Driving the future of European sustainable finance
Responsible Investor’s 17th annual RI Europe conference is returning to London next June. The 2024 edition of the flagship event will discuss sustainable finance developments and industry best practices.
Gain insights from those leading the sustainable finance drive in Europe on topical ESG themes including accelerating net zero progress, the evolving EU regulatory landscape, getting to grips with biodiversity risk management, the future of ESG data strategy, and more.
Join over 600 leading investors and fund managers for two days of networking at the must-attend event for sustainable finance.
Bring your team along!
With so much content on offer at RI Europe, why not bring your team along? Diversify your coverage, ensuring that your organization can capitalize on the full spectrum of knowledge presented at RI Europe and come away with actionable insights. Buy 3 general delegate tickets for the price of 2, and even bigger savings the more tickets you buy.
To purchase tickets for teams above 5, please contact Luca Greene.
2024 key themes:
- EU regulatory landscape and its implications
- Road to net zero: Fostering the decarbonisation of Europe’s economy
- Effective engagement: What lessons have we learnt and how stewardship standards improve?
- Biodiversity and nature: Navigating data collection and stakeholder expectations
- Transition finance: What comes next for 2024?
- Keeping track of and adapting to evolving sustainability regulations worldwide
- Standard setting: Innovation and interoperability
- How are investors tackling biodiversity loss and reductions in resource and water use
- 2024 European Parliament election
Snapshot of 2023 attendees
Meet leading asset owners including:
What can you expect at the forum?
Get real insight into the industry
RI Europe’s innovative programme gets straight to the point on what sustainability means for business and investment in the real world. Topics include EU regulatory landscape, road to net zero, transition finance and many more.
Build a long-lasting network
Our event facilitates networking opportunities that drive collaboration and foster innovation. Network in-person at our workshops, panels, private breakfasts, debates, and evening drinks reception.
Meet leading asset owners
Hear from investors honing their sustainable finance strategy and creating real impact. Gain insights on their ESG allocation strategies, priorities and preferences for their next investment partner.
Stay ahead of market trends
Be in the know about upcoming changes to regulations, latest trends and emerging opportunities in the world of responsible investment. Keep your strategies fresh and adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape.
Unparalleled learning opportunities
Not only will you network with the best in the business, but you’ll also gain invaluable insights and expertise through interactive sessions, discussions, and workshops.
Connect with the ESG community
Meet with the ESG community at the forefront of shaping sustainable finance in Europe. Engage with investment professionals, regulators, academics, NGOs, and legal experts who are driving meaningful change in the industry.
2024 speaker line-up includes:
Are you an asset owner in public markets?
A limited number of complimentary passes are available for eligible asset owners to join the event.
To qualify for a complimentary pass, you must meet the eligibility criteria in representing a pension fund, insurance company, sovereign wealth fund, foundation, endowment, trust, family office or corporate investment division.
Apply for a pass and a member of our team will follow up with you to secure your pass.
Connect with investors & ESG professionals
Responsible Investor Europe 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.
For more information on the agenda or speaking opportunities, please contact Joana Frade.
joana.f@pei.group | +44 20 3640 7518
Agenda
RI Europe 2024 - Day 1 - Wednesday 12th
Opening remarks
Plenary 1: Tackling transition finance: Next steps for investors
- Investing in the energy transition: opportunities and limitations
- Are regulatory regimes designed to support transition finance?
- Defining transition finance: achieving consensus, building guardrails
- Is transition finance compatible with net zero commitments?
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
Plenary 2: Policy and regulation: Sustainable finance in the next EU legislative phase
- What comes next? Hopes, expectations and concerns in the aftermath of EU elections
- SFDR and taxonomy progress: is usability improving?
- The ones that got away: transition, social and stewardship
- CSRD: how are corporates coping in year one?
