Future outlook | Investment landscape
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors remain a core focus for consumers, governments, and investors, with a rising global climate focus and major economic and geopolitical events shaping markets today.
We have seen a plethora of economic and geopolitical events such as the energy transition, gas crisis, a global pandemic, and war in Ukraine, all of which have considerably impacted our progress.
This opening session will provide a refresher of our current position, how ethical investing has performed amid turbulent times and expected future outcomes, the challenges we currently face, and what’s being done to keep moving the ball forward.
Gain a retrospect of ESG investing through history, the key trends and expected future outcomes, plus what you need to look out for.
This session will also dive into the role ESG investing is expected to play in 2023 and beyond, and what it might mean for your firm.
Last year was an exceptionally tough one for ESG investing with the performance of many ESG funds lagging traditional benchmarks and mounting criticism coming from all angles.
In his presentation, Adam will address the criticisms and challenges ESG is currently facing as well as the range of investment approaches and importance of aligning investor expectations to the strategy objectives.
Adam will also present some of the opportunities associated with the authentic implementation of a range of approaches in addition to providing a longer-term perspective of some of the structural and regulatory tailwinds supporting sustainably themed investments.
It’s 2023 and if urgent action is not taken right now, we are headed towards a climate catastrophe. As global individuals, communities and corporations, we all have a moral responsibility to do everything we can to lower our carbon footprint and protect the environment for generations to come.
Fortunately, science and technology have made major leaps towards reducing emissions in the last decade… but did you know that investing in one of our universal human rights is a more effective way to combat the climate crisis than many other, often more talked-about solutions?
So They Can’s Partnerships Manager, Emily Whitehouse will be discussing the crucial role that standing up for human rights has in addressing the climate emergency, and how investing in this solution is not only the right thing to do but the smart thing to do.
Greenwashing | ESG Ratings | Regulation
Advisers are struggling to pinpoint truly ESG-orientated companies amid a lack of transparency around environmental, social and governance definitions as the space waits for regulatory clarification.
In this session, discover an overview of greenwashing and focus on benchmarks and metrics to help advisers understand ESG data and reporting requirements for Australian companies.
You will walk away with a complete understanding of:
• Risks and opportunities in ESG and sustainable investing in an Australian context, including greenwashing and regulatory trends with a specific focus on benchmarks, data and metrics
• The constraints of ESG data and Australian reporting requirements in relation to disclosure standards for sustainability-related products
• Guidance on avoiding greenwashing, including labeling, terminology, benchmarks, metrics, screening, and more
• How to spot an organisation steering away from the truth in promotion
What’s really important in a fund’s pursuit of ESG?
With an array of ESG investment strategies and funds available amid varied client preferences, how can advisers know how to best align strategies to maximise returns, meet clients’ values and adhere to best interest duties?
Actions taken and results achieved can look very different on a fund-by-fund basis, and with regulatory guide rails closing in, advisers must consider ESG options for diversified portfolios both inside and separate to super.
In this session, we’ll explore:
Join this session to take a look behind the hype and understand how to zero in on what matters and why.
Case studies | Panel
Nearly 1 in 2 advisers are providing advice on ESG investments, up from just 1 in 5 in 2016. In this session you’ll hear from those leading the charge in implementing ESG advice into their business offerings.
Our panellists will chat through:
Hear the key tips and recommendations so you can follow the path of these leaders in ESG advice.
Adviser session | Practical
Become a change-maker and effectively achieve B Corp certification.
Fox and Hare, an industry leading firm that has cemented its place as one of Australia’s most progressive advice practices, will share with you the key steps to creating an ESG-friendly business.
Discover the ESG standards you should look for when seeking out ESG investment opportunities. Be a part of this conversation and understand what it really means to be a B Corp and how you can achieve it too.
This inspiring session will have you walking away from the conference with answers to these key questions:
Find out how you too can play your part in reshaping Australia’s advice industry to meet the evolving environmental, social, and governance standards consumers demand of businesses today.
Case study | Key importance
ESG will play a crucial role in the intergererational wealth transfer — another reason why advisers need to start paying close attention to ESG if they want to secure a slice of this hefty pie.
Millennials are increasingly growing in their care for sustainability, climate change, and gender parity, and as your potential future clients, you need to make sure you reflect their values through and through.
Your future clients have a different mindset on political and economic events to their parents. This session will prepare you for the shift and teach you how to evolve your offering to meet the needs of the younger generations.
Marketing and consumer insights
Have you ever had a difficult conversation with a client when trying to offer ESG as an option?
Your client base likely prioritises their returns. So how can you navigate these difficult, time-consuming conversations to not only secure the best returns for your clients but maintain your ESG approach?
This session will show you how slight tweaks in your communication can benefit your clients’ investments and grow their returns.
This session will teach you exactly how to steer the conversation and communicate the benefits and positive impacts to your clients — not only to secure their returns, but to safeguard the environment. You’ll also find out how to provide outcome based advice that communicates the benefits of ESG-focused investing.
Join this session and discover how to simplify and create value with your conversations, without sitting in an ongoing, time-consuming loop of convincing.
Investment strategies | Advice operations
Integrating best practice policies can simplify your integration of ESG risk factors into your overall risk management framework. Learn the strategies to provide risk-managed ESG advice at scale through this masterclass-style session.
We will arm you with the strategies, tools, and insights to navigate the ESG investing landscape so you can provide valuable guidance to a range of clients — with unique values — at scale.
Discover how you can put the right components in place, including policies, procedures, risk registers, risk ownership, key risk indicators and metrics, and management/ governance structures.
You will be provided with a take-home framework and performance workbook that will take you through identifying, assessing, controlling and monitoring risk step by step.
This must-attend session will show you how you can transition existing investments to an ESG-focused portfolio — one that is attractive and seamless for clients and will give you tangible takeaways.
Climate change is an existential threat to all of humanity. As extreme weather events become more frequent and more intense, our health, livelihoods, prosperity, and even our very survival is threatened.
Rapid decarbonisation of the global economy is essential — every fraction of a degree we can prevent the world from warming helps hold us back from the brink of an unlivable planet.
Momentum for decarbonisation is building, with investors increasingly understanding that when a high-emitting company embarks on a transformative plan, it’s not only good for the planet but is protective of long-term value across their portfolio.
In this session you will discover:
