Pro-Planet Pensions
The Sustainable Business Initiative of Guernsey Chamber will be supporting Guernsey Sustainable Finance Week with an exploration of our pensions, and why what we invest in via our pension can be a force for good. We will be joined over lunch at the Chamber offices in the Market by a panel of experts to explore what “Investing for good” means, and how you and your workplace pension can respond to increasing investor demand for more sustainable investments.
Are pension schemes investing in sectors and companies that trustees and members want? Do we want the risk of companies that are associated with high carbon footprints and negative impact on biodiversity in our pension portfolios? Would we prefer investing in companies that are developing innovative approaches to clean energy and actively supporting sustainable supply chains?
The truth is that very few of us know what our pensions are investing in, and campaigners such as Make My Money Matter and certain pension providers are aiming to increase our awareness of this and provide solutions for those pension schemes that want to change the traditional approach.
Jennifer Strachan, Co-lead of SBI will set the scene for the importance of the pension market for making an impact to corporate and personal sustainability goals. She will also consider what impact this approach could make on recruitment and staff retention in an increasingly tight labour market.
Mark Colton, Partner, BWCI will explore how ESG-focused investments can be incorporated via personal and occupational pension schemes. BWCI are working with several local companies to incorporate ESG options into their schemes and Mark will discuss some of the lessons learned to date. He will also discuss pension trustee responsibilities.
Ben Palmer, Head of Responsible Investment, Brooks McDonald will demonstrate how a fund manager approaches responsible investing and what changes he sees in the market over the past few years of increased focus on ESG investing. He will also discuss how to determine the carbon footprint of a portfolio and other measurements that can help investors determine the impact of their portfolio.
The event is suitable for all of those with a pension plan, for employers who provide workplace pensions, for investment managers and for pension providers and brokers.
Lunch will be provided. Please advise on any dietary requirements by emailing office@guernseychamber.com on purchase of your ticket.
