11:15 - 13:00

Roger Frank (United States of America)
Managing Partner - I3 Advisors LLC

Floris Lambrechtsen (The Netherlands)
Managing Partner - Double Dividend B.V.

From Policy to Portfolio - What is ESG integration?

What is ESG integration?

Integrating RI/ESG thinking into the investment process at all levels – philosophy, research, portfolio construction – versus removing from further consideration in the investment process possible investments which do not meet specified criteria related to ESG (negative screening).

Different philosophies might lead to different integration strategies: Adding value to portfolio’s by managing risks and seizing opportunities, ethical conviction, combination.

Research:
- External dataprovider versus internal analysis.
- Availability of relevant information on all asset classes.

Portfolio construction
- Inclusion in ALM,
- Top down thematic across all asset classes,
- Bottom up in investment analysis at portfolio level.

Implementation:
Internal: improving knowledge and motivation portfolio managers. Check on compliance.
External: how to assess your managers performance in integrating ESG issues? Double Dividend managers screening tool. Portfolio monitoring and due diligence: audits.

Dilemma’s and challenges:
- Fiduciary duty,
- Materiality and financial performance,
- Long term versus short term investment horizon,
- Raising awareness and motivating portfoliomanagers,
- Support from top level management is needed to be able to incentivise and integrate.

Masja Zandbergen (The Netherlands)
Double Dividend B.V.

Masja Zandbergen joined Double Dividend out of the shared conviction on capital and society. She has eleven years of experience in the investment industry managing portfolio’s of institutional as well as retail clients at Robeco. Ms. Zandbergen has been active in the sustainable investment area since 2003 and has experience in corporate governance (voting), sustainable investments and engagement. She is a member of the committee for sustainable investments of the Dutch association of investments analysts. Ms. Zandbergen holds a degree in Econometrics from the Erasmus University Rotterdam and is a registered investment analyst (VBA/EFFAS).

Ivo Knoepfel (Switzerland )
Managing Director - onValues Ltd.

100% ESG: Is it possible to integrate ESG across the entire portfolio for all asset classes?

Based on practical case studies from onValues’ investment consulting work, we will discuss the state-of-the-art of ESG integration in different asset classes, from private equity to fixed income, and for investors with different risk profiles. Strengths and weaknesses of different approaches and the challenges of integration will then be discussed.

Amanda Young (United Kingdom)
SRI Officer - Newton Investment Management

Understanding Investment Risk and Enhancing Portfolio Value

Amanda will explore how effective fund managers protect shareholder value by ensuring environmental, social and governance risks are taken into account within an investment process. Intrinsic to the understanding of the potential of an investment is an appreciation of a company’s management structure, the appropriateness of its internal controls and the assurance that social and environmental matters are managed to the benefit of long-term shareholder value.