governance). 

There are now just under 1400 signatories to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), which is discussing the tightening of its six Principles and examining how it might start comparing asset owners and asset managers on their responsible investment commitments. 

It is timely, therefore, to hear the latest developments and discuss the implications of this significant development of the ‘principal-agent’ relationship between pension funds and asset managers.

ESG 2.0 2015 – Investment mandates and long-term value creation in the investment chain, is ‘that’ discussion forum.

The results of the: ASSET OWNER SURVEY 2015: "RI Insight - Future Trends in Responsible Investment - How asset owners are upping the ante with their agents" will form the basis for the presentations and debate at this fifth annual conference (formerly titled: ESG in Manager Selection and Monitoring).


 Download The Asset Owner Survey 2015 Overview 

  

Asset Owner Survey 2015

RI Insight - Future trends in responsible investment, How asset owners are upping the ante with their agents?

A unique survey and in-depth research project from Responsible Investor covering:

- 51 of the world's biggest asset owners.
- $2.9 trillions AUM.
- 13 countries globally.
- EMEA 64%; Americas 24%; AsiaPac 12%

There is an urgent need for asset managers to better understand the demands of asset owners.
Access is key - asset owners want to engage with asset managers' investment staff.
78% of asset owners surveyed consider ESG management as one of the top 5 issues when choosing an asset manager; 24% place it as a top three priority.

"Conceiving, designing and implementing a responsible investment programme are not often described explicitly as an exercise in change management. Yet that is what they are; communication is therefore central.
Patient, repeated, communication of the organisation's fundamental objectives in pursuing RI is essential.
This needs to be framed in terms that are recognisable to portfolio managers and analysts, both internal and external - long term value creation, relevance to understanding economic and social megatrends, mitigating risk, identifying investment opportunities, active ownership etc.
This communication is most effective if it is led from the top of the organisation. If senior leaders do not make it clear that RI is an organisational priority, other staff and outsiders, will draw obvious conclusions."

Extract from opening article in the ASSET OWNERS SURVEY 2015: 
Asset Owners and RI - Reconnecting with the fundamentals, An inflection point.
Rob Lake, Independent Responsible Investment Advisor, Rob Lake Advisors Ltd.