Thriving in the rapidly evolving US sustainable finance landscape
The Responsible Investor USA conference is back for its 15th year to provide sustainable finance professionals with an unrivalled platform to learn from the leaders in the industry and come away with actionable insights on current sustainability issues. With an agenda curated to spark conversation and find common ground amidst the anti-ESG backlash, hear from thought leaders on both sides of the debate on the practicalities of responsible investing. The speaker line-up includes representatives from Utah State Pension Fund, R Street, the Bipartisan Policy Center and more.
Connect with a global audience of senior-level executives and understand what asset owners are looking for in their next investment partner.
Gain insights from industry leaders on topical sustainable finance themes including:
- fiduciary duty in the 21st century
- disclosure standards and US corporates
- biodiversity and engagement
- corporate transition plans
- navigating the ESG backlash
Join us at RI USA and be a part of the discussion that transcends differing perspectives to tackle industry challenges head-on.
Meet leading asset owners including:
2023 Speakers:
Reasons to attend
Get real insight into the industry
RI USA’s program gets straight to the point on what sustainability means for business and investment in the real world. We ask the right questions and deliver the answers.
Build a long-lasting network
Our event attracts stakeholders from across the sustainable finance industry. Network in-person at our workshops, panels, private breakfasts, debates, and evening drinks reception.
Meet institutional investors
Hear from investors honing their sustainable finance strategy and creating real impact. Past investor speakers include CalPERS, CalSTRS, Chicago Teacher’s Pension Fund,
Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System, Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec (CDPQ), Office of the New York City Comptroller, and many more.
Key event themes
• Acclimating to SEC disclosure: What are the implications and risks of ESG reporting for asset managers and asset owners?
• Increasing demand for ESG data: What are the best practices for ESG measurement and management?
• Operationalizing net-zero commitments: What role will new technologies, renewables, and carbon offsets play in the transition to net-zero?
• The role of politics in sustainable finance: How will net-zero agendas and targets evolve with political fluctuations?
• Managing physical and transition risk: How can investors quantify, manage and adapt to growing climate-related risks to assets and portfolios?
• Navigating global regulatory differences: How will the regulatory landscape evolve amidst standardization debates?
• Hydrogen, carbon capture, electrification, natural capital and beyond: What are the best sustainable investment opportunities today and what are key barriers to scale for emerging climate solutions?
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.
Please register your interest and a member of our team will be in touch to confirm your eligibility.
Connect with investors & ESG professionals
Responsible Investor USA 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 2023 business goals.
For more information on speaking in 2023, please contact Joana Frade.
Joana.F@pei.group | +44 (0)203 879 3893
2023 speakers include:
Sarah Bernstein
Managing Principal/ Head of Sustainability, Meketa Investment Group, Inc.
Ms. Bernstein is an institutional investment consultant and has been focused on ESG and sustainability issues for over two decades. Ms. Bernstein joined the firm in 2019 as part of the merger between Meketa and Pension Consulting Alliance (PCA). She… Read full bio
Willie Botha
Program & Technical Director, IAASB
Willie joined the IAASB in January 2019. He leads the IAASB team in advancing the IAASB’s strategy and work program and works closely with the IAASB Chair in managing the activities of the Board. Willie has a broad range of experience in different as… Read full bio
Lisa Bozzelli
Senior Director, Multifamily Capital Markets, Fannie Mae
Lisa Bozzelli is the Director on the Fannie Mae Multifamily Capital Markets Trading Desk. In this role, she manages the trading desk and is responsible for all primary and secondary trading, structuring, new issuance and marketing of Agency CMBS (Fan… Read full bio
Dan Byrd
Director - ESG Industry Practice Lead, Moody’s Analytics
Dan Byrd is the ESG Industry Practice Lead for Moody’s Analytics. He is an experienced legal professional, particularly with regard to how complex regulatory frameworks impact investment and business decisions. Prior to joining Moody’s, he was co-fou… Read full bio
Annette Capretta
Chief Counsel, ICI Global
Annette Capretta is Chief Counsel of ICI Global and guides the Investment Company Institute’s international legal program in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere for the benefit of ICI members and long-term investors. In previous positions at ICI, she served… Read full bio
Daniel F. C. Crowley
Partner, K＆L Gates LLP
Dan Crowley is a partner in the K＆L Gates LLP Washington, D.C. office. His practice is focused on public policy issues relating to financial services and capital markets, and he leads the firm’s global financial services policy practice. In the decad… Read full bio
Colleen Davis
State Treasurer, State of Delaware
Colleen C. Davis was elected State Treasurer in November of 2018. In her capacity as State Treasurer, Colleen oversees the entirety of the State’s cash and investment portfolios, helps tens of thousands of State Employees save for retirement through… Read full bio
Sofia De La Parra
Investor Outreach Manager, FAIRR Initiative
Sofía De La Parra is an Investor Outreach Manager at the FAIRR Initiative. She is responsible for strengthening and expanding FAIRR’s investor network. Sofía leads FAIRR’s outreach work in the United States and collaborates on outreach in other globa… Read full bio
Tim Doyle
Senior Policy Advisor, Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC)
Tim Doyle is Senior Policy Advisor to the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Founder and Principal at Doyle Strategies, LLC. Tim previously was Principal and General Counsel at Guidepost Strategies, and prior to that Vice President of Policy and Genera… Read full bio
Carolyn R. Eagle
Head of Americas - Sustainable Equity Index Product, FTSE Russell
Carolyn joined FTSE Russell in 2018 as a Senior Product Manager for Sustainable Investment and since 2023 has served as the Head of Americas for the Sustainable Equity Index Product group. She is responsible for ESG and climate equity index product d… Read full bio
Robert Eccles
Professor, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Robert G. Eccles is a leading authority on how companies and investors can create sustainable strategies through the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in resource allocation decisions. The focus of his work is on how… Read full bio
Naomi English
Managing Director and Head of Climate Strategy, MSCI
Naomi English is Managing Director and Head of Climate Strategy, responsible for managing MSCI's global effort to provide cutting edge data, research and other tools to enable financial institutions to incorporate Climate across their organizations.… Read full bio
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker
Editor, Responsible Investor, PEI Group
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker joined Responsible Investor as editor in 2022 from Euromoney magazine, where she was ESG editor. Prior to that, she was Euromoney’s editor for Central and Eastern Europe and contributing editor at GlobalCapital. She has covered… Read full bio
Danielle Fugere
President & Chief Counsel, As You Sow
Danielle Fugere, President & Chief Counsel, leads As You Sow’s program teams in creating lasting social and environmental change through shareholder advocacy and legal initiatives. She brings an in-depth knowledge of clean energy, sustainability,… Read full bio
Sonja Gibbs
Board Member / Managing Director and Head of Sustainable Finance, ICVCM / Institute of International Finance
Sonja leads the IIF’s work on sustainable finance and sovereign debt policy, focusing on research and advocacy for the Institute’s global membership across the financial services industry. Her research interests include the economic impact and financ… Read full bio
Simon Glynn
Founder, Zero Ideas
Simon Glynn is founder of Zero Ideas, a non-profit organization challenging business thinking on climate change. He was a partner at Oliver Wyman for 25 years (until September this year), including co-founding the firm’s climate and sustainability co… Read full bio
Pedro Guazo
Representative of the Secretary-General for the investment of assets, United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund
Mr. Pedro Antonio Guazo Alonso was appointed the Representative of the Secretary-General for the investment of the assets of the UNJSPF on 29 July 2020. Mr. Guazo was the Finance Director at the United Nations in New York for almost eight years. He m… Read full bio
Denise Hearn
Resident Senior Fellow, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
Denise Hearn is a writer and applied researcher who advises governments, financial institutions, companies, and nonprofits on antitrust, economic policy, and new economic thinking. She is currently a Resident Senior Fellow at the Columbia Center on S… Read full bio
Andreas Hoepner
Full Professor of Operational Risk, Banking ＆ Finance, University College Dublin (UCD)
Professor Andreas G.F. Hoepner, Ph.D., is a Financial Data Scientist working towards the vision of a Conflict-Free Capitalism. While the vision is unlikely to be fully achievable, Andreas' view is that anyone can strive to make a regular contribution… Read full bio
Andrew Howell
Senior Director of Sustainable Finance, EDF
Andrew Howell is Senior Director of Sustainable Finance at EDF, where he is responsible for engaging with the investor community to help accelerate the energy transition. He works on a range of sectors including oil & gas, petrochemicals, transpo… Read full bio
Dave Jones
Director - Climate Risk Initiative, UC Berkekely Law, Center for Law, Energy and the Environment
Dave Jones is Director of the Climate Risk Initiative at UC Berkeley School of Law’s Center on Law, Energy and Environment (CLEE). Jones was Senior Director for Environmental Risk at The Nature Conservancy from January 2019 – June 2021 and a Distingu… Read full bio
Mirtha Kastrapeli
Sector Head for Consumer in Corporate Ratings, ISS ESG
Mirtha is an accomplished sustainable investment leader with a track record in developing cutting-edge research in the ESG space. She is also a Fellow at Columbia University’s Center on Sustainable Investment, CCSI. Most recently, Ms. Kastrapeli was… Read full bio
Dinah Koehler
Director of ESG Research, FactSet
Dr. Dinah A. Koehler is Vice President, Head of ESG Research at FactSet. In this role, she is responsible for research on cutting edge ESG topics and thought leadership. Prior to FactSet, she has worked 25+ years in corporate sustainability, includin… Read full bio
Cary Krosinsky
Co-Founder, Sustainable Finance Institute
A leading educator, author and senior advisor on sustainable finance, Cary Krosinsky teaches popular ongoing classes on the subject at Brown, NYU and Yale. He was a member of the NY State Common Decarbonization Advisory Panel appointed by Comptroller… Read full bio
Eli Lehrer
President, The R Street Institute
Eli Lehrer is the President of the R Street Institute. He co-founded R Street in 2012 and has played a key role in establishing it as an important center-right voice in the Washington, D.C. policy scene. Prior to R Street he served as vice president… Read full bio
Kerstin Lopatta
Professor of Financial Accounting - Auditing and Sustainability, University of Hamburg
Kerstin Lopatta is professor of Financial Accounting, Auditing and Sustainability at the University of Hamburg and adjunct professor at the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance at the University of Luxembourg. Furthermore, she is affiliated with Cit… Read full bio
Lauren Lutic-Muusse
Investor Lead, World Benchmarking Alliance
Lauren is the Investor Engagement Lead at the World Benchmarking Alliance. She specializes in using data driven insights to drive change in the financial sector. She drives an engagement and action strategy amongst Investors and is expanding the work… Read full bio
Aeisha Mastagni
Portfolio Manager, Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Strategies, CalSTRS
Aeisha Mastagni is a Portfolio Manager within the Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Strategies Unit of the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), the nation’s largest teacher retirement fund. She is responsible for working wit… Read full bio
Ryan McQueeney
Manager, Investments Marketing and Communications, Wespath Benefits and Investments
As a sustainable investment stewardship analyst, Ryan supports the investment stewardship and engagement activities of Wespath and its subsidiaries, including pursuing opportunities that align with sustainable business practices and long-term investo… Read full bio
Radhika Mehrotra
Associate Director- Capital Markets, CDP North America
Radhika Mehrotra is the Associate Director of Capital Markets for CDP North America. Radhika leads investor engagement for CDP North America and is responsible for driving capital markets interactions with CDP data through portfolio assessment tools,… Read full bio
Sara E. Murphy
Chief Strategy Officer, The Shareholder Commons
Sara joined The Shareholder Commons in 2020 after 22 years working in sustainable investing and environmental and social advocacy. Sara began her career working for NGOs in the international development and disaster response fields. In 2001, she tran… Read full bio
Patricia Pina
Head of Product Research & Innovation, Clarity AI
Patricia specializes in measuring sustainability and impact to help companies, governments, and individuals make environmentally and socially sustainable decisions. She has extensive experience in crafting strategic plans and evaluating major develop… Read full bio
Curtis Ravenel
Founding Member / Senior Advisor, GFANZ
Curtis Ravenel is a Senior Advisor to the co-chairs and Vice Chair of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) and a founding member of the Secretariat for the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures… Read full bio
Tracey Rembert
Associate Director, Climate Change and Environmental Justice, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
Tracey leads our work on Paris-aligned corporate climate lobbying. With over 23 years of experience in shareholder engagement and responsible investment, Tracey has brought expertise in climate change impacts, global active ownership strategies, corp… Read full bio
Andreas Ross
Head of New Product Research and Development, ZAIS Group
Dr. Ross serves as Head of New Product Research and Development and Managing Director at ZAIS. Prior to assuming his current role in 2021, he was a member of the Structured Credit Portfolio Management Team at ZAIS responsible for trading Credit Deriv… Read full bio
Steven M. Rothstein
Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Markets
The Ceres Accelerator aims to transform the practices and policies that govern capital markets in order to accelerate reduction of the worst financial impacts of the climate crisis and other sustainability threats. Steven’s 40 years of experience wil… Read full bio
Lucas Schoeppner
Manager - Sustainable Investment Stewardship, Wespath
Lucas joined Wespath in April 2023. He manages the investment stewardship and engagement activities of Wespath and its subsidiaries’ investment programs and supports their efforts to integrate material ESG risk consideration into the investment selec… Read full bio
John D. Skjervem
Chief Investment Officer, Utah State Retirement Systems
John D. Skjervem is Chief Investment Officer for Utah Retirement Systems (URS) which manages a financial and real asset portfolio totaling $54 billion as of December 31, 2021 and comprises both defined benefit and defined contribution retirement prog… Read full bio
Tim Smith
Senior Policy Advisor, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
Tim currently serves as ICCR’s Senior Policy Advisor, where he supports ICCR’s work around responsible political engagement, deepening engagements with asset managers, and responding to the pushback on ESG. Tim served as ICCR staff for 30 years inclu… Read full bio
Georgia Stewart
CEO, Tumelo
Georgia is CEO of Tumelo, one of the UK’s fastest-growing financial technology scale-ups. Founded in 2018, Georgia and her two co-founders, Will Goodwin and Ben King, recognised a two-pronged problem with the current proxy-voting system: fund manager… Read full bio
Neil Stewart
Director of Corporate Outreach, ISSB / IFRS Foundation
Neil Stewart is the New York-based Director of Corporate Outreach for the IFRS Foundation, which houses the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), the SASB Standards and the Integrate… Read full bio
Jérôme Tagger
Partner and Co-Founder, WhiteLabel Impact
Jerome is a Partner at WhiteLabel Impact and the CEO of Preventable Surprises, a think tank sparking difficult conversations about responsible finance. He was a founding COO of the Principles for Responsible Investment, an executive at the Global Imp… Read full bio
Alison Taylor
Clinical Associate Professor, NYU
Alison Taylor is a clinical associate professor at NYU Stern School of Business, and the executive director at Ethical Systems. She is currently writing a book on the new landscape for business ethics, for Harvard Business Review Press. Her previous… Read full bio
Paul Verney
Features Writer, Responsible Investor
Paul joined RI’s editorial team in 2017 and was recently promoted to features writer, taking deeper dives into the most topical issues in the responsible investment space. He has a particular interest in shareholder engagement, climate lobbying and t… Read full bio
Heidi Welsh
Founding Executive Director, Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2)
Heidi Welsh, executive director of the Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2), has analyzed corporate responsibility since 1987. Si2 is supported mainly by subscriptions from large institutional investors. Starting at the Investor Responsibility Res… Read full bio
Jessica Wirth Strine
Managing Partner, CEO Sustainable Governance Partners
Jessica Wirth Strine is a co-founder of Sustainable Governance Partners, an independent, practitioner-driven advisory firm that advises public companies on corporate governance, investor engagement, and ESG strategy. With nearly twenty years of exper… Read full bio
For more information on the agenda, please contact Joana Frade.
