Thriving in the rapidly evolving US sustainable finance landscape

The 15th annual Responsible Investor USA Conference took place in New York on December 3-4, 2024, bringing together leading voices in sustainable finance to address the industry’s most pressing challenges.

A global audience of 300 asset owners, investment managers, banks, financial regulators, and data providers gathered for two days of networking, thought-provoking panels, and in-depth discussions.

We look forward to welcoming you again next year to learn from industry leaders and gain actionable insights on current sustainability issues.

Meet 100+ of North America's leading asset owners including:

Speakers leading the discussion in 2024 included:

What can you expect at RI USA?

Get real insight into the industry
RI USA’s program provides clear, actionable insights into what sustainability means for business and investment. We ask the right questions and deliver answers.

Build a long-lasting network
Connect with stakeholders across the sustainable finance industry through workshops, panels, breakfasts, debates, and evening receptions. Strengthen your professional connections.

Meet institutional investors
Hear from active asset owners who are honing their sustainable finance strategies and creating real, measurable impact across the industry. View last year’s attending asset owners here.

Key event themes in 2024

•  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.

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.

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 2025 business goals.

For more information on speaking, please contact Finlay Eglinton.

Finlay.eglinton@pei.group | +44 (0)203 879 3893

Download the 2024 agenda

Björn Aarts

ESG Director, Rabo Investments

Sarah Bernstein

Managing Principal/ Head of Sustainability, Meketa Investment Group, Inc.

Marcel Bucsescu

Vice President, Strategic Engagement, NACD

Felipe Carazo

Head of Sustainable Commodities, Tropical Forest Alliance, World Economic Forum

Adelaide Chiu

Vice President, Head of Responsible Investing, NEI Investments

Candice Coppere

Head of Climate and Nature Solutions - Product, ISS STOXX

Matthew Corbett

Partner – Agriculture, Fiera Comox

Heather Slavkin Corzo

Principal, Mindset

Wendy Cromwell

Head of Sustainable Investment, Wellington Management

Bethany Davis Noll

Executive Director, The State Energy & Environmental Impact Centre at NYU School of Law

Sofia De La Parra

Investor Outreach Manager, FAIRR Initiative

Lance Dial

Partner, K&L Gates

Matthew Diserio

Co-Founder & President, Water Asset Management

Jim Egan

Co-Head of Securitized Products Research, Morgan Stanley

Thomas Englerth

Associate Director, Sustainable Finance, S&P Global Ratings

Tom Ferguson

Managing Partner, Burnt Island Ventures

Jamie Franco

Global Head of Sustainable Investment, TCW Group

Lara Fornabaio

Senior Legal Researcher, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

Jamison Friedland

Senior Sustainability Analyst, AXA Investment Managers

Danielle Fugere

President & Chief Counsel, As You Sow

Gina Gambetta

Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

Sarika Goel

Global Head Sustainable Investment Research, Mercer

Ekaterina Grigoryeva

Former Environment and Social Development Specialist (Global Lead, Financial Sector), The World Bank

Nikki Gwilliam-Beeharee

Investor Engagement Lead, World Benchmarking Alliance

Sireen Hajj

Director of Investor Outreach, US SIF

Greer Howard-Tabah

Vice President - ESG, Oaktree Capital

Andrew Howell

Senior Director - Sustainable Finance, EDF

Jacob H. Hupart

Co-Chair of ESG Practice, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo, P.C.

Tom Idzal

Head of Americas, GRESB

Matthew Illian

Director of Responsible Investing, United Church Funds

Chris Janiec

Americas Editor, Agri Investor

Adam Kanzer

Head of Stewardship, Americas, BNP Paribas Asset Management

George Kelly

CEO, Earth Recovery Partners

Gwen Le Berre

Head of Responsible Investment, Parametric Porfolio Associates

Andrew Lee

Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing, UBS Global Wealth Management

Kay Makishi

Vice President, Lupoff/Stevens Family Office 

Claudia Martínez

Director of Research, Access to Medicine Foundation

Aeisha Mastagni

Senior Portfolio Manager, Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Strategies, CALSTRS

Samantha McCafferty

Associate Director - Sustainable Investing, Harvard Management Company

Brenden McEneaney

Senior Vice President, JLL

Ashley McNamee

Partner, Responsible Investment, Revelstoke Capital Partners

Caitlin McSherry

Head of Investment Stewardship, Neuberger Berman

Saumya Mehrotra

Product Management Team, ISS STOXX

Radhika Mehrotra

Associate Director Capital Markets, CDP North America

Colin Melvin

Founder & Managing Director, Arkadiko Partners

John Morton

Managing Director & Head of Americas, Pollination

Matt Moscardi

CEO, Free Float

Daren Moss

Principal, ESG - Real Estate Lead, Ares Management

Peter Munro

Head of Investor Relations & Sustainable Finance, European Investment Bank

Deborah Ng

Head of ESG and Sustainability, GMO

Patrick O’Connell

Director - Fixed Income Responsible Investing Research, AllianceBernstein

Joel Paque

Head of Fundraising and Partnerships - US, Climate Arc

Marcela Pinilla

Director, Sustainable Investing, Zevin Asset Management

Randy Plavajka

Deputy Editor, PERE Credit

Lila Preston

Partner and Head of Growth Equity, Generation Investment Management

Curtis Ravenel

Senior Advisor, GFANZ

Megan Reilly Cayten

Head of Carbon Nature Fund, Climate Asset Management

Andreas Ross

Head of New Product Research and Development, ZAIS Group

Steven M. Rothstein

Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets

Matthew Rusk

Head of GRI North America, Global Reporting Initiative

Nick Sapirie

Vice President - Single-Family Capital Markets, Fannie Mae

Doug Scott

CEO & Co-founder, Ethic

Manju Seal

Former Head of Sustainable Finance and Capital Markets ESG Lead, Ex-Bank of Montreal

Rajith Sebastian

Head of ESG and Sustainable Investing, New York State Insurance Fund

Elizabeth Seeger

ISSB member, IFRS Foundation

Fran Seegull

President, U.S. Impact Investing Alliance

Marina Severinovsky

Head of Sustainability - North America, Schroders

Serena Shi

Vice President, The Lightsmith Group

Sandra Silea

Director- ESG and Stewardship, AustralianSuper

Cynthia Simon

Policy Director, Shareholder Rights Group

Andrew Siwo

Head of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions, New York State Common Retirement Fund

Tara Mei Smith

ESG Integration Officer, Bureau of Asset Management, Office of New York City Comptroller

Meagen Stack

ESG Reporting, Chevron

Maggie Stafford

Director, ESG Solutions, Morningstar Sustainalytics

Georgia Stewart

CEO, Tumelo

Neil Stewart

Director of Corporate Outreach, ISSB / IFRS Foundation

Daan Van Acker

Director of FinanceMap and Investor Engagement, InfluenceMap

Paul Vozzella

Director - Americas, Asset Impact, a GRESB Company

Dominic Webb

Reporter, Responsible Investor   

Heidi Welsh

Founding Executive Director, Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2)

For more information on the agenda, please contact Finlay Eglinton.

Finlay.eglinton@pei.group | +44 (0)203 879 3893

Download the agenda

Day 1 Day 2
View agenda page

Agenda

RI USA 2024 - Tuesday 3rd

08:00 - 08:55

Registration Opens

08:55 - 09:00

Opening remarks

Gina Gambetta

Gina Gambetta, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

A speaker photo for Gina Gambetta

Gina Gambetta

Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

Read bio
Plenary
09:00 - 09:50

Plenary 1: Transition finance in the US: Driving change through investment

Andrew Howell, Candice Coppere, Curtis Ravenel, Andrew Siwo, Tara Mei Smith, Thomas Englerth
  • How are US investors approaching high-emitting sectors and corporates?
  • Will transition finance be the main source of alpha in the US energy transition?
  • Do US investors want dedicated transition finance instruments?
  • Is there a tension between financing the transition and meeting net zero targets?

