Terms such as ‘net zero’, ‘Paris-aligned’, ‘low carbon’, ‘green energy’, ‘green transportation’, ‘decarbonisation solutions’ and ‘fossil fuel-free’ are flooding the investment landscape. Do consumers and retail investors understand and trust these claims?
RIAA’s research shows that climate change is a significant factor in consumers’ ethical investment decision-making, and investment product providers are increasingly seeking to meet this demand through products that make climate-related claims. Are these products backing up their claims? Listen to a panel of experts discuss topics covering:
- How funds can credibly aim for meaningful climate action while meeting expectations on greenwashing
- What funds are doing to deliver on their climate-related claims
- Insight into RIAA’s Certification Program’s expectations for climate-related claims
Regulatory developments that aim to support a shift in capital towards more sustainable practices are proceeding at pace as taxonomies, product labelling regimes and disclosures regulations are implemented. But what are we trying to achieve? How much do these align, and what happens when they don't? With surging demand for transparency and accountability of financial products that align capital with a sustainable economy, environment and society, this session is ideal for investors navigating the fast-moving landscape of evolving mandatory and voluntary standards in sustainable finance, and financial advisers keen to learn more.
As the first country in the world to introduce mandatory climate disclosures, New Zealand was ahead of the global curve in seeking to ensure that the effects of climate change are routinely considered in business, investment, lending and insurance underwriting decisions. Acknowledging the risk and compliance lens that industry has been navigating, this session looks outward to the opportunities presented for investors by climate change.
Join this session to explore the evolving policy landscape, which is shaping the future of business and investment decisions; opportunities for investors to invest in climate mitigation and adaptation; and how NZ can position itself to take advantage of opportunities, and make sure it is not left behind in the race to decarbonise and capture green capital.
Leading large organisations towards more sustainable outcomes requires a complete transformation: strategy, systems, culture and mindset all need to shift. But how do you bridge the gap between ambition and execution?
Join us for a session featuring CEOs from iconic companies. They'll share their firsthand experiences overcoming challenges and harnessing opportunities that a more sustainable company brings. The discussion will delve into:
- Balancing quick wins and long-term goals
- Mainstreaming sustainability into the business
- Ensuring growth while navigating change
- Engaging with investors to drive ESG outcomes and long-term returns
Join an expert panel as we break down all the talk about ‘nature positive’, ‘nature-related’ and ‘biodiversity risks and opportunities’ in finance. This session will delve into nature-related risks and opportunities, the race towards ‘net zero and nature positive’ and how nature-related financial disclosures will help investors make better decisions and deliver long-term outcomes for people, planet and value. During this session, we will launch the RIAA Nature Investor Toolkit which focuses on understanding nature-related risks and opportunities and supporting investors to assess, engage, and take action.
With ‘corporate engagement and shareholder action’ recently crowned as NZ’s most used responsible investment strategy, this session will be a conversation with some of our engagement leaders to better understand what this looks like, the potential, and the challenges. What is effective engagement? How do you prioritise resourcing across growing sustainability demands? What does this mean for companies? And can engagement tackle systemic risks? This panel will discuss these questions, along with global developments in investor engagement, to provide insights into how investors can effectively tackle risks and manage long term value. RIAA is proud to co-host the Stewardship Code Aotearoa New Zealand with the Centre for Sustainable Finance.
The real estate industry plays a critical role in shaping our environment and communities, and investors are increasingly aware of their influence on the impact of real estate assets. Join us for a dynamic session featuring New Zealand's leading real estate companies. Gain insights on what the real estate industry is doing to improve ESG outcomes and discover how these leaders are:
- Integrating ESG considerations into their strategies
- Tackling the challenge of reducing carbon emissions in new builds and regenerations
- Establishing strong governance and strategies
Hear directly from the Minister for Climate Change his vision of the economic opportunities that NZ's energy transition brings, what the role of finance should be in achieving net zero carbon emissions and the Government's plans to support sustainable finance going forward. A Q&A session will follow his keynote address.