Joana.F@pei.group | +44 (0)203 879 3893
View agenda page
Agenda
RI USA 2023 - Wednesday 15th
08:00 - 08:45
Registration
Plenary
08:45 - 08:55
Welcome remarks from Responsible Investor
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
08:55 - 09:10
Opening remarks
Daniel F. C. Crowley
Daniel Crowley, Partner, K&L Gates LLP
09:10 - 10:00
Plenary 1: Net zero: Interim targets and external challenges
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker,
Simon Glynn,
Curtis Ravenel
- What challenges will financial institutions face in meeting the first round of net zero targets?
- Could net zero targets encourage divestment from higher-emitting sectors and jurisdictions?
- Is meeting short-term net zero targets compatible with financing the energy transition?
- How is the role of GFANZ in driving net zero evolving?
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
10:00 - 10:50
Plenary 2: Setting the baseline: Disclosure standards and US corporates
Paul Verney,
Kerstin Lopatta,
Neil Stewart
- Will the ISSB standards meet investor expectations and requirements?
- What level of uptake of ISSB is expected in the US?
- How are corporates preparing for SEC and/or ISSB reporting?
- How can regulators and standard setters alleviate the reporting burdens on companies?
Moderator: Paul Verney, Features Writer, Responsible Investor
10:50 - 11:20
Networking break
Plenary
11:20 - 11:40
Keynote 1
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker,
John D. Skjervem
11:40 - 12:30
Plenary 3: Fiduciary duty in the 21st century
Steven M. Rothstein,
Tim Doyle,
Pedro Guazo,
Aeisha Mastagni,
Sara E. Murphy
- Has increased consideration of environmental, social and governance risks shifted understanding of fiduciary duty?
- Could investors have a legal case to answer in relation to fiduciary duty and ESG?
- The case against anti-ESG: studies on losses by limiting investment universes
- Can any values-based, ethical or responsible investing be compatible with fiduciary duty?
Moderator: Steven Rothstein, Managing Director, Accelerator, Ceres
12:30 - 13:20
Plenary 4: Engaging with nature: best practice for investors
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker,
Naomi English,
Mirtha Kastrapeli,
Dinah Koehler
- TNFD: what does it mean for corporates and investors?
- Tools and methodologies for assessing biodiversity risk to portfolios
- The importance of considering the nature-climate nexus
- Nature Action 100: can collective engagement move the needle on biodiversity?
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
13:20 - 14:20
Lunch
Stream A
14:20 - 15:05
A1: Physical climate risk and resilience
Dave Jones,
Cary Krosinsky
- Do investors have the necessary data to understand and act on climate resilience?
- What are the barriers to channelling private sector finance into climate resilience?
- How can policy promote private finance flows into the sector?
- Where is climate resilience financing most urgently needed in the US?
- How does the increased unavailability of insurance impact resilience and what can be done to make sure insurance is available?
Moderator: Dave Jones, Director, Climate Risk Initiative, UC Berkeley School of Law’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment
15:05 - 15:25
Networking break
15:25 - 16:10
A2: Methane: Data, risk and engagement
Andrew Howell,
Sofia De La Parra,
Lucas Schoeppner
- Are investors doing enough to understand portfolio methane emissions?
- What tools and methodologies can investors access to understand methane emissions?
- How should investors be engaging with corporates on methane?
- The policy and regulatory outlook on methane emissions
Moderator: Andrew Howell, Senior Director of Sustainable Finance, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
16:10 - 16:30
Networking break
16:30 - 17:15
A3: M＆A and ESG
- How is the evaluation of ESG considerations in M&A transactions evolving?
- ESG in M&A agreements: will “Weinstein clauses” be used to address other ESG issues?
- Due diligence and valuation: are there examples of target valuations impacted by ESG credentials?
- The flip side: does the ESG backlash make high emitters and companies with poor ESG credentials attractive targets?
