Ahead of a world-first Nature Positive Summit hosted by the Australian federal and New South Wales state governments next month, the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia (RIAA) today launched a toolkit to help investors assess and act on nature-related risks and opportunities in their portfolios.
The Nature Investor Toolkit was created by RIAA’s Nature Working Group, drawn from RIAA’s membership base of super funds, KiwiSaver providers, investment managers, impact investors and others. The aim of the toolkit is to educate investors on this complex and rapidly evolving area, help investors assess nature-related risks and opportunities, prepare investors to hold constructive conversations with investees about impacts and dependencies on nature, and build and communicate the business case for investing in nature positive solutions.
Estelle Parker, Co-CEO at RIAA, said “Investors are embracing the twin challenges of net zero and nature positive, but are aware that the size and scope of the tasks at hand require focus, clarity and understanding how to apply frameworks such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), which can be leveraged to identify material risks and new and existing opportunities in their portfolios.”
“This toolkit outlines practical steps and key resources to aid investors, as well as highlighting the importance of putting Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities at the centre of the discussion.”
The investor toolkit is comprehensive, catering to those who may be new to the issue. It seeks to enhance the investment community's understanding of financial, environmental and human rights considerations by outlining the issues, providing case studies, suggesting methodologies for analysing portfolio exposures and strategies for investor engagement.
Claire Molinari, Head of ESG, CareSuper and Co-Chair of RIAA’s Nature Working Group shared that, “Investment and nature cannot be separated. Every investment we make relies to some degree on natural resources, and impacts upon the natural world. Investors are increasingly being asked to understand and measure these impacts and dependencies. This toolkit is practical resource for investors starting to navigate this complex field, by bringing together current examples of how to address nature in investment portfolios.”
The toolkit also provides a deep-dive appendix of supplementary resources curated by sustainability library Altiorem to help investors access relevant research, frameworks and guidance fit for purpose to individual portfolios.
Guy Williams, Executive Director Pollination and Co-Chair of RIAA’s Nature Working Group has shared, “Whether you like it or not, if you are an investor you are already investing in nature. Investors have vast power to demand more from companies when it comes to nature. The RIAA Nature Investor Toolkit seeks to empower investors by defining the key concepts and directing them to current market-leading industry resources.”
The investor toolkit officially launches at RIAA’s Aotearoa New Zealand Conference, where an expert panel including Guy Williams discuss the intertwined challenges of net zero and nature positive and how nature-related financial disclosures will help investors with decision-making.
Terina Williams, Senior Investment Strategist – Sustainable Investment at NZ Super Fund and a member of the Nature Working Group has highlighted that, “Biodiversity loss and nature degradation are increasing in severity and frequency yet are seldom recognised as a significant financial risk – even though our long-term social and economic well-being depends on a healthy and resilient global ecosystem. This toolkit will help investors to identify not only these risks but also the nature-related opportunities that can support the transition to a sustainable financial system.”
- Download the Nature Investor Toolkit: https://responsibleinvestment.org/wpcontent/uploads/2024/09/RIAA-Nature-Investor-Toolkit-2024.pdf
- Join the online launch to hear from some of the toolkit writing team on how investors can use the toolkit to assess, engage and take action on 16 October: https://riaa.glueup.com/event/nature-investor-toolkit-online-launch-119947/
About RIAA (https://responsibleinvestment.org)
With over 500 members representing US$29 trillion in assets under management, our membership accounts for 75% of all professionally managed funds in Australia and 73% in New Zealand. RIAA is the largest and most active network of people and organisations engaged in responsible, ethical and impact investing across Australia and New Zealand. RIAA’s Nature Working Group has a three-fold purpose: build out the recommendations of the Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI) and Aotearoa Circle’s Sustainable Finance Roadmaps, engage with the latest international developments (particularly the TNFD), address nature-related financial risks and expand opportunities in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
For further information, please contact Ada Tso - Marketing & Communications Manager, RIAA, ada@responsibleinvestment.org, +61481308718
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Ahead of a world-first Nature Positive Summit hosted by the Australian federal and New South Wales state governments next month, the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia (RIAA) today launched a toolkit to help investors assess and act on nature-related risks and opportunities in their portfolios.
