Simon O'Connor, CEO If there is one thing a UN Climate Change Conference always delivers, it is bucketloads of pledges. But if we sift through the various announcements which came out of COP26 in Glasgow, has the needle on the dial shifted on climate action? Entering into...
By Fergus Pitt In the universe of sustainable finance, we’re getting used to growth. More investors are demanding ESG screens, more are looking for impact, and more are flexing their custodial rights. We’re also getting used to evolution and innovation. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that...
An update from RIAA's CEO, Simon O'Connor Whilst the last year has had us all battling the invisible enemy that has been COVID-19 on both personal and professional fronts, it has also been a year of immense momentum in responsible investment and sustainable finance, as you...
By Min Wah Voon, Program Manager at RIAA On 24 May 2020, Rio Tinto destroyed 46,000-year-old caves at Juukan Gorge - a place of personal, community, national and international significance. One year on, investors are working with First Nations peoples and organisations to increase First Nations voices in responsible investment and sustainable finance and ensure our investments respect and protect First Nations peoples’ rights and self-determination. "Oi oi oi...
By Simon O'Connor, CEO, Responsible Investment Association Australasia In a time of massive market disruption brought on by the global COVID-19 pandemic, it would be fair to ask how ESG investors have performed compared to the rest of the market. We have long argued that responsible investment,...
The role of responsible investment and sustainable finance in times of crisis. By Simon O’Connor, CEO, Responsible Investment Association Australasia As the globe comes to grips with the COVID-19 pandemic, the world of responsible investment and sustainable finance has been readying itself for crises such as this...
By Simon O’Connor, CEO, Responsible Investment Association Australasia and Co-Chair, Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative. There’s been much debate recently around the appropriateness of investors targeting Australian businesses to protect our environment, to lift standards of human rights, and superannuation funds exercising their ownership on issues such as climate...
By Josh Edmunds, Responsible Investment Association Australasia The Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority’s (FASEA) Code of Ethics (The Code) is just around the corner, coming into force on 1 January 2020. And while The Code lays the foundations of clear principles and values required for...
By Simon O'Connor, CEO, Responsible Investment Association Australasia I was fortunate to spend last week in Paris, with 1700 others at the annual PRI in Person, the largest ever global conference of responsible investors. It was a week full of rich content, which allowed a global...
By Cassandra Williams, Certification and Ratings Manager, Responsible Investment Association Australasia. The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) is announcing a suite of changes to its Certification Program, which reflect the rapidly maturing responsible investment (RI) market and a global focus on best practice. These changes strengthen...
By Simon O’Connor CEO, Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) Responsible and ethical investing in New Zealand has reached a critical point. New Zealand now has $188 billion allocated across capital markets in accordance with environmental, social, governance and ethical factors. This is the highest proportion of financial markets...
by Michelle Lacey, Head of Wholesale, AXA IM In order to rebuild consumer trust in the financial services industry, we need to reassess what it means to act in the best interests of clients. As the ‘stewards’ of their clients’ investment portfolios, one effective way financial...