Stream B
14:20 - 15:05
B1: Will antitrust kill collective engagement?
Sarah Bernstein,
Jérôme Tagger,
Denise Hearn
- Is big better or are smaller targeted engagements more effective?
- Are investors being put off signing up by increased scrutiny from lawmakers?
- Do antitrust and competition investigations pose a credible threat?
- How can and should the largest collaborative initiatives move forward in this environment?
15:05 - 15:25
Networking break
15:25 - 16:10
B2: Proxy voting: Evolution and advice
Georgia Stewart,
Heidi Welsh,
Jessica Wirth Strine
- Have E&S shareholder proposals become more prescriptive?
- How has the anti-ESG backlash impacted proxy voting and proxy advice?
- Asset owners are increasingly setting their own voting policies. How does that affect manager engagement with companies?
- In the wake of the Exxon and Engine No 1 case, is ESG becoming a board vote issue?
Moderator: Georgia Stewart, CEO, Tumelo
16:10 - 16:30
Networking break
16:30 - 17:15
B3: Climate lobbying: Behind closed doors
Paul Verney,
Tracey Rembert
- Assessing corporates’ governance of climate policy advocacy: what is best practice?
- Have investors been tough enough on climate lobbying?
- How and when should investors escalate on climate lobbying?
- What is misaligned with Paris when it comes to lobbying?
Moderator: Paul Verney, Features Writer, Responsible Investor
Stream C
14:20 - 15:05
C1: The biodiversity data challenge
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker
- Are companies and investors ready for TNFD reporting?
- How are data providers gearing up to support them?
- Where are the biggest gaps in biodiversity data?
- How is technology helping to meet the biodiversity data challenge?
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
15:05 - 15:25
Networking break
15:25 - 16:10
C2: ESG bonds: Building ambition
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker,
Lisa Bozzelli
- How has the labelled bond market been impacted by the anti-ESG movement?
- What sectors, labels and issuers provide the best prospects for growth in 2024?
- Where do US muni bonds fit into the ESG-labelled market?
- SLBs vs transition bonds: which is more effective in driving decarbonisation?
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
16:10 - 16:30
Networking break
16:30 - 17:15
C3: ESG data: The AI challenge
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker
- What are the use cases for AI in sustainable investing?
- Could AI help identify greenwashing?
- What are the risks associated with AI use in ESG?
- What guidelines or standards do investors need and who should be responsible for them?
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
17:15 - 18:45
Networking drinks reception ＆ End of Day One
Agenda
RI USA 2023 - Thursday 16th
08:00 - 09:00
Registration and refreshments
Stream A
09:00 - 09:45
A4: Racial equity and engagement
- How is best practice in engaging on racial justice evolving?
- What role do racial justice audits play in the stewardship toolkit?
- What lessons have been learned from the first generation of racial justice audits?
- Has the anti-ESG movement affected investor appetite for engagement on racial issues?
09:45 - 10:00
Networking break
10:00 - 10:45
A5: Workers rights in the US and abroad
Alison Taylor,
Lauren Lutic-Muusse
- What does the return of unionisation in the US mean for investors?
- How are investors addressing workers’ rights from an ESG perspective a) in the US, b) globally?
- How can investors manage reputational and regulatory risks from labour issues in global supply chains?
- Is workers’ rights an issue that can cross the ESG political divide?
Moderator: Alison Taylor, Clinical Professor, NYU Stern School of Business
10:45 - 11:15
Networking break
11:15 - 12:00
A6: The evolving role of benchmarks in ESG investing
Carolyn R. Eagle
- Why is ‘standardisation and transparency’ of ESG benchmarks important?
- Should there be minimum ESG requirements for broad market benchmarks?
- Should ESG funds use broad market benchmarks for construction and reporting?
Stream B
09:00 - 09:45
B4: Deep dive workshop: SEC climate disclosure rules
Dan Byrd
- What challenges do the SEC’s climate disclosure rules present for corporates?
- How do the SEC’s rules fit with other standards, ISSB and ESRS?