The Nature Investor Toolkit was created by RIAA’s Nature Working Group, drawn from RIAA’s membership base of super funds, KiwiSaver providers, investment managers, impact investors and others. The aim of the toolkit is to educate investors on this complex and rapidly evolving area, help investors assess nature-related risks and opportunities, prepare investors to hold constructive conversations with investees about impacts and dependencies on nature, and build and communicate the business case for investing in nature positive solutions.
Estelle Parker, Co-CEO at RIAA, said “Investors are embracing the twin challenges of net zero and nature positive, but are aware that the size and scope of the tasks at hand require focus, clarity and understanding how to apply frameworks such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), which can be leveraged to identify material risks and new and existing opportunities in their portfolios.”
“This toolkit outlines practical steps and key resources to aid investors, as well as highlighting the importance of putting Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities at the centre of the discussion.”
The investor toolkit is comprehensive, catering to those who may be new to the issue. It seeks to enhance the investment community's understanding of financial, environmental and human rights considerations by outlining the issues, providing case studies, suggesting methodologies for analysing portfolio exposures and strategies for investor engagement.
Claire Molinari, Head of ESG, CareSuper and Co-Chair of RIAA’s Nature Working Group shared that, “Investment and nature cannot be separated. Every investment we make relies to some degree on natural resources, and impacts upon the natural world. Investors are increasingly being asked to understand and measure these impacts and dependencies. This toolkit is practical resource for investors starting to navigate this complex field, by bringing together current examples of how to address nature in investment portfolios.”
The toolkit also provides a deep-dive appendix of supplementary resources curated by sustainability library Altiorem to help investors access relevant research, frameworks and guidance fit for purpose to individual portfolios.
Guy Williams, Executive Director Pollination and Co-Chair of RIAA’s Nature Working Group has shared, “Whether you like it or not, if you are an investor you are already investing in nature. Investors have vast power to demand more from companies when it comes to nature. The RIAA Nature Investor Toolkit seeks to empower investors by defining the key concepts and directing them to current market-leading industry resources.”
The investor toolkit officially launches at RIAA’s Aotearoa New Zealand Conference, where an expert panel including Guy Williams discuss the intertwined challenges of net zero and nature positive and how nature-related financial disclosures will help investors with decision-making.
Terina Williams, Senior Investment Strategist – Sustainable Investment at NZ Super Fund and a member of the Nature Working Group has highlighted that, “Biodiversity loss and nature degradation are increasing in severity and frequency yet are seldom recognised as a significant financial risk – even though our long-term social and economic well-being depends on a healthy and resilient global ecosystem. This toolkit will help investors to identify not only these risks but also the nature-related opportunities that can support the transition to a sustainable financial system.”
- Download the Nature Investor Toolkit: https://responsibleinvestment.org/wpcontent/uploads/2024/09/RIAA-Nature-Investor-Toolkit-2024.pdf
- Join the online launch to hear from some of the toolkit writing team on how investors can use the toolkit to assess, engage and take action on 16 October: https://riaa.glueup.com/event/nature-investor-toolkit-online-launch-119947/
About RIAA (https://responsibleinvestment.org)
With over 500 members representing US$29 trillion in assets under management, our membership accounts for 75% of all professionally managed funds in Australia and 73% in New Zealand. RIAA is the largest and most active network of people and organisations engaged in responsible, ethical and impact investing across Australia and New Zealand. RIAA’s Nature Working Group has a three-fold purpose: build out the recommendations of the Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI) and Aotearoa Circle’s Sustainable Finance Roadmaps, engage with the latest international developments (particularly the TNFD), address nature-related financial risks and expand opportunities in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
For further information, please contact Ada Tso - Marketing & Communications Manager, RIAA, ada@responsibleinvestment.org, +61481308718