Moderator: Elza Holmstedt Pell, Deputy Editor, Responsible Investor
Networking break
Keynote 1: Regulation: EU / UK
Plenary 3: Sustainability standards: Implementation and interoperability
- Expectations for the first round of CSRD reporting
- Interoperability between the big three: is it looking likely?
- Sector standards: what do investors want and need?
- Nature and social under the ESRS and ISSB
Moderator: Fiona McNally, Reporter, Responsible Investor
Plenary 4: TNFD: Getting to grips with nature-related reporting
- Lessons from early adopters of the TNFD framework
- Will TNFD provide the data investors need to invest in and engage on nature?
- How does the TNFD align with other initiatives (e.g. SBTN, EFRAG, GRI)?
- Next steps: Update from the TNFD on its work
Moderator: Gina Gambetta, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor
Lunch
A1: Second-mover advantage: UK sustainable finance regulation
- How are investors feeling about the long-delayed UK green taxonomy?
- What will political shifts mean for UK regulation on sustainable finance?
- Will incorporation of ISSB be pain-free or a compliance nightmare?
- How are investors preparing for the implementation of SDR?
Moderator: Dominic Webb, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor
Short turnaround break
A2: ESG ratings: Overhaul or business as usual?
- What do recent developments to regulate or provide guidance for ESG ratings mean in practice for ratings providers and investors?
- How can ESG ratings evolve further?
- The potential for leveraging forward-looking data from company reporting
Moderator: Khalid Azizuddin, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor
B1: AGMs and ESG: Is proxy voting losing its lustre?
- How can investors use their votes most effectively to drive change?
- How have investor voting patterns evolved over the past two years?
- Filing proposals: the challenges and opportunities for investors
- How does proxy voting compare with other forms of stewardship in terms of impact?
Moderator: Paul Verney, Features Writer, Responsible Investor
Short turnaround break
B2: Corporate due diligence: Risk, regulation and reporting
- CSDDD outcome and next steps
- Investor due diligence approaches and developments
- The regulatory outlook across jurisdictions
- Managing supply chain risk: the challenges for investors
Moderator: Gina Gambetta, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor
C1: ESG assurance: Rising to the challenge
- Sustainability assurance: a game changer for comparable and reliable data?
- How valuable is limited assurance to investors?
- Dealing with qualified reports
- Auditors: are there enough to go around?
- Does the market need more labels or is GSS+ the way to go?
Moderator: Fiona McNally, Reporter, Responsible Investor
Short turnaround break
C2: ESG-labelled bonds: Ensuring integrity, managing incentives
- Will the EU Green Bond Standard prove successful in raising quality? Are other jurisdictions likely to follow?
- Is the SLB market reaching its moment of maturity after long periods of controversy?
- How are investors pricing SLB step-ups?
Moderator: Dominic Webb, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor
Workshop A: Methane
This session allows participants to learn from both experts and each other, providing interactive small group discussions guided by designated facilitators.
Workshop B: Climate adaptation
This session allows participants to learn from both experts and each other, providing interactive small group discussions guided by designated facilitators.
Facilitator: Craig Davies, CEO, Cadlas
Workshop C: Scope 3
This session allows participants to learn from both experts and each other, providing interactive small group discussions guided by designated facilitators.
Facilitator: Claire Elsdon, Global Director, Capital Markets, CDP
Co-Facilitator: James Vaccaro, Chief Catalyst, Climate Safe Lending Network
Workshop D: Critical minerals
This session allows participants to learn from both experts and each other, providing interactive small group discussions guided by designated facilitators.
Facilitator: Phil Bloomer, Executive Director, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
Workshop E: Social data
This session allows participants to learn from both experts and each other, providing interactive small group discussions guided by designated facilitators.
Facilitator: Signe Andreasen Lysgaard, Chief Adviser, Human Rights and Business
Signe Andreasen Lysgaard
Chief Adviser, Business and Human Rights, Danish Institute for Human Rights
Read bioNetworking drinks
End of day one
Agenda
RI Europe 2024 - Day 2 - Thursday 13th
Invitation only AO and AM breakfast
Join fellow asset owners and asset managers for a breakfast briefing and peer-to-peer discussions. This is a closed door session for asset owners and asset managers only.