Moderator: Andrew Howell, Senior Director, Sustainable Finance, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

Candice Coppere, Head of Climate and Nature Solutions, Product, ISS STOXX

Curtis D. Ravenel, Senior Advisor, GFANZ

Andrew Siwo, Head of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions, New York State Common Retirement Fund

Tara Mei Smith, ESG Integration Officer, NYC Office of the Comptroller

Thomas Englerth, Associate Director, Sustainable Finance, S&P Global Ratings

A speaker photo for Andrew Howell

Andrew Howell

Senior Director - Sustainable Finance, EDF

Read bio
A speaker photo for Candice Coppere

Candice Coppere

Head of Climate and Nature Solutions - Product, ISS STOXX

Read bio
A speaker photo for Curtis Ravenel

Curtis Ravenel

Senior Advisor, GFANZ

Read bio
A speaker photo for Andrew Siwo

Andrew Siwo

Head of Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions, New York State Common Retirement Fund

Read bio
A speaker photo for Tara Mei Smith

Tara Mei Smith

ESG Integration Officer, Bureau of Asset Management, Office of New York City Comptroller

Read bio
A speaker photo for Thomas Englerth

Thomas Englerth

Associate Director, Sustainable Finance, S&P Global Ratings

Read bio
09:50 - 10:40

Plenary 2: Manager selection in the US

Matthew Illian, Rajith Sebastian, Sarika Goel, Sarah Bernstein
  • How has the politicisation of ESG impacted manager selection?
  • Is stewardship being priced into manager selection or neglected in search of lower fees?
  • Is manager selection being utilised enough to drive asset owner priorities through managers?
  • Are consultants doing enough to drive asset owner priorities through manager selection?
  • Given the US context, will climate focused/net zero investors drift to European headquartered managers?

Moderator: Sarah Bernstein, Head of Sustainability, Meketa Investment Group

Matthew Illian, Director, United Church Funds

Rajith Sebastian, Head of ESG and Sustainable Investing, New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF)

Sarika Goel, Global Head Sustainable Investment Research, Mercer

A speaker photo for Matthew Illian

Matthew Illian

Director of Responsible Investing, United Church Funds

Read bio
A speaker photo for Rajith Sebastian

Rajith Sebastian

Head of ESG and Sustainable Investing, New York State Insurance Fund

Read bio
A speaker photo for Sarika Goel

Sarika Goel

Global Head Sustainable Investment Research, Mercer

Read bio
A speaker photo for Sarah Bernstein

Sarah Bernstein

Managing Principal/ Head of Sustainability, Meketa Investment Group, Inc.

Read bio
10:40 - 11:10

Networking break

Plenary
11:10 - 11:30

Keynote - Eye of the storm: Former SEC policy director reflects on three years at US regulator

Gina Gambetta, Heather Slavkin Corzo

Moderator: Gina Gambetta, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor
Heather Slavkin Corzo
, Principal, Mindset

A speaker photo for Gina Gambetta

Gina Gambetta

Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

Read bio
A speaker photo for Heather Slavkin Corzo

Heather Slavkin Corzo

Principal, Mindset

Read bio
11:30 - 12:15

Plenary 3: ESG regulation: The US, EU and beyond

Steven M. Rothstein, Sandra Silea, Sireen Hajj, Elizabeth Seeger
  • How are US investors navigating the SFDR and what do they want out of the regulatory reform?
  • US anti-greenwashing efforts: What’s next for SEC climate-related disclosures and name rules in the post-election environment?
  • Will CSRD provide US investors with the sustainability data they need?
  • Compliance vs action: How are investors balancing mandatory and voluntary disclosure needs with investment/stewardship activities?

Moderator: Steven Rothstein, Managing Director, Accelerator, Ceres

Sireen Hajj, Director of Investor Outreach, US SIF

Elizabeth Seeger, Board Member, ISSB, IFRS Foundation

Sandra Silea, Director, ESG & Stewardship, AustralianSuper

A speaker photo for Steven M. Rothstein

Steven M. Rothstein

Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets

Read bio
A speaker photo for Sandra Silea

Sandra Silea

Director- ESG and Stewardship, AustralianSuper

Read bio
A speaker photo for Sireen Hajj

Sireen Hajj

Director of Investor Outreach, US SIF

Read bio
A speaker photo for Elizabeth Seeger

Elizabeth Seeger

ISSB member, IFRS Foundation

Read bio
12:15 - 13:00

Plenary 4: Nature investment in North America: Risks and opportunities

Gina Gambetta, Felipe Carazo, Megan Reilly Cayten, John Morton
  • Nature as a systemic risk: how are investors approaching the challenge?
  • Measuring biodiversity and nature risk across portfolios: methodologies, tools and barriers
  • Public vs private markets: where are the nature investment opportunities?
  • Are US corporates doing enough, and disclosing enough, on nature?

