Net zero, engagement, and ESG fund trends: Incisive Media unveils Sustainable Investment Festival programme

This new event is being run to help readers of Professional Pensions, Investment Week and Professional Adviser navigate this rapidly evolving area of the market. 

During the fully interactive festival - which will contain over 40 hours of content and more than 60 expert speakers - sessions will address the key sustainable investment issues for pension trustees and schemes as well as fund selectors and financial advisers. 

Delegates who register for the online festival will get full access to the entire agenda and sessions throughout the four-day event, so they can choose which streams are best suited to them.

They will be able to participate in a range of interactive sessions during the event including practical workshops, panel debates with peers and unique breakouts, including networking opportunities.   

The four-day event will be streamed from a top London studio, hosted by Incisive Media's experienced editors as well as broadcaster and financial journalist Declan Curry. All the content will be available 'on demand' to registered delegates afterwards.

Among our high-profile guest speakers at the festival are pensions and financial inclusion minister Guy Opperman; ShareAction chief executive Catherine Howarth; incoming JP Morgan head of EMEA ESG and former MP Chuka Umunna, former MP and incoming head of EMEA ESG at JP Morgan; United Nations Environment Programme climate finance unit head Ivo Mulder; HM Treasury independent Dasgupta review team head Sandy Sheard; and Green Finance Institute head of nature programmes Helen Avery.

On the second day of the Festival, delegates will also hear from Universities Superannuation Scheme head of responsible investment David Russell, Scottish Widows head of pension investments Maria Nazarova-Doyle, Sackers partner Stuart O'Brien, and Schroders head of sustainability strategy Hannah Simons.

We are also pleased to welcome a number of experienced fund managers specialising in sustainable investing throughout the event, as well as regulatory experts and industry commentators focusing on this part of the market.

Click here for the full programme and to register for the event.

Festival programme overview

As a guide, the Festival will be focused around different themes and audience needs each day:

Day 1: Tuesday 22 June

Day 1 will will focus on the impact of the net zero agenda on portfolios and the needs of the Investment Week audience, including wealth managers and fund selectors. What does net zero mean for investment funds and how can we tackle the challenges of carbon measurement? We will also share key lessons learnt from our sister title Business Green's recent Net Zero Festival.

Other sessions throughout the day will include 'The Goldilocks conundrum' - Is ESG too little and impact too much?; Addressing the sustainability skills challenge in the investment industry; Why invest in the energy transition; How do investors make sure they invest in green bonds that make a difference?; and Rethinking how economic success is measured for a sustainable age.

Day 2: Wednesday 23 June

Day 2 will focus on sessions aimed at the Professional Pensions audience of pension consultants, trustees and scheme managers.

Speakers will address the latest regulatory requirements for both defined benefit and defined contribution schemes; increasing rules on disclosure, particularly on climate risk; and the growing importance of stewardship in institutional portfolios. 

Day 3: Thursday 24 June

Day 3 is built around the needs of Professional Adviser and Investment Week readers, including financial advisers, wealth managers and fund selectors. 

Our stream for financial advisers will include sessions on how advisers are integrating ESG into their businesses and selecting solutions for clients; uncovering client interests and priorities as they seek to do the right thing; and how to select the right ESG portfolio for your clients.

We will also be hosting a best practice, interactive panel discussion with advisers who are leading the way in integrating ESG factors into their businesses.   

Day 3 will also feature a keynote presentation from Hortense Bioy (pictured), global director of sustainability research at Morningstar, on the latest trends for the European ESG fund landscape

In addition, we will be running ESG fund showcases focused on fund strategies and new investment opportunities.

Day 4: Friday 25 June

The final day is focused on areas including how asset managers and fund selectors can engage, influence and make a meaningful contribution to ESG outcomes.

Our first keynote presentation is from Catherine Howarth (pictured), chief executive at ShareAction, who will discuss the impact of engagement and disclosure on workforce practices and the role of responsible investing to influence positive outcomes.

Our morning panel session featuring fund selectors will address moving diversity & inclusion from education to practical implementation. It will examine how forward-thinking investors are incorporating diversity & inclusion into their ESG investment strategies,

Sir Ronald Cohen, chairman of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment and The Portland Trust, will then deliver a keynote assessing how Covid-19 has shifted focus on to the 'S' in ESG.

Finally, the event concludes with a CEO panel discussion on how individuals, companies and investors can use their influence to really move the needle on important societal changes, diversity & inclusion, and climate change.