ESG is an umbrella term in the investment industry that is, as practiced in its current form, more art than science. Importantly, it has become clear that using ESG data or marketing a fund, index or portfolio as “ESG aligned” does not necessarily mean the underlying investments are sustainable. During this roundtable, we will review the origins of sustainable investing –– with a focus on its evolution within the data market –– and the misuse of Milton Friedman’s theories about stakeholder capitalism. We will also explore current tension points around what is, or is not, greenwash, like Tesla’s ineligibility for a space in the S&P 500 ESG index, HSBC Asset Management’s Stuart Kirk’s candor on climate risk and the role of guns, gas and other controversial investments in a sustainable portfolio.

The private sector has an important role to play in confronting climate change and other challenges, particularly in discovering and supporting new investment opportunities. For example, over the last few years the organizations working to tackle climate change have broadened from primarily governments and CSOs to now include corporations and investors of all types. Companies and investors are also increasingly focused on DEI. How do firms such as Blackstone create value for their investors through ESG practices?

As industries continue to shift away from fossil fuels and toward sustainability, many consumer packaged goods companies have pledged to sell goods that have less impact on the environment. As a result, the demand for circular plastics is rapidly increasing, but capacity announcements are not yet on pace with demand growth. Advanced recycling technologies offer one potential solution. Advanced recycling can expand the types of plastics that are recyclable and produce plastics that are suited for high-value applications, such as medical and food packaging. Join a roundtable discussion about the economic and environmental potential of advanced recycling and how these technologies fit into a larger roadmap to build a circular economy for plastics.

Roundtable Lunches are interactive lunch discussions, moderated by an expert or thought leader, held at roundtables of up to 10 participants. These are freeform discussions, so bring your own challenges, questions, and ideas to talk through and get to know your fellow conference participants. All roundtable lunches are first-come, first-served.

*Please note that Round Table lunches will be held separately in Majestic/Oceanic

For years, we’ve relied on philanthropy to fund projects to address global water challenges. But faced with the enormity of the problem, a growing cohort of corporations has come to realize that philanthropy alone will not enable us to reach our goals. We need to maximize our collective impact and embrace a bolder, more purposeful approach. So, how do we get there? One way is by investing in water equity impact funds. Like traditional investment funds, water equity funds enable companies to invest capital and earn interest income. But unlike traditional funds, water equity funds support a great cause: microfinancing of water-related projects for vulnerable communities. Plus, they amplify collective impact in a way that philanthropy alone cannot. Interested in learning more? Join our roundtable discussion to learn how businesses can work together to drive meaningful collective action toward a water positive future.

This roundtable is sponsored by Ecolab. Roundtable Lunches are interactive lunch discussions, moderated by an expert or thought leader, held at roundtables of up to 10 participants. These are freeform discussions, so bring your own challenges, questions, and ideas to talk through and get to know your fellow conference participants. All roundtable lunches are first-come, first-served.

The market-based green building movement is transforming global real estate, creating thousands of certified assets that are more efficient, less polluting and healthier for their occupants. This track record has earned the green building movement top billing in the rapidly evolving world of ESG and sustainable finance. Certified green buildings are a central part of ESG strategy for many companies using rating systems such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED to achieve their environmental performance goals, while providing superior workplaces and positively engaging communities and supply chains. Green buildings are specified for use by approximately one-third of green, sustainable and climate bonds. Explore this pivotal moment in the evolution of the industry and new opportunities to leverage green building as part of a comprehensive ESG and sustainable finance strategy. Gain insight into efforts to transform the world’s largest asset class.

This roundtable is sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council. Roundtable Lunches are interactive lunch discussions, moderated by an expert or thought leader, held at roundtables of up to 10 participants. These are freeform discussions, so bring your own challenges, questions, and ideas to talk through and get to know your fellow conference participants. All roundtable lunches are first-come, first-served.

Web3 technologies have enormous potential to help the world meet its climate goals. These technologies bring trust and transparency into sustainable finance, eliminate the epidemic of “greenwashing,” enable improvement projects to progress more quickly and reduce unnecessary complexities that block progress in the ESG space. Web3 technologies can also play a crucial role in fulfilling mandatory reporting requirements, especially as disclosure regulations are becoming more stringent and defined. Join us for a roundtable discussion with DevvESG executive Mike DiPetrillo. He will provide timely, real-world examples of how Web3 can improve sustainable finance by increasing the visibility of underlying data, helping to unlock the “traditional” offset and project registration process so that it’s integrated seamlessly into real-world financial markets, and de-risking capital investment into emerging green projects and technologies.