A3: Deep dive: Assessing corporate transition plans
- What makes a credible transition plan?
- Models and methodologies assessed
- Sectoral approaches and distinctions
- Timelines for transition
- The role of carbon pricing and offsets in transition plans
Moderator: Carmen Nuzzo, Professor in Practice – Executive Director, Transition Pathway Initiative Centre LSE
A4: Engagement in emerging markets
- Bonds vs equities: where are the greater opportunities for influence?
- Public sector: engaging with sovereigns and SOEs
- Making and measuring impact through engagement
- Strength in numbers: the power of collaborative engagement
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
A5: Sustainability and insurers: limitations and opportunities
- Understanding the specific sustainability requirements of insurers as asset owners
- How has Solvency II affected insurers’ ability to finance the energy transition?
- Where are the main opportunities for insurers in ESG investing in 2024?
Moderator: Rory Sullivan, CEO, Chronos Sustainability
B3: Deep dive: Scenario analysis: An investor’s guide
- Physical risk vs transition risk
- Understanding central bank models
- Lessons from the insurance industry
Moderator: Jakob Thoma, Co-Founder & Research Director, Theia Finance Labs
Jean Boissinot
Deputy Director Financial Stability Head of NGFS Secretariat, Banque de France
Read bioB4: Nature data: Measurement, metrics, missing pieces
- How are innovations in location-specific data filling in the gaps?
- How are investors approaching the biodiversity metric debate?
- Is ocean ecosystem data the next frontier?
- What does contributing to “nature positive” mean?
- How are investors starting to set nature targets for their portfolios?
Moderator: Gina Gambetta, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor
B5: Climate lobbying: Trade associations, transparency and reporting
- Are companies becoming more receptive to investor engagement on lobbying?
- Has lobbying really risen up the agenda of investors or just a “noisy few”?
- The role of trade associations
- Investor-company case study post trade review
Moderator: Paul Verney, Features Writer, Responsible Investor
C3: Deep dive: TNFD reporting
C4: What’s in a name: Navigating the regulatory focus on fund names
- How should the European Commission balance ambition and interoperability in its SFDR reforms?
- How are managers preparing for the UK labels to come into force?
- Is there a still a role for voluntary labels or have they had their day?
- Do new naming rules eliminate the possibility of greenwashing or are there still gaps?
Moderator: James Alexander, Chief Executive, UK Sustainable Investment and Finance
C5: ESG data: Meeting the evolving needs of responsible investors
- What will CSRD and other corporate disclosures mean for ESG data users and providers?
- What type of data is lacking – what are some emerging data points that investors want?
- How much is too much? Estimations and models
Moderator: Khalid Azizuddin, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor
Networking break
Keynote 2
Plenary 5: Deforestation, water, pollution: Where should investors start with biodiversity?
- What are the challenges and opportunities in addressing different drivers of nature loss?
- Where are corporates currently focusing their nature strategies?
- What role should data availability play in determining investors’ biodiversity strategy?
- Which tools are most effective for investors in addressing biodiversity loss?
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
Lunch
Fireside chat: Evolution of ESG
Plenary 6: From activism to compliance: The changing face of sustainability in institutional investment
- How have the roles and remits of sustainability and responsible investment professionals at institutional investors evolved over the past 10 years?
- What have these changes meant for the relationship between asset owners and asset managers?
- Has the increasing reporting burden diverted resources away from stewardship and engagement?
- How can sustainability professionals most effectively drive change in their organisations and the wider industry going forward?
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
Networking break
Plenary 7: Return on engagement: Measuring the impact of stewardship
- How can investors best track and report on stewardship impacts?
- Active ownership vs passive ownership
- How can impact and influence be assigned in collaborative engagements?