Moderator: Gina Gambetta, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

Amy Orr, Director of U.S. Shareholder Engagement, Boston Common Asset Management

Felipe Carazo, Head of Alliance Management, Tropical Forest Alliance, World Economic Forum

Megan Reilly Cayten, Head of Carbon Nature Fund, Climate Asset Management

John Morton, Managing Director & Head of Americas, Pollination

A speaker photo for Gina Gambetta

Gina Gambetta

Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

Read bio
A speaker photo for Felipe Carazo

Felipe Carazo

Head of Sustainable Commodities, Tropical Forest Alliance, World Economic Forum

Read bio
A speaker photo for Megan  Reilly Cayten

Megan Reilly Cayten

Head of Carbon Nature Fund, Climate Asset Management

Read bio
A speaker photo for John Morton

John Morton

Managing Director & Head of Americas, Pollination

Read bio
13:00 - 13:50

Lunch

Stream A
13:50 - 14:30

A1: Corporate transition plans: Next steps

Andreas Ross, Joel Paque, Jacob H. Hupart, Radhika Mehrotra, Matt Moscardi
  • What does a credible transition plan look like?
  • Are US companies embracing the concept of transition plans?
  • What guidance do companies and investors need? Prescriptive vs high-level
  • To what extent should climate lobbying activities be disclosed in transition plans?

Moderator: Matt Moscardi, Head of Board Moneyball, Free Float Analytics

Andreas Ross, Head of New Product Research and Development, ZAIS Group
Joel Paque, Head of Partnerships, US, Climate Arc

Jacob Hupart, Co-Chair of ESG Practice, Mintz

Radhika Mehrotra, Associate Director Capital Markets, CDP

A speaker photo for Andreas Ross

Andreas Ross

Head of New Product Research and Development, ZAIS Group

Read bio
A speaker photo for Joel Paque

Joel Paque

Head of Fundraising and Partnerships - US, Climate Arc

Read bio
A speaker photo for Jacob H. Hupart

Jacob H. Hupart

Co-Chair of ESG Practice, Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo, P.C.

Read bio
A speaker photo for Radhika Mehrotra

Radhika Mehrotra

Associate Director Capital Markets, CDP North America

Read bio
A speaker photo for Matt Moscardi

Matt Moscardi

CEO, Free Float

Read bio
14:30 - 14:35

Networking break

14:35 - 15:15

A2: ESG Data: The next frontier

Greer Howard-Tabah, Samantha McCafferty, Paul Vozzella, Manju Seal, Daan Van Acker
  • Do companies have the data they need for mandatory climate reporting?
  • How ESG data is transforming risk management
  • Can predictive analytics from ESG data be trusted
  • Supporting scope 3 data requirements

Moderator: Manju Seal, Former Head of Sustainable Finance and Capital Markets ESG Lead, Ex -Bank of Montreal

Greer Howard-Tabah, Vice President, ESG, Oaktree Capital Management

Samantha McCafferty, Associate Director – Sustainable Investing, Harvard Management Company

Paul Vozzella, Director, Americas, Asset Impact

Daan Van Acker, Director of FinanceMap and Investor Engagement, InfluenceMap

 

A speaker photo for Greer Howard-Tabah

Greer Howard-Tabah

Vice President - ESG, Oaktree Capital

Read bio
A speaker photo for Samantha McCafferty

Samantha McCafferty

Associate Director - Sustainable Investing, Harvard Management Company

Read bio
A speaker photo for Paul Vozzella

Paul Vozzella

Director - Americas, Asset Impact, a GRESB Company

Read bio
A speaker photo for Manju Seal

Manju Seal

Former Head of Sustainable Finance and Capital Markets ESG Lead, Ex-Bank of Montreal

Read bio
A speaker photo for Daan Van Acker

Daan Van Acker

Director of FinanceMap and Investor Engagement, InfluenceMap

Read bio
15:15 - 15:20

Networking break

15:20 - 16:00

A3: Water risk: An investors’ guide

Saumya Mehrotra, Tom Ferguson, Chris Janiec, Matthew Diserio, Amy Orr
  • Where are US companies most exposed to water risk?
  • How should investors engage corporates on water?
  • What tools and data are available to investors to assess water risk?
  • How can the private sector help to address water shortages?

