Sarah Chapman
Chief Marketing Officer, Manulife Investment Management Global Chief Sustainability Officer, Manulife
Hyewon Kong
Vice President, Head of Responsible Investing, Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO)
Building momentum for a Just Transition in Canada
RI Canada brings together asset owners, investment managers, banks, financial regulators, and data providers who are looking to play a meaningful role in the journey to a sustainable, net-zero economy.
The event is a unique opportunity to flesh out new ideas with fellow senior industry peers and share cutting-edge sustainability thinking to navigate the rapidly evolving responsible investment landscape.
Gain insights from industry-leading asset owners on their ESG allocation strategies, preferences, and strategies in 2024 and beyond.
2024 key themes:
- Navigating transition finance in Canada: What comes next?
- Incorporating Indigenous perspectives into investment strategies
- Sustainable Finance and Green Bonds
- Regulatory and Policy Developments: How are investors preparing
- Biodiversity and nature: Navigating data collection and stakeholder expectations
- Investing in net-zero: Aligning investments with the 1.5°C pathway
- Social investment: Risks, challenges, and opportunities
- Effective engagement: Stewardship and escalation strategies
- Sustainability standards and disclosure frameworks
Snapshot of 2023 attendees:
Meet leading asset owners including:
2023 speakers included:
What can you expect at the forum?
Open discussion on the latest ESG strategies
The conference will showcase leading sustainability and ESG strategies by Canada’s companies and institutions. Join sessions on incorporating Indigenous perspectives into investment strategies, regulatory and policy developments, the road to net zero, biodiversity and nature, and many more.
Build a valuable network
Connect with stakeholders in all aspects of the ESG debate from banks, pension funds, insurers, NGOs, think tanks, and financial regulators. Build lasting relationships and compare best practices with your peers at interactive workshops, networking breaks, roundtables and an evening drinks reception.
Connect with Canadian asset owners and allocators
Hear from asset owners who are looking to increase their exposure to sustainable investments and financial products. Past asset owner attendees include BCI, Canada Post Corporation Pension Plan, CDPQ, HOOP, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, OMERS, and many more.
Apply for a complimentary asset owner pass
Complimentary investor passes are limited to foundations, endowments, trusts, insurance companies, single family offices, sovereign wealth funds and pension funds who are actively making fund commitments and do not engage in third-party fundraising activities or collect fees for advisory/consulting services.
Please register your interest and a member of our team will be in touch to confirm your eligibility.
Embed your brand within the institutional investor industry
Responsible Investor Canada provides an opportunity to make connections with an exclusive audience of ESG and sustainable finance decision makers. Share your solutions, collaborate and network with senior-level executives through bespoke sponsorship packages to meet your 2024 business goals.
Our 2023 leading advisory board included:
Download the 2024 agenda
For more information on the agenda or speaking opportunities, please contact Joana Frade.
Joana.F@pei.group | +44 (0)203 879 3893
View agenda page
Agenda
Responsible Investor Canada 2024 - Day One - Wednesday 11th
Networking
08:00 - 08:55
Registration
Plenary
08:55 - 09:00
Opening remarks
Gina Gambetta
09:00 - 09:50
Plenary 1: Green horizons: Navigating transition finance in Canada
- Defining transition finance and its essential role in Canada’s economy
- How can transition finance be deployed credibly?
- How do Canada’s strategies and investments in the energy transition compare with those of the USA and Europe?
- Is transition finance compatible with net zero commitments?
09:50 - 10:05
Fireside chat: CSSB
Gina Gambetta,
Charles-Antoine St-Jean
10:00 - 10:50
Plenary 2: The future of ESG regulation and Canada's standards development
Alison Joutsi,
David Andrews
- Canada’s taxonomy progress
- CSSB: What are the next steps?
- How are international ESG standards, such as the CSRD and the SEC’s proposed climate disclosure rules, influencing Canadian ESG reporting and regulation?
- How can Canadian regulators balance the need for robust ESG standards whilst maintaining global competitiveness?
