Pri Podcasts

In this podcast, the PRI's Carmen Nuzzo speaks with Claudia Gollmeier, Senior Investment Officer, Managing Director, Singapore, Colchester Global Investors and Chair of the PRI's Sovereign Debt Advisory Committee and Kristian Hartelius, Head of Quantitative Strategies, AP2, and member of the advisory committee.   They discuss how ESG factors feature in risk assessment and the role of sovereign bondholders’ engagement.

Join the PRI’s Matthew McAdam in this quarterly update episode of the PRI podcast. In this episode, Matthew runs through key updates from the PRI from the last quarter of 2020. Interested in the resources discussed in this episode? Asset owner technical guides: selection, appointment and monitoring Why and how investors should act on human rights Race to Zero campaign The Inevitable Policy Response under Biden’s climate plan ESG engagement for sovereign debt investors Whistleblowing: why and how to engage with your investee companies How policymakers can implement reforms for a sustainable financial system The California responsible investment roadmap

In this episode, the PRI’s Rebecca Chapman speaks with Michiel De Smet, Finance Initiative Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. They discuss the findings from a report released last year by the Foundation called ‘Financing the Circular Economy’, including the relevance of the Circular Economy for investors and how investors can support a transition to a more circular future.    Interested in the resources discussed in this episode? ‘Financing the Circular Economy’, Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2020) https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/our-work/activities/finance RI’s work on Plastics: https://www.unpri.org/sustainability-issues/environmental-social-and-governance-issues/environmental-issues/plastics

In this episode PRI’s CEO, Fiona Reynolds, speaks with Eric Usher, Head of the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). They discuss its newest initiative, the Principles for Responsible Banking. Just over one year on from its launch, they explore why it was developed, what the initiative has achieved so far and ambitions for the future. 

In the fourth podcast of a series on the ESG in Credit Risk and Ratings Initiative, Carmen Nuzzo (Head of Fixed Income, PRI) speaks to Naresh Aggarwal (Associate Director, Policy and Technical, The Association of Corporate Treasurers) and Rhys Petheram (Fund Manager, Fixed Income, Jupiter Asset Management), bringing the corporate and asset manager perspectives on ESG credit relevant data disclosure and engagement.

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI’s Simon Whistler talks to Rick Walters from GRESB. They talk about the state of play of ESG data and performance in infrastructure, how better ESG data can drive stronger long-term thinking and performance, and explore whether too much of a focus on data can distract from the real world elements of infrastructure investing.

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI’s Nikolaj Halkjaer Pedersen engages in a dynamic human rights focused conversation with Chris Newton, Executive Director of Responsible Investment at IFM Investors and Akiko Sato, Human Rights Lawyer and Japan Programme Coordinator at the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre. The podcast begins by grounding an investor’s understanding of human rights through analysing what human rights are, where they exist in relation to fiduciary duty and how they can be integrated into ESG considerations. It then explores the ways in which human rights are regulated across different geographies, how human rights considerations can be incorporated across asset classes and the importance of investor responsibility to enable and provide access to remedy. It concludes with the guests expressing their hopes and desires for the future of human rights in institutional investment. Read the PRI's flagship paper, Why and how investors should act on human rights

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI's CEO Fiona Reynolds speaks with Dr Bronwyn King AO, Founder, Director and CEO of Tobacco-Free Portfolios. They discuss the Tobacco-Free Finance Pledge, the progress the initiative has made since its launch, the impact of COVID-19, links between human rights and tobacco, big issues on the horizon and more.

In this podcast, the PRI's Nathan Fabian introduces the new EU Platform on Sustainable Finance, explains the Platform’s purpose, activities and what signatories can expect in the months and years ahead.