Moderator: Chris Janiec, Americas Editor, Agri Investor

Amy Orr, Director of U.S. Shareholder Engagement, Boston Common Asset Management

Saumya Mehrotra, Product Management Team, ISS STOXX

Tom Ferguson, Managing Partner, Burnt Island Ventures

Matthew Diserio, Co-Founder & President, Water Asset Management (WAM)

A speaker photo for Saumya Mehrotra

Saumya Mehrotra

Product Management Team, ISS STOXX

Read bio
A speaker photo for Tom Ferguson

Tom Ferguson

Managing Partner, Burnt Island Ventures

Read bio
A speaker photo for Chris Janiec

Chris Janiec

Americas Editor, Agri Investor

Read bio
A speaker photo for Matthew Diserio

Matthew Diserio

Co-Founder & President, Water Asset Management

Read bio
A speaker photo for Amy  Orr

Amy Orr

Director of U.S. Shareholder Engagement, Boston Common Asset Management

Read bio
Stream B
13:50 - 14:30

B1: The future of collaborative engagement in the US

Gina Gambetta, Claudia Martínez, Marcela Pinilla, Bethany Davis Noll
  • Do legal threats around antitrust carry any weight? If so, where are the lines that should not be crossed?
  • How can investors defend themselves against accusations? What does best practice look like?
  • Where can collective engagement make sense in a US context?
  • Can collective engagement in the US survive the ESG backlash and Republican election victories?

Moderator: Gina Gambetta, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

Marcela Pinilla, Director of Sustainable Investing, Zevin Asset Management

Claudia Martinez, Director of Research, Access to Medicine Foundation

Bethany Davis Noll, Executive Director, The State Energy & Environmental Impact Centre at NYU School of Law

A speaker photo for Gina Gambetta

Gina Gambetta

Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

Read bio
A speaker photo for Claudia Martínez

Claudia Martínez

Director of Research, Access to Medicine Foundation

Read bio
A speaker photo for Marcela Pinilla

Marcela Pinilla

Director, Sustainable Investing, Zevin Asset Management

Read bio
A speaker photo for Bethany Davis Noll

Bethany Davis Noll

Executive Director, The State Energy & Environmental Impact Centre at NYU School of Law

Read bio
14:30 - 14:35

Short turnaround break

14:35 - 15:15

B2: Agriculture: Sustainability and food security

Chris Janiec, Sofia De La Parra, Lara Fornabaio, Björn Aarts, Matthew Corbett
  • How are US investors thinking about agriculture and sustainability?
  • Is supporting food security compatible with financial institutions’ net zero commitments?
  • How is technology changing the agricultural sustainability landscape?
  • Is regenerative agriculture a scalable solution?

Moderator: Chris Janiec, Americas Editor, Agri Investor

Sofia De La Parra​​​​, Investor Outreach Manager, FAIRR

Lara Fornabaio, Senior Legal Researcher, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

Matthew Corbett, Partner – Agriculture, Fiera Comox

Björn Aarts, ESG Director, Rabo Investments

A speaker photo for Chris Janiec

Chris Janiec

Americas Editor, Agri Investor

Read bio
A speaker photo for Sofia De La Parra

Sofia De La Parra

Investor Outreach Manager, FAIRR Initiative

Read bio
A speaker photo for Lara Fornabaio

Lara Fornabaio

Senior Legal Researcher, Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

Read bio
A speaker photo for Björn Aarts

Björn Aarts

ESG Director, Rabo Investments

Read bio
A speaker photo for Matthew  Corbett

Matthew Corbett

Partner – Agriculture, Fiera Comox

Read bio
15:15 - 15:20

Short turnaround break

15:20 - 16:00

B3: Bond markets vs private credit: Financing the energy transition

Jamison Friedland, Jamie Franco, Peter Munro, Robin Blumenthal
  • Are bond markets fit-for-purpose for financing the energy transition?
  • SLBs and transition bonds: do they have a role in the US?
  • Where can private credit fill the gaps in debt financing for the transition?
  • How is the policy landscape impacting sustainability linked bond issuance in the US?