- What do asset owners want to see from managers on stewardship impact?
Moderator: Deborah Gilshan, Head of ESG and Stewardship, Europe, AustralianSuper
Patrick Peura
ESG Engagement Manager, Allianz Investment Management, Co-lead of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance Engagement Track, Allianz Investment Management
Read bioPlenary 8: Making the case for 1.5C: Investor strategies
Few investors that have set 1.5C targets for their investments have rolled back on these goals despite it looking unlikely that this target will be met. But what is actually feasible for asset managers and asset owners if the real economy doesn’t decarbonise fast enough? This panel will see a number of investors make the case for how they view 1.5C, what they’re doing to ensure Paris-alignment and the challenges they face.
Moderator: Jakob Thoma, Co-Founder & Research Director, Theia Finance Labs
Closing remarks and end of conference
Network at Europe's leading responsible investment event
Responsible Investor’s 17th annual RI Europe conference is back next June in London. Join over 600 leading investors and fund managers for two days of networking at the must-attend event for sustainable finance. Building relationships at RI Europe 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 Europe. Engage with investment professionals, regulators, academics, NGOs, and lawyers who are driving meaningful change in the industry.
15+ hours of networking
Connect in-person with the ESG community at our interactive workshops, panels, private breakfasts, debates, and evening drinks reception. Every moment at RI Europe is a chance to forge valuable connections.
Build valuable connections with European asset owners
Engage with leading asset owners and gain insights into their ESG allocation strategies and preferences for their next investment partner. Past attendees include Aegon, Church of England Pensions Board, Folksam, Legal & General, Scottish Widows, Unilever APF, and many more.
Connect with active investors
Be recognised as driving the future of sustainable finance
Responsible Investor Europe 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.
Pre-Event Resources
If you would like to join the industry-leading line-up in June, please contact Joana Frade.
joana.f@pei.group | +44 20 3640 7518
Speaker line-up includes:
Ben Caldecott
Co-Head, Secretariat, Transition Plan Taskforce and Member, UK Climate Change Committee
Honor Fell
Associate Director and Sustainable Investment Lead, University of Cambridge Investment Management (“UCIM”)
Signe Andreasen Lysgaard
Chief Adviser, Business and Human Rights, Danish Institute for Human Rights
Patrick Peura
ESG Engagement Manager, Allianz Investment Management, Co-lead of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance Engagement Track, Allianz Investment Management
Simone Utermarck
Senior Director, Sustainable Finance, International Capital Market Association (ICMA)
Be recognised as driving the future of sustainable finance to institutional investors in Europe
Sponsoring at Responsible Investor global events positions your company 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 Responsible Investor Europe 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.
2024 sponsors include:
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.
Asset owners at RI Europe
Responsible Investor Europe provides an unrivalled platform for asset owners investing in ESG and sustainable finance. Join over 100 asset owners from across Europe to discuss the latest responsible investing trends and compare best practices and allocation strategies for 2024 and beyond.
A limited number of complimentary passes are available exclusively for asset owners. Explore the conference benefits and find out which of your peers will be attending. Apply now for a complimentary pass for yourself or your team.
What to expect
Network with your peers
Enrich your network, build lasting relationships, and exchange valuable perspectives with your fellow asset owners during asset owner-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 and find your next investment partner.
Asset owners at RI Europe 2024
‘This event stands as the largest gathering designed specifically for asset owners and top-level corporates, providing two days of networking and insightful discussions.
Explore the conference benefits and find out which of your peers will be attending.
Asset Owner's that attended in 2023:
Apply for a complimentary asset owner pass
A limited number of complimentary passes are available for eligible asset owners to join the event.
To qualify for a complimentary pass, you must meet the eligibility criteria in representing a pension fund, insurance company, sovereign wealth fund, foundation, endowment, trust, family office or corporate investment division.
Apply for a pass and a member of our team will follow up with you to secure your pass.