Media releases

A new initiative, the Impact Investment Forum, has been launched today to support development of the growing impact investment market in Australia and New Zealand. The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) has established the forum as demand and interest grows in impact investing across all sectors, including with government, philanthropy and the superannuation industry. Impact investing seeks to achieve measurable social or environmental impact alongside financial returns. RIAA’s Impact Investment Forum will act as a dedicated hub to connect and deepen the participation of organisations and individuals in this growing field. The forum will build on the foundational work of the Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing and Impact Investing Australia to catalyse the market for impact investing. It will receive assets Impact Investing Australia has incubated, including the Impact Investor Survey and Benchmarking Report on impact investment activity and performance. As the market enters its next phase of development, RIAA’s Impact Investment Forum will take forward these critical pieces to develop market based data and practice. Together with other market based initiatives, this will complement the ongoing work of the Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing and the initiatives Impact Investing Australia continues to drive, including Impact Capital Australia and the Impact Investment Ready Growth Grants. A new initiative, the Impact Investment Forum, has been launched today to support development of the growing impact investment market in Australia and New Zealand. The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) has established the forum as demand and interest grows in impact investing across all sectors, including with government, philanthropy and the superannuation industry. Impact investing seeks to achieve measurable social or environmental impact alongside financial returns. RIAA’s Impact Investment Forum will act as a dedicated hub to connect and deepen the participation of organisations and individuals in this growing field. The forum will build on the foundational work of the Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing and Impact Investing Australia to catalyse the market for impact investing. It will receive assets Impact Investing Australia has incubated, including the Impact Investor Survey and Benchmarking Report on impact investment activity and performance. As the market enters its next phase of development, RIAA’s Impact Investment Forum will take forward these critical pieces to develop market based data and practice. Together with other market based initiatives, this will complement the ongoing work of the Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing and the initiatives Impact Investing Australia continues to drive, including Impact Capital Australia and the Impact Investment Ready Growth Grants. “RIAA’s mission is to see more capital being invested more responsibly. Through the Impact Investment Forum, we want to develop and amplify the significant work done by Impact Investing Australia, and help take impact investing to scale,” said RIAA CEO Simon O’Connor.

Retail supply chain management, workplace safety, gender diversity on boards, farming and antibiotic use, and climate change are among the key issues being researched by broking firms in Australia to inform responsible investment strategies. At the 8th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards held in Sydney today, Citi and Credit Suisse took out the awards for excellence in ESG research. The Awards, attended by Australia’s leading superannuation funds, fund managers and broking firms, recognise excellence in environmental, social and governance (ESG) research with three awards, including best new ESG research, best ongoing research and best ESG broking firm. 30 pieces of ESG research conducted during 2016 were nominated from seven broking firms, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML), Citi, CLSA, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan and Macquarie Bank. Nominations were assessed by the ESG RA Research Evaluation Committee, comprising superannuation funds and fund managers. The winners of this year’s ESG Research Australia Awards are: Best Piece of New ESG Research by an Individual Analyst or Team: Get Inside the Carbon Black Box, Look Down the Carbon Value Chain by Sandra McCullagh and Zoe Whitton, Credit Suisse Best Piece of Ongoing ESG Research by an Individual Analyst or Team: Safety Spotlight: ASX100 Companies & More by Elaine Prior and Joel Quintal, Citi Best ESG Broking Firm: Citi

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 27, 2017 – Today the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (GSIA) released its biennial Global Sustainable Investment Review 2016, showing that global sustainable investment assets reached $22.89 trillion at the start of 2016, a 25% increase from 2014. The Global Sustainable Investment Review brings together the results from regional market studies by the sustainable investment forums from Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia and New Zealand. Market information on Japan was provided by JSIF—Japan Sustainable Investment Forum; data on Asia ex Japan was provided by the Principles for Responsible Investment. GSIA leaders Flavia Micilotta, Executive Director of Eurosif: The European Sustainable Investment Forum; Lisa Woll, CEO of US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment; Meg Voorhes, Research Director at US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment; and Simon O’Connor, CEO of Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA), hosted a media web conference on Monday, March 27th at 11:00 a.m. ET to discuss report findings

A new superfund benchmarking report launched at RIAA’s Responsible Investment Conference in Melbourne today has found that over two-thirds of the largest superfunds in Australia now have embedded a commitment to responsible investment, highlighting just how deeply the move to invest with a responsible approach has become a part of Australian investment markets. The inaugural Superfund Responsible Investment Benchmarking Report (the Report) involved a detailed assessment and survey of the largest 50 superfunds1 in Australia – a universe that accounts for around $1.3 trillion of assets under management.