This roundtable is sponsored by Devv.io. Roundtable Lunches are interactive lunch discussions, moderated by an expert or thought leader, held at roundtables of up to 10 participants. These are freeform discussions, so bring your own challenges, questions, and ideas to talk through and get to know your fellow conference participants. All roundtable lunches are first-come, first-served.

Numerous studies show that an organization’s Scope 3 emissions can make up a majority of its overall emissions footprint. Everyone is someone else’s Scope 3, and we’re all struggling to get a handle on that impact. Even the U.S. government is assessing its own Scope 3 risks by publicly listing its top 100 suppliers by spend and documenting whether or not these suppliers are taking any action. How can we all help to accelerate the measurement, management and disclosure of Scopes 1, 2 and 3? Join this roundtable conversation with Mike Wallace, senior vice president of strategic market engagement at Persefoni.

This roundtable is sponsored by Persefoni. Roundtable Lunches are interactive lunch discussions, moderated by an expert or thought leader, held at roundtables of up to 10 participants. These are freeform discussions, so bring your own challenges, questions, and ideas to talk through and get to know your fellow conference participants. All roundtable lunches are first-come, first-served.

To avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change, investment and lending must fund and finance a resilient, prosperous and dignified zero-carbon future. The Science Based Targets initiative, the leading organization enabling the private sector to set emissions reduction targets grounded in climate science, has developed a framework for financial institutions to align their lending and investment activities with the Paris Agreement. You'll hear from one of the architects of that framework, as well as two private-sector professionals with deep expertise in emissions measurement and target-setting.

The impact of blockchain and decentralized finance on the banking, investor and corporate communities will be transformative –– and it’s not some distant concept. The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) system will begin its three-year migration to blockchain in November. Many central bankers are advocating for blockchain-based climate risk disclosure to better ensure transparency and validity of data and move toward closer-to-real-time information for decision making, and the emergence of central bank digital currencies across the world is quickly accelerating. What does the unfolding of decentralized finance mean for financial institutions, investors and companies? And what about government and central bank initiatives on digital assets and currencies? This session will provide examples of projects utilizing crypto-based technology to improve ESG impact.

The global water crisis is both an economic and humanitarian crisis — an unmitigated risk to global supply chains, profits and the well-being of communities and populations around the world. Through the U.N. Global Compact, CEO Water Mandate and the Water Resilience Coalition (WRC), a growing cohort of corporations recognize that philanthropy alone won’t suffice to solve the global water crisis. They see themselves as playing an increasingly material role in the innovation, collaboration and delivery of investment capital needed to solve the escalating crisis. Leading voices tackle the increased role corporate water investments have in driving meaningful collective action toward a water-positive future.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with Chair Gary Gensler at the helm, has been unequivocal in its intention to bring transparency and credibility to ESG investments in the U.S. There are now three significant proposals in play: ”The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors,” “ESG Disclosures for Investment Advisers,” and “Investment Companies and Amendments to the
Fund Names Rule” to include funds indicating that investment decisions incorporate one or more ESG factors.

There is now little doubt that the SEC means business in its aim to crack down on how ESG funds are compiled and marketed. How are companies and investors going to be able to adopt the new disclosure requirements into existing frameworks? And what needs to be done to meet new climate disclosure requirements?

Investing with a gender and climate lens is simply smart investing. The approach promises to amplify impacts and returns by uncovering new investment opportunities, mitigating risk and improving decision-making. It's also an important lever for achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement and U.N. Sustainable Development Goals by 2050. Women today are disproportionately impacted by many elements of climate change and suffer from a lack of gender equality. But women’s leadership, employment and consumption are also vital for delivering environmental sustainability and resilience. Across sectors, in both developed and emerging markets, this session will explore what we can learn from pioneers in this space to help investors hit the ground running and understand how to bring this approach into the financial mainstream.

The skills required by a successful ESG leader at a financial institution are an emerging mix of climate and DEI knowledge, investment savvy and consultation capabilities. And depending on whether the hiring company is an investor, fund, public company or private company, the expectations can be even more specific. Combine the increasing need for ESG leadership with The Great Resignation trend, and you have the perfect ingredients for a serious talent war. This session will provide hands-on insight into what it takes to find, hire and retain qualified candidates in 2022.