- Have the SEC’s rules been blunted by the threat of legal action and ESG backlash?
- Are the climate rules a precursor to standards on other environmental and/or social issues?
- Will the SEC’s proposed ESG fund naming rule prevent greenwashing?
09:45 - 10:00
Networking break
10:00 - 10:45
B5: E＆S proposals: A blunt instrument?
Paul Verney,
Danielle Fugere
- What are the implications of the recent surge in numbers of E&S proposals for investors and corporates?
- Are E&S proposals effective in driving change?
- How do shareholder proposals fit into the investor engagement toolkit?
- Will investors fight for the right to file proposals if Republicans seek to weaken shareholder rights?
Moderator: Paul Verney, Features Writer, Responsible Investor
10:45 - 11:15
Networking break
11:15 - 12:00
B6: Corporate transition plans: credibility, consistency, scrutiny
Radhika Mehrotra,
Andreas Ross
- What constitutes a credible transition plan in 2023?
- Are investors providing consistent messaging to companies with their voting?
- Say on Climate: does opposition mean the mechanism is working?
- Rebaselining: will it become a standard ask from investors?
Stream C
09:00 - 09:45
C4: US banks and the energy transition
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker
- Where are the opportunities for banks in financing the US energy transition?
- Has the anti-ESG movement impacted banks’ ability to provide green finance?
- What are the implications of net zero for investment banking?
- How should investors engage banks on transition financing?
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
09:45 - 10:00
Networking break
10:00 - 10:45
C5: Auditing and assurance and the ESG disclosure push
Willie Botha
- How are auditors gearing up for the expected surge in ESG reporting?
- What are the key challenges in assuring sustainability information?
- The growing role of materiality assessments in ESG reporting
- How valuable is limited assurance to investors?
Moderator: Shivaram Rajgopal, Kester and Byrnes Professor of Accounting and Auditing, Columbia Business School
10:45 - 11:15
Networking break
11:15 - 12:00
C6: ESG litigation: the next battlefield
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker
- Understanding the risks of ESG litigation for investors and corporates
- How can and should investors leverage litigation to achieve sustainability goals?
- Lessons from key recent and upcoming cases
- Litigation and the anti-ESG movement
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
12:00 - 13:00
Lunch
Plenary
13:00 - 13:20
Keynote 2
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
13:20 - 14:05
Plenary 5: The long arm of the EU: How will European regulation affect US investors?
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker,
Annette Capretta,
Andreas Hoepner
- Taking stock of EU regulation: has SFDR improved sustainability disclosures for US asset managers with funds covered by the rules?
- What challenges will investors and corporates face in navigating the EU approach alongside incoming SEC rules?
- Are US companies prepared for the EU’s corporate sustainability reporting directive (CSRD)?
- Are proposed EU due diligence disclosure rules (CSDDD) fit for purpose? Will they provide the data US investors need?
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
14:05 - 14:20
Networking break
Plenary
14:20 - 15:05
Plenary 6: Shifting the green centre of gravity: the IRA, the US and Europe
Sonja Gibbs
- Has the US taken the top spot globally for climate investments by focusing on real economy policies over disclosures?
- The IRA and investor allocation strategies: the outlook for public and private markets
- How effective have previous US policy initiatives been in boosting climate investment?
- Can the IRA help to bridge the political divide on sustainability?
Moderator: Sonja Gibbs, Head of Sustainable Finance, Institute of International Finance
Sonja Gibbs
Board Member / Managing Director and Head of Sustainable Finance, ICVCM / Institute of International Finance
Read bio
15:05 - 16:05
Plenary 7: Navigating the ESG backlash: the challenges for investors
Robert Eccles,
Colleen Davis,
Eli Lehrer,
Ryan McQueeney,
Tim Smith
- How are asset owners responding to the anti-ESG movement?
- Who is paying the price for blacklisting: financial firms or public sector funds?
- Will asset managers be able to avoid taking sides on ESG?
