The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) will host the largest edition of its New Zealand conference yet, on 8 August at the Aotea Centre in Auckland, with over 350 leaders and practitioners from the sustainable finance industry due to attend.
The RIAA Conference Aotearoa NZ 2023 comes at a critical time in the fast-evolving field of responsible investment, as investment managers face heightened expectations from government, regulators and retail investors. Last week’s announcement that the Government has proposed mandatory modern slavery reporting for large companies is the most recent example of this.
“The speed of change presents a huge challenge and opportunity for anyone in the responsible investment space. Regulatory expectations are changing at light speed, and so are investors’ expectations,” says Dean Hegarty, NZ based Executive Manager at RIAA.
According to a 2023 report, 74% of Kiwis expect their investments to be managed ethically and responsibly. “The ramifications of not acting on issues like sustainability, equality, and modern slavery are extremely serious. Over the next five years, we are going to see regulation alignment globally. It is crucial for anyone in the sustainable f inance space to keep up with all these changes. This is why the RIAA Conference is so important,” says Hegarty.
The event will bring together over 50 expert speakers, including renowned industry leaders and influential decision-makers such as Matt Whineray (NZ Super Fund,) April Mackenzie, (External Reporting Board) and Paul Gregory (Financial Markets Authority), to deliver a diverse programme of engaging keynote speeches, thoughtprovoking panel discussions, and interactive workshops.
Some of the key sessions include:
Greenwashing: a view from the regulator - Paul Gregory, Executive Director of Response & Enforcement of Financial Markets Authority
Heightened regulatory scrutiny of responsible investment claims made by financial product providers has elevated the importance of credible third-party verification in protecting consumers from greenwashing. How are regulator expectations changing?
The race to zero
As the race to stop catastrophic climate change heats up while attention to greenwashing intensifies, investors must answer key questions as they bed down their net zero plans. Are issuers' climate mitigation strategies going to achieve net zero? How effective are offsets in combatting climate change, and what is their place in a credible net zero strategy?
Te Ao Māori, the Aotearoa NZ Stewardship Code and Māori-led investment
Hear from leading, award-winning Māori investors on how Te Ao Māori is informing the Stewardship Code, business purpose and strategy, and investment opportunities, now and into the future of Aotearoa.
From climate to sustainability: the evolution of disclosures for the finance sector
Climate, modern slavery, nature, diversity and inclusion, inequality: What does the evolution of sustainability disclosures look like for Aotearoa NZ and globally? What can investors do to prepare?
This is a unique opportunity for industry practitioners to gain practical insights from expert speakers representing organisations that are at the forefront of addressing key topics such as greenwashing, electrification, and sustainability disclosures. Tailored sessions will also be available for financial advisers, providing them with tools to meet the evolving demands of conscious investors.
Registration for the RIAA Conference Aotearoa NZ 2023 closes on Wednesday 2 August 2023 at 5pm (NZST). More information about the conference, including speakers, agenda, and registration details, can be found on the RIAA website: https://riaa.glueup.com/event/riaa-conference-aotearoa-nz-2023-46525/home.html
For further information or to arrange a complimentary media pass, please contact
Ada Tso, Marketing and Communications Manager, RIAA
ada@responsibleinvestment.org
+61 481 308 718
About the contributors
About the speakers
The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) will host the largest edition of its New Zealand conference yet, on 8 August at the Aotea Centre in Auckland, with over 350 leaders and practitioners from the sustainable finance industry due to attend.
The RIAA Conference Aotearoa NZ 2023 comes at a critical time in the fast-evolving field of responsible investment, as investment managers face heightened expectations from government, regulators and retail investors. Last week’s announcement that the Government has proposed mandatory modern slavery reporting for large companies is the most recent example of this.
“The speed of change presents a huge challenge and opportunity for anyone in the responsible investment space. Regulatory expectations are changing at light speed, and so are investors’ expectations,” says Dean Hegarty, NZ based Executive Manager at RIAA.
According to a 2023 report, 74% of Kiwis expect their investments to be managed ethically and responsibly. “The ramifications of not acting on issues like sustainability, equality, and modern slavery are extremely serious. Over the next five years, we are going to see regulation alignment globally. It is crucial for anyone in the sustainable f inance space to keep up with all these changes. This is why the RIAA Conference is so important,” says Hegarty.
The event will bring together over 50 expert speakers, including renowned industry leaders and influential decision-makers such as Matt Whineray (NZ Super Fund,) April Mackenzie, (External Reporting Board) and Paul Gregory (Financial Markets Authority), to deliver a diverse programme of engaging keynote speeches, thoughtprovoking panel discussions, and interactive workshops.
Some of the key sessions include:
Greenwashing: a view from the regulator - Paul Gregory, Executive Director of Response & Enforcement of Financial Markets Authority
Heightened regulatory scrutiny of responsible investment claims made by financial product providers has elevated the importance of credible third-party verification in protecting consumers from greenwashing. How are regulator expectations changing?
The race to zero
As the race to stop catastrophic climate change heats up while attention to greenwashing intensifies, investors must answer key questions as they bed down their net zero plans. Are issuers' climate mitigation strategies going to achieve net zero? How effective are offsets in combatting climate change, and what is their place in a credible net zero strategy?
Te Ao Māori, the Aotearoa NZ Stewardship Code and Māori-led investment
Hear from leading, award-winning Māori investors on how Te Ao Māori is informing the Stewardship Code, business purpose and strategy, and investment opportunities, now and into the future of Aotearoa.
From climate to sustainability: the evolution of disclosures for the finance sector
Climate, modern slavery, nature, diversity and inclusion, inequality: What does the evolution of sustainability disclosures look like for Aotearoa NZ and globally? What can investors do to prepare?
This is a unique opportunity for industry practitioners to gain practical insights from expert speakers representing organisations that are at the forefront of addressing key topics such as greenwashing, electrification, and sustainability disclosures. Tailored sessions will also be available for financial advisers, providing them with tools to meet the evolving demands of conscious investors.
Registration for the RIAA Conference Aotearoa NZ 2023 closes on Wednesday 2 August 2023 at 5pm (NZST). More information about the conference, including speakers, agenda, and registration details, can be found on the RIAA website: https://riaa.glueup.com/event/riaa-conference-aotearoa-nz-2023-46525/home.html
For further information or to arrange a complimentary media pass, please contact
Ada Tso, Marketing and Communications Manager, RIAA
ada@responsibleinvestment.org
+61 481 308 718