Moderator: Robin Blumenthal, Americas Editor, Private Debt Investor

Jamison Friedland, Senior Sustainability Analyst, AXA IM

Jamie Franco, MD and Global Head of Sustainable Investment, TCW Group

Peter Munro, Head of Investor Relations & Sustainable Finance, European Investment Bank (EIB)

A speaker photo for Jamison Friedland

Jamison Friedland

Senior Sustainability Analyst, AXA Investment Managers

Read bio
A speaker photo for Jamie Franco

Jamie Franco

Global Head of Sustainable Investment, TCW Group

Read bio
A speaker photo for Peter Munro

Peter Munro

Head of Investor Relations & Sustainable Finance, European Investment Bank

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Robin Blumenthal

Americas Editor, Private Debt Investor

Read bio
16:00 - 16:10

Networking break

Workshops
16:10 - 17:00

Workshop A - Attracting investor capital to U.S. housing

Jamie Franco, Nick Sapirie, Randy Plavajka, Jim Egan
  • What role do securitized products play in supporting U.S. housing?
  • How can issuers use the capital markets to allocate capital towards affordable housing?
  • What disclosure considerations are at play?
  • How do investors use these products to meet their clients’ demands?

Moderator: Randy Plavajka, Deputy Editor, PERE Credit

Nick SapirieVice President, Single-Family Capital Markets, Fannie Mae

Jamie Franco, MD and Global Head of Sustainable Investment, TCW Group

Jim Egan, Co-Head of Securitized Products Research, Morgan Stanley

A speaker photo for Jamie Franco

Jamie Franco

Global Head of Sustainable Investment, TCW Group

Read bio
A speaker photo for Nick Sapirie

Nick Sapirie

Vice President - Single-Family Capital Markets, Fannie Mae

Read bio
A speaker photo for Randy Plavajka

Randy Plavajka

Deputy Editor, PERE Credit

Read bio
A speaker photo for Jim Egan

Jim Egan

Co-Head of Securitized Products Research, Morgan Stanley

Read bio
16:10 - 17:00

Workshop B – Nature Investment

Megan Reilly Cayten, George Kelly, Nikki Gwilliam-Beeharee, Matthew Rusk

Moderator: George Kelly, CEO, Earth Recovery Partners

Megan Reilly Cayten, Head of Carbon Nature Fund, Climate Asset Management

Nikki Gwilliam-Beeharee, Investor Engagement Lead, World Benchmarking Alliance

Matthew Rusk, Head of GRI North America, Global Reporting Initiative

A speaker photo for Megan  Reilly Cayten

Megan Reilly Cayten

Head of Carbon Nature Fund, Climate Asset Management

Read bio
A speaker photo for George Kelly

George Kelly

CEO, Earth Recovery Partners

Read bio
A speaker photo for Nikki Gwilliam-Beeharee

Nikki Gwilliam-Beeharee

Investor Engagement Lead, World Benchmarking Alliance

Read bio
A speaker photo for Matthew Rusk

Matthew Rusk

Head of GRI North America, Global Reporting Initiative

Read bio
16:10 - 17:00

Workshop C – Investing in 2050

Doug Scott, Georgia Stewart, Adam Kanzer

What does the ideal investment landscape of 2050 look like? How do we navigate the rapid pace of change to make this vision a reality?

Through thought-provoking discussions and collaborative exercises, participants will explore how technological innovation, demographic shifts, and sustainability imperatives could reshape investing over the next 25 years.