Consumer polling released today highlights just how strongly New Zealanders believe their KiwiSaver providers should consider environmental, social and ethical factors as a part of delivering good investment products and financial returns. A clear majority of respondents (81%) believe that it is important that KiwiSaver funds consider environmental, social and/or ethical factors providing a loud and clear signal to the industry that New Zealanders expect that their retirement savings are invested in a responsible manner. Launched today at the New Zealand Responsible Investment Conference in Auckland, the polling very clearly highlights that New Zealanders don’t see this as a choice between financial considerations or personal values, but that both should be part of good investment practice.

A significant sum of New Zealand’s capital is now being invested responsibly – totalling $NZ 78.7 billion – with early signs showing consumer demand is increasingly following this rise that has resulted in billions shifting from mainstream to responsible funds. The new report launched today by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA), shows this strong up take of responsible investment, from the largest institutions through to boutique funds and KiwiSaver products, is not only benefiting New Zealanders by underpinning strong investment strategies that deliver strong returns, but also contributing to a better environmental and social outlook for New Zealand.

Nearly half (47%) of Australia’s investments are now being invested responsibly – totalling $633 billion – with a significant step up in consumer demand cementing this rise that has resulted in billions shifting from mainstream to responsible funds. The new report launched today by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA), shows it’s not only consumers who are benefiting, but financial advisers, superannuation funds, fund managers and banks who are leading the way in delivering great products with great returns, whilst creating a better environmental and social outlook for Australia. “In observing the significant and consistent growth in responsible investment we can say without a doubt that this isn’t just a passing trend, but an evolution of the entire sector that is now being driven strongly by consumer demand and engagement with where they invest and bank their life savings,” said Simon O’Connor Chief Executive of RIAA. “Years of demonstrated long-term investment benefits to investors, who consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, have quietly shifted around half of Australia’s investment industry to invest responsibly. Now, it is consumer demand targeted at superannuation funds, banks and financial advisers that is creating unstoppable momentum with implications for all parts of the finance sector,” said O’Connor

The Seventh Annual ESG Research Australia (ESG RA) Awards function was held today in Melbourne. The award winners were: Best ESG Broking Firm: Citi Best piece of new ESG Research by an Individual Analyst or Team: “Risks in Payday Lending andGoods Rental” by Sandra McCullagh and Chris Parks of Credit Suisse Best Piece of Ongoing ESG Research by an Individual Analyst or Team: “Australian ESG/SRI AGM Series” by Sandra McCullagh and Chris Parks of Credit Suisse At a luncheon function today in Melbourne attended by some of Australia’s leading superannuation funds, fund managers and broking firms, the coveted annual ESG Research Australia (ESG RA) Awards were announced. ESG RA is an association of Australian superannuation funds, fund managers and asset consultants which has the single objective of increasing the quantity and quality of broker research in Australia that includes consideration of ESG issues (Environmental, social & governance issues). Membership currently represents over 50 institutions managing over $100 billion in Australian equities, and includes some of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, fund managers and asset consultants. The awards ceremony also included an experienced panel showcasing and debating many of the very relevant issues raised by this broad array of research reports produced in 2015. The panel was expertly moderated by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia’s CEO Simon O’Connor. Twenty-two pieces of research conducted during 2015 were nominated by members for consideration. Environmental and social research pieces dominated the nominated topics for this year’s awards with six nominations each. Social issues included cyber security, employee safety, and payday lending, whilst climate change issues dominated the environmental nominations. Governance issues were also well represented with executive remuneration the dominant area of interest.

Responding to the surging consumer interest in responsible and ethical investments, RIAA is today announcing the re-launch of its Responsible Investment Certification Program – a tool designed to help consumers and financial advisers navigate towards the growing range of responsible investment options. RIAA’s Certification Program has been in place for 10 years and in recent months was revised and strengthened with a focus on the internal governance, program requirements, criteria and verification processes. Responding to the surging consumer interest in responsible and ethical investments, RIAA is today announcing the re-launch of its Responsible Investment Certification Program – a tool designed to help consumers and financial advisers navigate towards the growing range of responsible investment options. RIAA’s Certification Program has been in place for 10 years and in recent months was revised and strengthened with a focus on the internal governance, program requirements, criteria and verification processes. “With the recent work we have done on the Certification Program, we are now very excited to be bringing this to market at a time when it couldn’t be more important to provide clear, verified and transparent information about the rapidly growing range of responsible investment products.” said RIAA CEO Simon O’Connor.

Responsible investment assets in New Zealand continue their strong growth reaching $63.5 billion following a 10% increase in 2014. Launched today, the new report from the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA), the most comprehensive review of the responsible investment sector in New Zealand (now in its 14th year, but the first year as a stand alone NZ report), found more money is being invested under responsible investment portfolios through superannuation funds, fund managers, advisers and kiwisaver accounts to underpin strong investment returns, and deliver a healthier environment and society.