Media releases

NEW YORK CITY: CFA Institute, the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (GSIA), and Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) have issued a new resource that aims to bring greater understanding and consistency to terminology used in responsible investment, specifically: • Screening • ESG integration • Thematic investing • Stewardship • Impact investing For each term, CFA Institute, GSIA, and PRI have outlined a definition, detailed explanation, a list of definitions that served as the primary inputs, and guidance for using the terms in practice. The paper is intended for investors, regulators, policymakers, and other market participants. The collaboration was inspired by calls from regulators for voluntary standard setters to develop common terms and definitions to ensure consistency throughout the global asset management and wealth management industries. Promoting the consistent and precise use of terminology contributes to efforts to address greenwashing.

The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) has taken a monumental step in advancing responsible investing in New Zealand by establishing the Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group. As the landscape of responsible investment in New Zealand has rapidly evolved over the past three years, RIAA’s proactive approach continues to reshape the industry, as it establishes the Aotearoa working group to collaborate and share leading practices and knowledge. With RIAA members now accounting for over 70% of the New Zealand market, and a substantial 64% of Kiwisaver funds invested in RIAA certified funds, the launch of the working group serves as a vital progression towards fostering a thriving economy, environment and society surrounding responsible investment.

Responsible investment funds in New Zealand have overtaken traditional funds for the first time, reaching a record $183 billion in 2022, while traditional investments dropped 9% to $169 billion, a new report by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) has revealed. The Responsible Investment Benchmark Report Aotearoa New Zealand 2023, researched in collaboration with EY, shows the responsible investment market now makes up more than half (52%) of the total managed funds market in New Zealand. Dean Hegarty, Executive Manager at RIAA said, “It’s only a few years since responsible investment was seen as a niche market. But the landscape has now turned on its head – today, funds not actively engaged in responsible investment are not just lagging; they’re stranded at the starting line of a race that’s already in full swing.”

After two years of development, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) has released its final Framework, giving investors a commonly-accepted basis to compare companies’ nature-related risks. The Framework was unveiled at UN Climate Week in New York. The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) has warmly welcomed the release of the Framework, describing it as a “monumental moment” for the responsible investment sector, and has issued a challenge to Australian and New Zealand companies to join the inaugural cohort of TNFD adopters to be announced in January. “As Convenor of the official Consultation Group for the TNFD in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, RIAA is excited to be working with all sectors to facilitate its uptake. This will be crucial to making better business and investment decisions that protect and restore, rather than destroy, nature,” said Estelle Parker, Executive Manager at RIAA.

New responsible investment report reveals, financial markets in Australia are embracing ESG and responsible investment, yet rapidly increasing standards risk some being left behind. The 22nd annual Responsible Investment Benchmark Report released by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) has revealed that ESG considerations are now deeply embedded across investment markets in Australia. Read the full press release to learn about the key findings of the report.

The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) will host the largest edition of its New Zealand conference yet, on 8 August at the Aotea Centre in Auckland, with over 350 leaders and practitioners from the sustainable finance industry due to attend. The RIAA Conference Aotearoa NZ 2023 comes at a critical time in the fast-evolving field of responsible investment, as investment managers face heightened expectations from government, regulators and retail investors.

After serving as CEO of the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) for over 10 years, Simon O’Connor has informed the RIAA board of his decision to transition out of the role, with his departure scheduled for the end of this year. Ross Piper, Chair of the RIAA board expressed his appreciation for Simon’s remarkable contribution and acknowledged the timing is right for both the organisation and Simon personally to begin a leadership transition.

Investors want to do well and do good In the face of financial market turbulence, consumer demand for ethical investing not only remains resilient but continues to gain momentum. Consumers not only want to avoid investing in companies that cause harm, they are increasingly also looking to invest in KiwiSaver and investment funds that do good. This is the fifth annual survey of the New Zealand public undertaken by Mindful Money and the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia (RIAA). The survey, conducted by market researcher, Dynata, provides valuable research, trends and insights for the finance sector and public audiences. Read full press release for key findings of the survey.

On the eve of Australia’s biggest responsible investment conference, the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) applauds the Government’s budget commitments to a sustainable finance agenda which will include: – funding the development of a sustainable finance taxonomy, – establishing an Australian Government green bond program, and – supporting ASIC’s work to address greenwashing. RIAA also welcomes the Government’s commitment to: – funding for social impact investment, including a $100 million Outcomes Fund, – funding to support a Nature Positive Plan, – establishing an Anti-Slavery Commissioner to help fight modern slavery in Australia and abroad, – a raft of other measures that will unlock opportunities for investors to contribute to national decarbonisation efforts. On the eve of Australia’s biggest responsible investment conference, the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) applauds the Government’s budget commitments to a sustainable finance agenda which will include: – funding the development of a sustainable finance taxonomy, – establishing an Australian Government green bond program, and – supporting ASIC’s work to address greenwashing. RIAA also welcomes the Government’s commitment to: – funding for social impact investment, including a $100 million Outcomes Fund, – funding to support a Nature Positive Plan, – establishing an Anti-Slavery Commissioner to help fight modern slavery in Australia and abroad, – a raft of other measures that will unlock opportunities for investors to contribute to national decarbonisation efforts. RIAA’s Responsible Investment Australia 2023 conference on 10 & 11 May will dive deep into many of these major announcements.

With increasing attention on greenwashing in finance, the largest and most comprehensive responsible investment conference in the Southern Hemisphere, RI Australia 2023, will take place in Melbourne and online on 10-11 May 2023. Held by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA), the two-day conference will bring together more than 800 sustainability leaders and industry practitioners with 90 expert speakers across more than 30 sessions to demonstrate best practice in the burgeoning sustainable finance sector.