Sustainability Community

Hello Community!

Wow, what a year 2024 has been for our community! We had 28 events in the community and lots of networking and collaboration. Thank you everyone for your time, dedication and contributions.

I am very curious about the future and what 2025 will bring for investment management space and for sustainability pathes. Don't forget to reserve your free spot to our events in January:

January 21st, 1 pm UK time. Themed online meetup: What does good transition plan look like? Speaker James Hulse. Host James Doyle
January 28, 5 pm UK time. Community webinar: Social Investment. Speaker Denise Holle, RTF. Host Hamish Wilson

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your loved ones!

Aya

Speaking about expectations for 2025, here's a great outlook from Deloitte: 

A lot of emphasis and expectations are around Gen AI and technology adoption that will also re-shape, automate and impact ESG / Sustainable investing strategies. 

• With increasing investor appetite for low-cost funds, the low-expense ratio environment may be here to stay with active management finding a home inside the exchange-traded fund (ETF) wrapper.
• Expanding the product lineup into alternative investment offerings such as private credit and evergreen or hybrid fund structures, as well as investing in technologies that integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into sales and distribution processes may be among some of the most successful revenue-enhancing strategies.
• In 2024, AI technologies promised to be one of the most disruptive forces in the investment management sector. Now, it seems that promise has likely surpassed expectations. While the opportunity buzz is growing, many organizations may be left to determine how to effectively harness AI solutions at scale without prior models to guide them.
• Firms likely face some of their biggest risks in areas such as digital transformation, technological advancements, and cybersecurity. Specific product and regulatory developments are also bringing important risk elements to the investment management industry in the form of direct indexing, mutual fund to ETF conversions, convergence of traditional and alternative asset classes, and sustainability-themed investment products.

And here are some takeaways for 2025 from the article in Fintech Magazine:

The asset management industry is poised for significant transformation by 2025, driven by technological advancements, evolving investor preferences, and a heightened focus on sustainability. Key trends include:

• Hyper-Personalization of Investment Solutions: Investors are increasingly seeking bespoke portfolios that align with their specific financial goals, risk tolerances, and values. Advancements in technology, particularly AI and machine learning, are enabling asset managers to offer customized investment solutions at scale.

• Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI is enhancing investment decision-making by accelerating data analysis and identifying early investment signals. This allows managers to make more informed and timely decisions, improving portfolio performance.

• Digital and Direct-to-Consumer Distribution Channels: There's a shift towards digital distribution strategies, reducing reliance on intermediaries and lowering costs. This approach enables asset managers to reach a broader audience and offer more personalized communication and product recommendations.

• Emphasis on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Factors: Investors are increasingly considering ESG criteria in their investment decisions, prompting asset managers to integrate sustainability into their offerings. This trend reflects a growing demand for investments that not only yield financial returns but also contribute positively to society and the environment.

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Aya Pariy
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New Year - New Us! Happy New Year Community!

We are looking to our events in the first couple of months of 2025 - don't forget to book your places!

January 21st, Online Community Themed Meetup, 1-1:50 pm, zoom. Theme: Transition Plans for Investors and Companies. Speaker: James Hulse. Host: James Doyle

January 28, Community Webinar: Social Investoing. 5 - 5:50 pm, zoom. Speaker: Denishe Holle, Rowan Tree Foundation. Host: Hamish Wilson

February 25th, Online Community Coffee Catch Up, 1 - 1:50 pm. New informal networking format. Everyone is welcome to join the "spotlight" and share (3-4 min) about themselves and the work they do. Just like an in-person coffee chat - dont miss.

See you there!

aya

Good morning Community!

Well the "bluest" January day is behind us now. Don't forget you still have some time to reserve your spot for our webinar tomorrow, 5-6 pm UK time.

I am excited about this webinar as it shows the power of the community at its best. Denise Holle, Investment Director from Rowan Tree Foundation joined our community a year ago and is now sharing her insights and experience on how to do social investing with good ROIs, how to measure impact and she is also bringing 2 case studies. You will meet senior executives from Ascension and Micro Rainbow. The webinar is hosted by community champion Hamish Wilson.

This is as practical as it gets. So see you there!

here's the link to save your spot. The registration will close soon today.