In this session, you will:

  • Imagine the future: Collaborate in groups to craft a compelling vision of the investment landscape in 2050.
  • Reverse engineer success: Work backward from your 2050 vision to identify key milestones, challenges, and shifts needed to bring this future to life.
  • Plan for action today: Develop concrete, actionable steps to integrate into your organization’s strategy, spanning short-, medium-, and long-term horizons.

Co-facilitator: Doug Scott, CEO & Co-founder, Ethic

Co-facilitator: Georgia Stewart, CEO, Tumelo

Co-facilitator: Adam Kanzer, Head of Stewardship, Americas, BNP Paribas Asset Management

A speaker photo for Doug Scott

Doug Scott

CEO & Co-founder, Ethic

Read bio
A speaker photo for Georgia Stewart

Georgia Stewart

CEO, Tumelo

Read bio
A speaker photo for Adam Kanzer

Adam Kanzer

Head of Stewardship, Americas, BNP Paribas Asset Management

Read bio
17:00 - 18:00

Networking drinks

18:00 - 18:00

End of day one

Agenda

RI USA 2024 - Wednesday 4th

08:00 - 09:00

Networking breakfast

Stream A
09:00 - 09:40

A4: Understanding supply chain sustainability risk: An investors’ guide

Gina Gambetta, Patrick O’Connell, Serena Shi, Gwen Le Berre, Adam Kanzer
  • How are investors engaging with corporates on supply chain risk?
  • Where are the biggest gaps in corporate supply chain data?
  • How is regulation affecting corporate supply chain reporting?
  • Which supply chain issues are most material for investors?

Moderator: Gina Gambetta, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

Patrick O’Connell, Director of Responsible Investing Research, AllianceBernstein

Adam Kanzer, Head of Stewardship, Americas, BNP Paribas Asset Management

Serena Shi, Vice President, The Lightsmith Group

Gwen Le Berre, Head of Responsible Investment, Parametric Portfolio Associates

A speaker photo for Gina Gambetta

Gina Gambetta

Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

Read bio
A speaker photo for Patrick O’Connell

Patrick O’Connell

Director - Fixed Income Responsible Investing Research, AllianceBernstein

Read bio
A speaker photo for Serena Shi

Serena Shi

Vice President, The Lightsmith Group

Read bio
A speaker photo for Gwen Le Berre

Gwen Le Berre

Head of Responsible Investment, Parametric Porfolio Associates

Read bio
A speaker photo for Adam Kanzer

Adam Kanzer

Head of Stewardship, Americas, BNP Paribas Asset Management

Read bio
09:40 - 09:45

Short turnaround break

09:45 - 10:25

A5: Governance risk: Board competence and capabilities

Marcel Bucsescu, Matt Moscardi, Kay Makishi, Adelaide Chiu
  • How are investors approaching governance risk?
  • How do governance failures impact investor confidence and company valuation?
  • What are the emerging standards for governance transparency and reporting?
  • How can companies improve their disclosure practices to build trust with investors?
  • AI board competence

Moderator: Matt Moscardi, Head of Board Moneyball, Free Float Analytics

Marcel Bucsescu, Vice President, Strategic Engagement, NACD

Kay Makishi, Vice President, Lupoff/Stevens Family Office

Adelaide Chiu, Vice President, Head of Responsible Investing, NEI Investments 

A speaker photo for Marcel Bucsescu

Marcel Bucsescu

Vice President, Strategic Engagement, NACD

Read bio
A speaker photo for Matt Moscardi

Matt Moscardi

CEO, Free Float

Read bio
A speaker photo for Kay Makishi

Kay Makishi

Vice President, Lupoff/Stevens Family Office 

Read bio
A speaker photo for Adelaide Chiu

Adelaide Chiu

Vice President, Head of Responsible Investing, NEI Investments

Read bio
Stream B
09:00 - 09:40

B4: Greenwashing vs greenhushing

Lance Dial, Ekaterina Grigoryeva, Andrew Lee, Ashley McNamee, George Kelly
  • How are US corporates and investors navigating political and public scrutiny of sustainability?
  • What are the implications of corporate greenhushing for investors?
  • How have investors responded to the SEC’s greenwashing crackdown?

