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.
Dean Hegarty, NZ based Executive Manager at RIAA said, the Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group would be RIAA’s first in New Zealand, and fourth overall, to be established alongside its successful working groups in Human Rights, Nature and First Nations Peoples’ Rights in Australia.
“Much like RIAA’s pivotal working groups in Australia, the Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group will provide members with an opportunity to share ideas and challenges that enable stronger collaboration across our market on responsible investment issues, including on corporate engagements specific to the New Zealand market,” said Dean.
“At the same time it will also provide a structured, in person forum for those engaged across the various RIAA working groups, to consolidate knowledge, and increase the opportunity to contribute to ongoing work,” explained Dean.
Head of Responsible Investment at Mint Asset Management, Rachel Tinkler, welcomed the working group stating, there has long been a gap in the New Zealand market for collaborative working between fund managers.
“RIAA hosts very successful working groups which have fostered many successful collaborations between Australian fund managers and superannuation funds. But the participation from New Zealand fund managers has been lacking and as a result the work these groups carry out tends to be Australian-centric,” said Rachel Tinkler.
“Working with RIAA and like-minded counterparts from other fund managers in NZ, we’ve been looking to fill this gap. At RIAA’s Aotearoa conference held recently in Auckland, what we hoped might be a solution to that gap was announced, the Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group,” explained Rachel.
“Open initially to Asset Owner, Asset Manager, Banking and Trust members of RIAA, this group will leverage the knowledge and resources of the current RIAA working groups that do so much in Australia, but apply it to the Aotearoa landscape. It will also be a space for fund managers to come together and focus their engagement efforts as a group, both with corporates and with policy makers,” she said.
As a significant step beyond avoidance of harm, RIAA and its partners have developed the Stewardship Code alongside Toitū Tahua: Centre for Sustainable Finance. The Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group will serve as an instrumental forum for New Zealand members to collaborate on engagement activities.
This collaboration will facilitate the sharing of opportunities, ideas, and challenges, strengthening cooperation across the New Zealand market concerning pertinent responsible investment matters, including corporate engagements tailored to the local context.
“The Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group is designed to be dynamic and interactive with quarterly in-person events, offering a platform for productive discussions and valuable knowledge exchange,” said Dean.
Initial invitations are extended to RIAA's New Zealand-based Asset Managers, Banking, Asset Owner, and Trust members. It is envisaged that this initiative's impact will grow exponentially, extending opportunities for participation to all of RIAA's New Zealand-based members as it gains momentum.
With the establishment of the Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group, RIAA reinforces its commitment to catalysing responsible investing within New Zealand. This initiative stands as a testament to RIAA's dedication to driving positive impact while fostering unity among industry stakeholders.
ENDS
ABOUT RIAA
The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) champions responsible investing and a sustainable financial system in Australia and New Zealand. RIAA is dedicated to ensuring capital is aligned with achieving a healthy society, environment and economy. With over 500 members representing US$29 trillion in assets under management, RIAA is the largest and most active network of people and organisations engaged in responsible, ethical and impact investing across Australia and New Zealand. Our membership includes super funds, KiwiSaver providers, fund managers, banks, consultants, researchers, brokers, impact investors, property managers, trusts, foundations, faithbased groups, financial advisers and individuals.
RIAA hosts several member-only working groups as important communities of practice for members to collaborate and share leading practices and knowledge and as a means of building the capacity of members to be more effective in their work.
- Human Rights Working Group
- Nature Working Group
- First Nations People’s Rights Working Group
The purpose of working groups are to:
- Build members’ knowledge and understanding of important aspects of responsible investing and sustainable finance
- Generate and encourage implementation of leading practice responsible investment approaches within the industry
- Provide an opportunity for members to link with others around important areas related to responsible investment, especially to share information, resources and activities
- Involve members in addressing some of the challenges in the responsible investment industry and working to achieve a constructive pathway forward
- Gain members’ views and opinions to aid in the development of RIAA policy positions, advocacy, and research work
For further information, please contact
Ada Tso
Responsible Investment Association Australasia
ada@responsibleinvestment.org
+61 481 308 718
Marketing and Communications Manager
About the contributors
About the speakers
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.