Aya

Good morning Community!

The world could seem heavy at times these days but great discussion thread from our community champion Anita Brown on USAID conundram

Do join in and share your thoughts with Anita there!

The good news we are running our community events to help each other and to boost our knowledge on how build robust portfolios with sustainability in mind. Make sure you reserve your spots and meet everyone.

Coffee Catch Up. February 25th. Meet Darran Ward from West Yorkshire Pension Fund

Webinar Skills 1: Thematics and Sectors. 4 March

Webinar Skills 2: Materiality. March 11. Meet speaker Jodie Tapscott, SVP, AllianceBernstein

Webinar Skills 3: Assessing your portfolio for nature risk. April 1st. Speaker Grant Rudgley, The Biodiversity Consultancy

See you there!

aya

Hello community!

Here are the recordings of all three of our skills webinar series:

Webinar Skills 1: Thematics and Sectors. 4 March

Webinar Skills 2: Materiality. March 11. Meet speaker Jodie Tapscott, SVP, AllianceBernstein

Webinar Skills 3: Assessing your portfolio for nature risk. April 1st. Speaker Grant Rudgley, The Biodiversity Consultancy

Hope you will enjoy them. Dont forget to book your place for our follow up in-person networking evening on May 15th, meet the speakers and other investors from the community. See you there!

Good morning Community!
Make sure you reserve your spot at our next community events!

We're bringing you a unique and energising opportunity during our Coffee Catch-Up on February 25th, 1–2 PM. Expect a relaxed, fun atmosphere where you'll meet like-minded professionals tackling challenges in sustainable investing and working on solutions.

 We'll play a thought-provoking game (or two!) and run Member Spotlights, where members share their work, aspirations, and what's on their minds. This time, we're delighted to welcome Darran Ward, CFA, from West Yorkshire Pension Fund as our guest. This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from an asset owner-the decision-makers allocating capital toward sustainable investments. Unlike asset managers, who often respond to client mandates, asset owners set the agenda. Their investment strategies shape the future of sustainable finance, influencing capital flows and long-term impact. Our guest will share how their fund is investing in nature across the UK, balancing financial returns with environmental and social benefits.

This is a safe, non-recorded, Chatham House Rules space to exchange ideas, connect, and recharge. I might be biased (having been with this community since day one!), but I truly believe it's the most enjoyable and productive way to spend your lunchtime. Why not see for yourself?

 Register here

March 11, 1-2 pm. Community Webinar: Mastering materiality and essential screening to build robust portfolios. 
Speaker: Jodie Tapscott, SVP, Head of RI Strategy, AllianceBernstein

What You'll Learn:

Reserve your spot here

Hello Community,

We are just about to start our coffee catch up with Darran Ward, West Yorkshire Pension Fund. If you haven't registered, give us a shout and we'll send you a link.

I will post here the post-event notes as well after the meetup hopefully soon.

Hello Community!
Hope you are benefiting from the sunny days this week! 

Here's the roundtup of our upcoming community events. Hope to see you there!

May 15th, 6 - 8.0 pm, London. In-person networking and drinks. Guest passes available, first come first served basis - write to me if you are interested, apariy@cfauk.org

June 5th. Our flagship Investment Talent Conference! I'll be there working at communities corner - come and see me. Enjoy amazing sessions and networking. Register here

June 11, 1-2 pm UK time, zoom. Community Networking Meetup. Theme: Climate Tech Investments. Speaker: Irena Spazzapan, Managing Partner, Systemiq Capital. Breakout Rooms. I'll announce and share the link to register soon!

News: We've launched a new CFA UK Technology & Innovation Community, come check us out here.

We are also planning for exciting webinars (Bloomberg, Climate Risk Assessment) and online meetup on Green Hydrogen Economy (AP Ventures/Mitsubishi) in September. I'll announce once the plans are finalised - check the events tab on this platform to book your seats.

Enjoy the Spring and See you Soon!

Aya

Hi everyone,

thank you for those who joined us online today to meet Risei Goto, AP Ventures and learn about green hydrogen investment projects. Attached is Risei's presentation slides. The recording will be available later and I will post it here.

Attachment(s)

Hydrogen talk at CFA UK event 202509.pdf   2.55 MB 1 version