We need a decisive decade of action on climate change, incorporating a sustainable recovery from COVID-19 and actions towards net zero by 2050. A leading group of asset owners, the UN-convened Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance has committed to aligning their portfolios with net zero by 2050, and published how they will get there – through a draft target-setting protocol. This podcast seeks to assist asset owners, asset managers and their service providers to: understand the objectives of the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance understand the draft target-setting protocol including key features and implications Join the PRI's Sagarika Chatterjee and Swiss Re's Claudia Bolli as they discuss just that. Interested in the resources discussed in this episode? Find out about the draft target-setting protocol

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI’s Nabylah Abo Dehman speaks with Sam Hepher from the Living Wage Foundation and ShareAction’s Rachel Hargreaves. They discuss the investor toolkit for the living wage recently launched in collaboration between their two organisations, why the living wage matters, and the practical steps investors can take to further this agenda. Interested in the resources discussed in this episode? Living wage investor toolkit

Joint the PRI’s Anastasia Guha in this quarterly update episode of the PRI podcast. In this episode, Anastasia runs through key updates from the PRI. Interested in the resources discussed in this episode? Sustainable and inclusive: COVID-19 recovery and reform COVID-19 resources page Blog: Top four takeaways from the PRI’s first year of mandatory TCFD-based reporting Bridging the gap: how infrastructure investors can contribute to SDG outcomes In search of sustainability: private retirement systems in the Australia, the UK and the US Investor action on biodiversity: discussion paper Impacts of the Inevitable Policy Response across asset classes Response to Department of Labor’s proposed rule for ERISA fiduciaries

Understanding how climate risk could play out is of central importance to investors’ response to the climate challenge. A key approach is the use of scenario analysis to test the resilience of the portfolio to a number of future states. This can further be developed for financial analysis. This podcast seeks to assist asset owners, asset managers and their service providers to: Understand that an end point ambition requires a scenario pathway to be of use in financial analysis. Understand the scenario pathway architecture (i.e. key variables, metrics, attributes and drivers) determine the financial impact of any scenario. Understand how climate scenarios can then be used in risk analysis of their own portfolios and engagement with companies following the Paris Agreement and the IPCC SR1.5°C study. Understand how scenarios can then become base case forecasts to begin to inform actual business and portfolio planning and decisions using business level metrics such as production, CapEx and emissions, which leads

In this third podcast of a series on the ESG in Credit Risk and Ratings Initiative, Carmen Nuzzo (PRI), Andrew Steel (Fitch Ratings) and Wayne Seaton (Sustainalytics) bring the producers’ perspective to the difference between ESG in credit ratings and ESG evaluations.

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI’s Nabylah Abo Dehman speaks with Naeem Badat, director at Differential Capital. They discuss unsecured lending practices in South Africa and the devastating impacts these latter are having on consumers and the broader society. They discuss the state of the industry, the profile of both consumers and lenders and the scale of the issue.

In this episode of the PRI podcast, Gail Whiteman, Professor of Sustainability, University of Exeter & Founder, Arctic Basecamp speaks with Peter Bakker, President and CEO of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the PRI’s CEO, Fiona Reynolds. They discuss WBCSD and the PRI’s new collaboration created to redesign engagement between corporates and investors and to drive sustainability outcomes and value creation. The podcast explores the rationale behind this critical and unique collaboration and what it aims to achieve. 

In this PRI podcast, the PRI’s Paul Chandler talks to Fredrick Alexander and Jennifer Warden of The Shareholder Commons – a new organisation set up to encourage a re-think of how our investment system functions. They discuss The Shareholder Commons’ history and approach, introduce the concept of universal ownership and discuss its implications for stewardship.

Hand washing and access to clean water play an essential role in preventing the transmission of COVID-19. In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI’s Gemma James is joined by Marc Robert, Partner and COO, Water Asset Management, Chair of Board for WaterAid America, and Maher Abdullah Al - CEO and Head of Business, Fakir Fashion. They discuss the importance of water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) during COVID-19 for businesses based in developing countries, as well as the role investors can play.

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the head of the PRI's infrastructure workstream, Simon Whistler, speaks to Stanley Kwong from Aviva Investors’ real assets business about how they integrate the Sustainable Development Goals into their investment process.

Join Lorenzo Saa, the PRI’s Chief Signatory Relations Officer, in this quarterly update episode of the PRI podcast. In this episode, Lorenzo runs through key updates from the PRI over the past quarter. Interested in the resources discussed in this podcast? COVID-19 resources page Investing with SDG outcomes: a five-part framework UN-Convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance Climate Action 100+ The Inevitable Policy Response Engaging on cyber security: results of the PRI collaborative engagement 2017 - 2019 Investor priorities for the EU Green Deal From farm to table: ensuring fair labour practices in agricultural supply chains Are infrastructure plans SDG-aligned, and how can investors play their part? Technical guide: ESG incorporation in hedge funds An introduction to responsible investment: screening