Dean Hegarty, NZ based Executive Manager at RIAA said, the Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group would be RIAA’s first in New Zealand, and fourth overall, to be established alongside its successful working groups in Human Rights, Nature and First Nations Peoples’ Rights in Australia.
“Much like RIAA’s pivotal working groups in Australia, the Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group will provide members with an opportunity to share ideas and challenges that enable stronger collaboration across our market on responsible investment issues, including on corporate engagements specific to the New Zealand market,” said Dean.
“At the same time it will also provide a structured, in person forum for those engaged across the various RIAA working groups, to consolidate knowledge, and increase the opportunity to contribute to ongoing work,” explained Dean.
Head of Responsible Investment at Mint Asset Management, Rachel Tinkler, welcomed the working group stating, there has long been a gap in the New Zealand market for collaborative working between fund managers.
“RIAA hosts very successful working groups which have fostered many successful collaborations between Australian fund managers and superannuation funds. But the participation from New Zealand fund managers has been lacking and as a result the work these groups carry out tends to be Australian-centric,” said Rachel Tinkler.
“Working with RIAA and like-minded counterparts from other fund managers in NZ, we’ve been looking to fill this gap. At RIAA’s Aotearoa conference held recently in Auckland, what we hoped might be a solution to that gap was announced, the Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group,” explained Rachel.
“Open initially to Asset Owner, Asset Manager, Banking and Trust members of RIAA, this group will leverage the knowledge and resources of the current RIAA working groups that do so much in Australia, but apply it to the Aotearoa landscape. It will also be a space for fund managers to come together and focus their engagement efforts as a group, both with corporates and with policy makers,” she said.
As a significant step beyond avoidance of harm, RIAA and its partners have developed the Stewardship Code alongside Toitū Tahua: Centre for Sustainable Finance. The Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group will serve as an instrumental forum for New Zealand members to collaborate on engagement activities.
This collaboration will facilitate the sharing of opportunities, ideas, and challenges, strengthening cooperation across the New Zealand market concerning pertinent responsible investment matters, including corporate engagements tailored to the local context.
“The Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group is designed to be dynamic and interactive with quarterly in-person events, offering a platform for productive discussions and valuable knowledge exchange,” said Dean.
Initial invitations are extended to RIAA's New Zealand-based Asset Managers, Banking, Asset Owner, and Trust members. It is envisaged that this initiative's impact will grow exponentially, extending opportunities for participation to all of RIAA's New Zealand-based members as it gains momentum.
With the establishment of the Aotearoa Collaborative Working Group, RIAA reinforces its commitment to catalysing responsible investing within New Zealand. This initiative stands as a testament to RIAA's dedication to driving positive impact while fostering unity among industry stakeholders.
ENDS
ABOUT RIAA
The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) champions responsible investing and a sustainable financial system in Australia and New Zealand. RIAA is dedicated to ensuring capital is aligned with achieving a healthy society, environment and economy. With over 500 members representing US$29 trillion in assets under management, RIAA is the largest and most active network of people and organisations engaged in responsible, ethical and impact investing across Australia and New Zealand. Our membership includes super funds, KiwiSaver providers, fund managers, banks, consultants, researchers, brokers, impact investors, property managers, trusts, foundations, faithbased groups, financial advisers and individuals.
RIAA hosts several member-only working groups as important communities of practice for members to collaborate and share leading practices and knowledge and as a means of building the capacity of members to be more effective in their work.
- Human Rights Working Group
- Nature Working Group
- First Nations People’s Rights Working Group
The purpose of working groups are to:
- Build members’ knowledge and understanding of important aspects of responsible investing and sustainable finance
- Generate and encourage implementation of leading practice responsible investment approaches within the industry
- Provide an opportunity for members to link with others around important areas related to responsible investment, especially to share information, resources and activities
- Involve members in addressing some of the challenges in the responsible investment industry and working to achieve a constructive pathway forward
- Gain members’ views and opinions to aid in the development of RIAA policy positions, advocacy, and research work
For further information, please contact
Ada Tso
Responsible Investment Association Australasia
ada@responsibleinvestment.org
+61 481 308 718
Marketing and Communications Manager
