In this episode of the PRI podcast, published on International Human Rights Day, the PRI’s Head of Social Issues is joined by Anne-Maree O’Connor, Head of Responsible Investment at the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. Anne-Maree is also a commissioner of the Liechtenstein Initiative, a partnership between the governments of Liechtenstein, Australia and the Netherlands, as well as Liechtenstein public-private sector actors and foundations, to put the financial sector at the heart of global efforts to end modern slavery and human trafficking.
In this episode, Bettina and Anne-Maree discuss the role investors can play in combatting modern slavery, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 8.7.
As Anne-Maree notes, "Freedom from slavery is a fundamental human right and a financial system cannot be sustainable if it undermines these basic human rights that we all hold so dear."
Read the Blueprint for Mobilizing Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking here: unpri.org/blueprint-slavery-trafficking
This episode we’re joined by André Guimarães of the Amazon Environmental Research Institute, and the Brazilian Coalition of Climate, Forests and Agriculture.
André speaks with the PRI’s Senior Specialist in Environmental Issues, Danielle Carreira, about the key sustainability matters facing Brazil today.
They discuss issues including the factors driving the country’s deforestation, the Amazon fires and the Brazilian cattle sector. They also ask, how can the financial sector contribute to a more sustainable Brazil?
Oceans generate half of the oxygen we breathe, supply us with food and provide livelihoods – in short, they play a critical social, environmental and economic role for us.
But our oceans are in danger. Plastic accumulating in them has become a global crisis and at current rates, plastic is expected to outweigh all the fish in the sea by 2050.
Abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear – or “ghost gear” – makes up 10% of the plastic pollution in oceans every year. And by weight, ghost gear accounts for 70% of all floating macro-plastic debris.
So, how is ghost gear impacting our oceans? What are seafood companies doing to mitigate negative impacts of ghost gear? And what can investors do on this critical issue?
Join the PRI’s Head of Environmental Issues, Gemma James, as she delves into the topic. Gemma is joined this episode by guests Rory Sullivan, Co-Founder and Director at Chronos Sustainability, and Lynn Kavanagh, Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection.
Please see links below of projects discussed in the podcast:
In this quarterly podcast special, the PRI’s Chief Signatory Relations Officer, Lorenzo Saa, gives a rundown of our key activities from the past quarter.
Interested in the projects mentioned? Follow the links below for more information:
PRI elections: https://www.unpri.org/pri/pri-governance/board-elections
Signatory survey: https://www.unpri.org/pri/pri-governance/formal-consultations#signatory_survey
Responsible investment starter guides: https://www.unpri.org/pri/an-introduction-to-responsible-investment
The Inevitable Policy Response: https://www.unpri.org/esg-issues/environmental-issues/climate-change/inevitable-policy-response
The PRI Awards: https://www.unpri.org/signatories/the-pri-awards/4189.article
The PRI Leaders’ Group: https://www.unpri.org/signatories/showcasing-leadership/the-pri-leaders-group
Amazon statement: https://www.unpri.org/amazon-fires
The PRI Collaboration Platform: https://collaborate.unpri.org/
The PRI blog: https://www.unpri.org/pri/pri-blog
Recorded at PRI in Person just after the sustainable food system breakout, the PRI’s Danielle Carreira sat down with Peter van der Werf, Director of Active Ownership at Robeco.
They discussed key takeaways from the sustainable food system breakout; whether there is clear alignment between company and investor perception of risk and what is material when it comes to food security; and the importance of investor engagement and collaboration on the topic.
At PRI in Person, the PRI’s Elena Espinoza spoke with John Howchin, Secretary-General, Council of Ethics of the Swedish National Pension Funds, and Jaime Gornsztejn, Director, Hermes EOS, about tailings in the mining sector.
We sat down with them following a breakout session with Amanda Andrade, a survivor of the Brumadinho dam disaster in early 2019. We discussed what the opportunities are for investor action. How can investors effectively carry out engagements with mining companies? What are the new investor expectations on mining companies? And what will be the consequences for companies who don’t comply with these expectations?
Length: 11:03
The PRI's Head of Academic Research, Katherine Ng, is joined by Jim Hawley, Head of Applied Research at TruValue Labs and Professor Emeritus, Saint Mary's College of California; and Jon Lukomnik, former Executive Director, IRCC Institute, and soon to be Visiting Professor, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
In this podcast, they discuss modern portfolio theory, or MPT. Is it just a theory? Why should investors care? Is there a problem and what can be done about it?
Length: 28.08