Investing for the Future. Room: A
In the world of business, cash is king, and the captial market with its financial institutions therefore holds the key to the future of sustainable development. Socially and environmentally responsible investment (SRI) in on the advance. But how significant are ethical criteria in the global financial universe? And does it really pay? Sustainability is about caring for the long-term. But in a world where short-termism shareholder value ideology holds the ground - could it be that "ethics and finance" is inherently a contradiction in terms?
Realising this crucial fact, the United Nations, together with some of the world’s largest investors, have created a set of Principles for Responsible Investment. Institutions representing more than USD 4 trillion signed the Principles when they were launched by the Secretary General in April 2006. Concomitantly, The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) represents a unique global partnership with the private financial sector.
Financial institutions might enthusiastically sign up to recycle office waste-paper and reduce energy consumption in corporate headquarter. Such initiatives are praiseworthy, but can never amount to more than small, careful steps towards the great goal of sustainability.
What really counts is the potential of financial institution to embrace ethics and sustainability as an integral part of strategy and portfolio management. If the financial market would encourage sustainable business and social entrepreneurship, and eliminate the unsustainable, social responsibility and the market mechanism would converge.
Moderator:
- Paul Clements-Hunt
Head of Unit, UNEP Finance Initiative
Rapporteur:
- Kjetil Gaasemyr Staalesen
DnB NOR, Norway
Speakers:
- Xavier de Bayser
President, IDEAM - Integral Development Asset Management, France
- George S. Dallas
Managing Director, Standard & Poor’s London, UK
- Antoinette Hunziker-Ebneter
CEO, Forma Futura Invest Inc., Switzerland
- Gro Nystuen
Chair of the Council on Ethics for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund – Global, Norway
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- Roger Schjerva
Deputy Minister, Ministry of Finance, Norway
- Ricardo Young
Presidente Instituto Ethos, Brazil
Speakers marked * are invited, but have not yet confirmed. The conference secretariat reserves the right to make necessary changes.