- How does the Canadian regulatory landscape currently accommodate the concept of double materiality in sustainability reporting?
Moderator: Alison Joutsi, Principal, ESG Global Advisors
Networking
10:50 - 11:20
Networking break
Plenary
11:20 - 11:40
Keynote
11:40 - 12:25
Plenary 3: Public-private partnerships: Driving the next phase of energy transition
Susan McGeachie
- How can collaboration between the public and private sectors be improved to facilitate investments in sustainable infrastructure and clean technologies?
- How can P3s incorporate Indigenous communities and social responsibility into their project planning and execution?
- What strategies are needed within P3 frameworks to ensure the resilience and adaptation of the real economy?
- What policy measures can be implemented to incentivize greater private sector engagement and investment in the energy transition?
Moderator: Susan McGeachie, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Global Climate Finance Accelerator
Susan McGeachie
Co-Founder ＆ Managing Partner / Adjunct Professor (Climate Finance), Global Climate Finance Accelerator / University of Toronto
Read bio
12:25 - 13:10
Plenary 4: Climate-biodiversity nexus: Closing the gap with sustainable investment
- How is the TNFD framework being integrated in Canada? What can investors learn from early adopters?
- How to leverage data for a nature positive investment?
- How does nature and biodiversity support net-zero? What are the challenges and opportunities within the context of transition finance?
Networking
13:20 - 14:05
Lunch
Stream A
14:05 - 14:50
A1: Decarbonization and credit markets
- How can investors ensure investments contribute to Canada’s decarbonization goals?
- How can credit markets be leveraged more effectively to finance decarbonization?
- What are the biggest challenges and opportunities in scaling up green financing in Canada? How do these compare globally?
- Canada’s provincial carbon markets – how can we ensure their integrity and effectiveness?
- What role do private credit markets play in ESG investing and sustainable finance?
14:55 - 15:40
A2: Responsible AI
- Defining responsible AI and its impact and opportunities on the portfolio
- Implementing AI through a responsible governance structure
- How can companies guarantee transparency, fairness, and accountability in their AI systems?
- Social implications of AI
- How can AI strategies fit into companies overall ESG framework and long-term sustainability goals?
15:45 - 16:30
A3: ESG Data: Enhancing the investment strategy
- How is ESG data incorporated into responsible investment decisions?
- Quantity vs quality: what steps are being used to improve data verification and assurance processes?
- How are investors needs changing on ESG data?
- Global ESG reporting and disclosure and what this means for Canadian data users and providers
- Preparing for emerging data challenges: What are the challenges and lessons learned?
Stream B
14:05 - 14:50
B1: Human rights and the supply chain
- Managing supply chain risk: the challenges for investors
- Bill S-211: what are the biggest challenges in achieving compliance?
- How can companies go beyond mere compliance to actively promote human rights?
- What role does data play in managing human rights risks in supply chains, and how can investors and companies improve their data collection and analysis practices?
14:55 - 15:40
B2: Sustainable agriculture and food systems
Colin Saravanamuttoo
- Exploring the investment potential and impact strategies
- In what ways can agricultural practices contribute to the energy transition beyond just adopting renewable energy sources?
- Emissions Disclosure – How can we further reduce emissions in food supply chains?
- Addressing the material risks of intensive animal agriculture en route to net-zero
Colin Saravanamuttoo
Executive Director and Canada Country Director, World Animal Protection Canada
Read bio
15:45 - 16:30
B3: Proxy voting: Making your votes count
- Vote pre-disclosure: What are the challenges with gaining traction behind certain votes?
- What elements make a shareholder proposal more likely to be supported by a majority of investors?