- ESG communications: from greenwashing to green hushing
Moderator: Robert Eccles, Professor, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Ryan McQueeney
Manager, Investments Marketing and Communications, Wespath Benefits and Investments
Read bio
16:05 - 16:15
Closing remarks
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker
Moderator: Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker, Editor, Responsible Investor
16:15 - 16:15
End of conference
Pre-Event Resources
Network at America's leading responsible investment event
Meet America’s sustainability leaders
Network with active asset owners, banks, insurers in the industry. Benefit from also our expansive and multistakeholder community who will be in attendance throughout the conference.
Network in-person in New York
Connect with your peers at interactive workshops, networking breaks, evening drinks reception, roundtable discussions and invite-only breakfasts.
Build valuable connections
Our past attendees included British Columbia Investment Management Corporation, Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec, CalPERS, Chicago Teacher’s Pension Fund, Credit Suisse, Office of the New York City Comptroller, Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System, and many others.
Connect with active investors
Be recognised as driving the future of sustainable finance
Responsible Investor USA 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 2023 business goals.
Be recognised as driving the future of sustainable finance to institutional investors in the US
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 USA 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 already signed up 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 USA 2023
The Responsible Investor USA provides an unrivalled platform for asset owners investing in 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.
Asset owners at RI USA 2023
The event is the largest meeting place for asset owners and top level corporates for two days of networking and insight sharing.
Check out the benefits of joining the conference and who among your peers you will be joining.
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.
Connect with active investors
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.
Please register your interest and a member of our team will be in touch to confirm your eligibility.
Our leading advisory board in 2023
David Carlin
Head of Risk, UNEP FI
David Carlin leads risk programming for UNEP- Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). He has worked with over 100 financial institutions on topics of climate scenarios, climate risk assessments, and sustainability regulation. He and his team support financial… Read full bio
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker
Editor, Responsible Investor, PEI Group
Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker joined Responsible Investor as editor in 2022 from Euromoney magazine, where she was ESG editor. Prior to that, she was Euromoney’s editor for Central and Eastern Europe and contributing editor at GlobalCapital. She has covered… Read full bio
Cary Krosinsky
Co-Founder, Sustainable Finance Institute
A leading educator, author and senior advisor on sustainable finance, Cary Krosinsky teaches popular ongoing classes on the subject at Brown, NYU and Yale. He was a member of the NY State Common Decarbonization Advisory Panel appointed by Comptroller… Read full bio
Maria Lettini
Chief Investment Officer, US Sustainable Investment Forum
Maria Lettini is the Chief Executive Officer of US SIF: The Sustainable Investment Forum. She joined US SIF in May of 2023 and is an innovative leader within the fields of sustainability and finance. She is recognized for building meaningful partners… Read full bio
Ryan McQueeney
Manager, Investments Marketing and Communications, Wespath Benefits and Investments
As a sustainable investment stewardship analyst, Ryan supports the investment stewardship and engagement activities of Wespath and its subsidiaries, including pursuing opportunities that align with sustainable business practices and long-term investo… Read full bio
Steven M. Rothstein
Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Markets
The Ceres Accelerator aims to transform the practices and policies that govern capital markets in order to accelerate reduction of the worst financial impacts of the climate crisis and other sustainability threats. Steven’s 40 years of experience wil… Read full bio
Georgia Stewart
CEO, Tumelo
Georgia is CEO of Tumelo, one of the UK’s fastest-growing financial technology scale-ups. Founded in 2018, Georgia and her two co-founders, Will Goodwin and Ben King, recognised a two-pronged problem with the current proxy-voting system: fund manager… Read full bio
Alison Taylor
Clinical Associate Professor, NYU
Alison Taylor is a clinical associate professor at NYU Stern School of Business, and the executive director at Ethical Systems. She is currently writing a book on the new landscape for business ethics, for Harvard Business Review Press. Her previous… Read full bio
Heidi Welsh
Founding Executive Director, Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2)
Heidi Welsh, executive director of the Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2), has analyzed corporate responsibility since 1987. Si2 is supported mainly by subscriptions from large institutional investors. Starting at the Investor Responsibility Res… Read full bio