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  Simon O'Connor

  CEO of RIAA

Around 50 million people live in modern slavery, which has become a key issue for Australian investors and policymakers. But what is being done about this on a global level? Can modern slavery really be stamped out? What role should investors play? And where does Australia rank in these efforts? The head of the United Nations’ efforts to combat modern slavery globally will reflect on the situation globally and current trends, provide an update on efforts to combat contemporary forms of slavery, explain international law and norms, and explore what investors can do to reduce instances of modern slavery in their portfolios and supply chains.

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  Tomoya Obokata

  Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery at United Nations
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  Ross Piper

  Chair of RIAA Board & Chief Executive Superannuation at Australian Ethical Investment Ltd

The ramping up of stewardship strategies raises a broader challenge as companies are bombarded with requests. But does this actually distract from a focus on achieving the best ESG outcomes? Get the view from the inside –how are companies dealing with the increase in corporate engagement by investors? What works? What advice would Australia’s corporate leaders give to investors looking to achieve successful corporate engagement? And can investors work more collaboratively to alleviate the burden on companies and maximise the investor voice?

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  Patricia Cross

  Chair of OFX, Director of Transurban Ltd, Board Member at Future Fund Board of Guardians
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  Dr Guy Debelle

  Board Member at Fortescue Future Industries
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  Simon O'Connor

  CEO of RIAA
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  Mark Rigotti

  Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Australian Institute of Company Directors
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  Claudia Chapman

  Head of Stewardship at UK's Financial Reporting Council

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  Michael Traill AM

  Independent Board Director of Australian Retirement Trust

Australia’s corporate, markets and financial services regulator, ASIC, has prioritised proactive supervision and enforcement of governance, transparency and disclosure standards in relation to sustainable finance-related products and services. Hear from Deputy Chair Karen Chester on ASIC’s evolving work in this important area, including ASIC’s enforcement approach to greenwashing-type misconduct and important developments on the horizon such as the Government proposal to introduce a mandatory climate-change related disclosure regime for large businesses and financial institutions in Australia.

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  Karen Chester

  Deputy Chair at Australian Securities and Investments Commission

RIAA's Responsible Investment Leaders List identifies organisations that demonstrate the ability to deliver on responsible investment promises set out in its policies, through having a range of appropriate and systematic processes in place. Join RIAA's Research Manager and two quite different Responsible Investment Leaders for a deep-dive into the scorecard, including recent updates to the scorecard, responsible investment developments in the market, ways to demonstrate the outcomes of corporate engagement, and how smaller managers can do this in an efficient way.

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  David Grybas

  Chief Executive Officer at BNP Paribas Asset Management Australia Limited
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  Jessica Zarzycki

  Portfolio Manager at Nuveen
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  Dr Zsuzsa Banhalmi-Zakar

  Manager of Research at RIAA
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  Ros McKay

  Head of Responsible Investment at CBus Super Fund

Can stewardship activities lead to real change? The 2022 blocking of the proposed demerger of energy company AGL put superannuation fund HESTA in the spotlight as a leader in using shareholder votes to further stewardship objectives. Hear directly from HESTA’s CEO about HESTA’s experience and lessons learned as it has sought to actively engage with, and influence change in, the companies it is invested in.

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  Debby Blakey

  CEO of HESTA

Join an expert panel to examine stewardship in practice in 2023, dive into the findings of RIAA's 2022 landmark research on stewardship practices and explore in-depth case studies of effective stewardship. What works? And how can we prove it?

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  Jane Karen Ho

  Head of Stewardship, Asia Pacific at BNP Paribas Asset Management
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  Debby Blakey

  CEO of HESTA
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  Pablo Berrutti

  Senior Investment Specialist at Stewart Investors
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  Geri McMahon

  Partner- Climate Change & Sustainability Services at KPMG Australia
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  Grover Burthey

  Head of ESG Portfolio Management at PIMCO

From data breaches to online abuse, human-centred AI and digital rights, the nexus of digital technology and human rights is vast and challenging. Hear from industry and human rights experts on what investors can and must do to help shape digital technology and spaces that respect human rights and promote equity and justice.

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  Julie Inman Grant

  eSafety Commissioner at Australian Government
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  Min Wah Voon

  Head of Working Groups at RIAA
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  Professor Nicholas Davis

  Industry Professor - Emerging Technology at University of Technology Sydney
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  Liza McDonald

  RIAA Board Member and Head of Responsible Investment at Aware Super

Hear from a leading investor, an iconic Australian company, a First Nations leader and an environmental expert on what it's like to pilot the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework. How did they go about it, what might they do differently, and where are the risks, challenges and opportunities?

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  Anne Dekker

  Vice President Environment at BHP
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  Tim King

  Chief Investment Officer at Melior Investment Management
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  Shara Lohrasb

  Associate Director of Clean Energy Finance Corporation
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  Ian Hamm

  Chairperson at Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation Board

Investor stewardship is an increasingly important tool in responsible investment strategies. RIAA’s research shows that approximately $726 billion in assets under management in Australia includes stewardship activities. Stewardship Codes have proliferated around the world. Prominent amongst these is the UK’s, which sets a high bar to entry, and has robust requirements for ongoing signatory status.

Claudia led the revision and implementation of the UK Financial Reporting Council’s latest Stewardship Code. Hear lessons learned as it has bedded down, how this is driving change in the market, and where next for stewardship including the growing focus on collaboration and systems change to achieve positive real-world outcomes.

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  Claudia Chapman

  Head of Stewardship at UK's Financial Reporting Council

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  Ross Piper

  Chair of RIAA Board & Chief Executive Superannuation at Australian Ethical Investment Ltd