- Shareholder proposal fatigue
- Workers’ rights proposals and their impact
- Key takeaways from 2024 proxy season
16:30 - 18:00
Networking drinks
18:00 - 18:00
End of day one
Agenda
Responsible Investor Canada 2024 - Day Two - Wednesday 18th
Networking
08:00 - 08:30
Registration and refreshments
Plenary
08:30 - 09:40
Interactive roundtable discussions
Susan McGeachie
- Deforestation
- Scope 3
- Carbon markets
- Water
- Methane
- Climate adaptation
- Climate scenario analysis
- ESG fixed income
- Critical minerals
- Industrial decarbonization projects – Susan McGeachie, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Global Climate Finance Accelerator
Susan McGeachie
Co-Founder ＆ Managing Partner / Adjunct Professor (Climate Finance), Global Climate Finance Accelerator / University of Toronto
Read bio
Stream A
09:40 - 10:25
A4: What makes a credible transition plan?
- Transition funds: What are the challenges and opportunities in financing transition plans?
- Assessing transition plans and tracking progress
- The role of carbon pricing and offsets in transition plans
- Integrating nature into net-zero transition plans
- How can cross-sector collaboration enhance the effectiveness of transition plans?
10:25 - 10:50
Networking Break
10:50 - 11:35
A5: Navigating climate risk and materiality in Canada
- What are the best strategies to assess and manage climate risks in the portfolio?
- How should investors approach asset valuation and risk assessment differently to protect their investments?
- Physical risk vs transition risk
11:40 - 12:25
A6: ESG bonds: Diversifying beyond green
- Green Bond Framework – Are green bonds supporting the transition? How can Canada optimize the use of green bonds and loans to fund its transition to a sustainable economy?
- What are the potential risks and rewards associated with investing in nuclear bonds?
- How is the Canadian market addressing the risk of ‘greenwashing’ in bond issuances, and what mechanisms are in place to ensure authenticity?
- Social bonds and a just transition: How are Indigenous communities and projects being integrated into the sustainable bond market in Canada?
Stream B
09:40 - 10:25
B4: Investing in nature: Opportunities in biodiversity
- What innovative financial instruments and models have shown promise in funding biodiversity conservation efforts? How can these models be scaled or adapted for different contexts?
- What are the primary risks and challenges investors face when integrating biodiversity considerations into their portfolios, and how can these be mitigated?
- What are the emerging trends in nature finance, and how should investors position themselves to take advantage of these?
- How can investors adopt a nature-positive strategy in the portfolio?
10:25 - 10:50
Networking Break
10:50 - 11:35
B5: Indigenous impact investment
- The state of investment in Canada in indigenous land
- Ensuring indigenous views in investment strategy
11:40 - 12:25
B6: Social responsibility: Risks, challenges, and opportunities
- What are the social risks that investors should be thinking about?
- How can investors help alleviate social issues such as DEI, housing crisis, and aging demographics?
- How are investors measuring and reporting on the social impact of their investments?
- How can sustainable investments positively contribute to social goals?
- What are the main challenges of integrating social responsibility into investment decisions?
Networking
12:25 - 13:10
Lunch
Plenary
13:10 - 13:30
Keynote
13:30 - 14:15
Plenary 5: Effective engagement strategies for sustainable investing in Canada
- Active ownership vs passive ownership
- How do you achieve impact in engagement and measure success?
- Brown stripping vs engagement: How are Canadian investors engaging with the oil and gas sector?
- How has the landscape of Canadian engagement evolved in recent years?
14:15 - 15:00
Plenary 6: Investing in zero: Finances and strategies of climate change
Alex Side
- Scale of investment necessary to reach 1.5C: What are the challenges and opportunities for investors?
- How are asset owners approaching provincial decarbonization efforts in their portfolios?
- What is keeping investment senior leadership up at night in 2024?
- How are asset owners and asset managers coping with growing geopolitical uncertainties? What challenges are they facing?
Alex Side
Senior Principal, IMCO Infrastructure (Investment Management Corporation of Ontario)
Read bio
15:00 - 15:00
End of conference
Pre-Event Resources
Be recognised as driving the future of sustainable finance to institutional investors in Canada
Sponsoring a Responsible Investor global event positions your business at the forefront of key decision-makers and ensures your profile gains a competitive advantage within the industry. Enquire about bespoke sponsorship packages to:
- Align your brand with Responsible Investor’s authoritative content-led event portfolio and be seen as a go-to solution provider for senior ESG and sustainable finance professionals.
- Stand tall amongst your competitors by positioning your company at RI Canada and embed your brand as a major player to senior institutional investors.
- Raise your profile as a thought leader within the industry to overcome the key challenges within responsible investing.
- Showcase your institutional investor solutions, in-person to new global audiences and generate new business opportunities to achieve your targets.
2023 sponsors included:
Connect with responsible investment investors
Hiroshi Komori
Senior Director, Stewardship & ESG, GPIF
RI events around the world have been beneficial to catch up on ongoing ESG issues and network with great people.
Andrea Palmer
ESG Lead, PGGM
I appreciate the quality of the delegates and the conversations. It’s the go-to venue to gauge developments in ESG integration.
Network at Canada's leading responsible investment event
Build lasting relationships and compare best practices with your peers.
RI Canada conference is back at Chelsea Hotel Toronto in September. Join over 300 top-level investors, fund managers and sustainable finance professionals for two days of networking at the must-attend event to learn, share, and debate ESG opportunities and challenges.
Building relationships at RI Canada isn’t just about exchanging business cards; it’s about finding common ground and shared goals. Collaborations forged here can be the cornerstone of future projects and initiatives.
The in-person networking experience
Meet industry thought-leaders
Connect with the ESG community at the forefront of shaping sustainable finance in Canada. Engage with investment professionals, regulators, academics, NGOs, and lawyers who are driving meaningful change in the industry.
15+ hours networking
Connect in-person with the ESG community at our interactive workshops, panels, private breakfasts, debates, and evening drinks reception. Every moment at RI Canada is a chance to forge valuable connections.
Connect with Canadian asset owners
Hear from asset owners who are looking to increase their exposure to sustainable investments and financial products. Past asset owner attendees include AXA, Canada Post Corporation Pension Plan, CDPQ, HOOP, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, United Church of Canada, and many more.
Connect with active investors
Be recognised as driving the future of sustainable finance
Responsible Investor Canada provides an opportunity to make connections with an exclusive audience of ESG and sustainable finance decision makers. Share your solutions, collaborate and network with senior-level executives through bespoke sponsorship packages to meet your 2024 business goals.
Accommodation
Should you require accommodation for Responsible Investor Canada 2022, please use the link below to find hotels in the local area.
Asset owners at RI Canada 2024
The Responsible Investor Canada provides an unrivalled platform for asset owners investing in ESG and sustainable finance.
A limited number of complimentary passes for the event are available for asset owners. Check out the benefits of joining the conference and learn who among your peers attends. Apply for a complimentary pass for you or your team now.
What to expect?
Network with your peers
Enrich your network, build lasting relationships, and exchange valuable perspectives with your investor peers through investor-only breakfasts, networking breaks, lunches and much more.
Gain expert insights
Hear from our industry-leading speaker line-up, discover the latest trends and stay aligned with future innovations in the market.
Stay aligned to developments and opportunities
Discover remarkable investment opportunities and leverage ESG expertise focused on regulation, human rights, biodiversity, net zero and more.
Meet with the best and brightest funds
Connect and arrange one-to-one meetings with the biggest and best ESG managers in the market.
Asset owners at RI Canada 2024
Explore the conference benefits and find out which of your peers will be attending.
Connect with active investors
Apply for a complimentary asset owner pass
Complimentary investor passes are limited to foundations, endowments, trusts, insurance companies, single family offices, sovereign wealth funds and pension funds who are actively making fund commitments and do not engage in third-party fundraising activities or collect fees for advisory/consulting services.
Please register your interest and a member of our team will be in touch to confirm your eligibility.
For more information on the agenda or speaking opportunities, please contact Joana Frade.
Joana.F@pei.group | +44 (0)203 879 3893