Moderator: George Kelly, CEO, Earth Recovery Partners

Lance Dial, Partner, K&L Gates

Ekaterina Grigoryeva, Former Environment and Social Development Specialist (Global Lead, Financial Sector), The World Bank

Andrew Lee, Managing Director, Managing Director – Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing, UBS Global Wealth Management

Ashley McNamee, Managing Director, ESG, Revelstoke Capital Partners

 

A speaker photo for Lance Dial

Lance Dial

Partner, K&L Gates

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A speaker photo for Ekaterina Grigoryeva

Ekaterina Grigoryeva

Former Environment and Social Development Specialist (Global Lead, Financial Sector), The World Bank

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A speaker photo for Andrew Lee

Andrew Lee

Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing, UBS Global Wealth Management

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A speaker photo for Ashley McNamee

Ashley McNamee

Partner, Responsible Investment, Revelstoke Capital Partners

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A speaker photo for George Kelly

George Kelly

CEO, Earth Recovery Partners

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09:40 - 09:45

Networking break

09:45 - 10:25

B5: Real estate and climate risk

Tom Idzal, Brenden McEneaney, Marina Severinovsky, Daren Moss, Randy Plavajka
  • Decarbonising real estate – a missed low-hanging fruit opportunity for investors?
  • Real estate climate engagement
  • Uninsurable assets: what does this mean for real estate investors?
  • How are US real estate developers approaching the net zero challenge?

Moderator: Randy Plavajka, Deputy Editor, PERE Credit

Marina Severinovsky, Head of Sustainability North America, Schroders

Brenden McEneaney, Senior Vice President, JLL

 Tom Idzal, Head of Americas, GRESB

 Daren Moss, Principal, ESG – Real Estate Lead, Ares Management

A speaker photo for Tom Idzal

Tom Idzal

Head of Americas, GRESB

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A speaker photo for Brenden McEneaney

Brenden McEneaney

Senior Vice President, JLL

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A speaker photo for Marina Severinovsky

Marina Severinovsky

Head of Sustainability - North America, Schroders

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A speaker photo for Daren Moss

Daren Moss

Principal, ESG - Real Estate Lead, Ares Management

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A speaker photo for Randy Plavajka

Randy Plavajka

Deputy Editor, PERE Credit

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10:25 - 10:55

Networking break

Plenary
10:55 - 11:35

Plenary 5: Investing for sustainable outcomes

Steven M. Rothstein, Sarah Bernstein, Wendy Cromwell, Lila Preston, Maggie Stafford
  • Defining a ‘sustainable outcome’ or proving real-world sustainability impact: What methods and frameworks are investors using?
  • Net-zero commitments and interim climate investing goals: Are investors on track to meet them?
  • Is the Inflation Reduction Act translating into opportunities for sustainability-focused investors in public markets?
  • Could the changing political environment affect the calculus for sustainable investment in the US?

Moderator: Steven Rothstein, Managing Director, Accelerator, Ceres

Sarah Bernstein, Head of Sustainability, Meketa Investment Group

Wendy Cromwell, Head of Sustainable Investment, Wellington Management

Lila Preston, Head of Growth Equity, Generation Investment Management

Maggie Stafford, Director, ESG Solutions, Morningstar Sustainalytics

A speaker photo for Steven M. Rothstein

Steven M. Rothstein

Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets

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A speaker photo for Sarah Bernstein

Sarah Bernstein

Managing Principal/ Head of Sustainability, Meketa Investment Group, Inc.

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A speaker photo for Wendy Cromwell

Wendy Cromwell

Head of Sustainable Investment, Wellington Management

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A speaker photo for Lila Preston

Lila Preston

Partner and Head of Growth Equity, Generation Investment Management

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A speaker photo for Maggie Stafford

Maggie Stafford

Director, ESG Solutions, Morningstar Sustainalytics

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11:35 - 12:15

Plenary 6: The state of corporate reporting in the US

Aeisha Mastagni, Caitlin McSherry, Meagen Stack, Neil Stewart, Gina Gambetta
  • How are US corporates currently approaching sustainability reporting?
  • Does corporate reporting in the US meet the needs of investors?
  • Will ISSB become the de facto standard for corporate sustainability reporting in the US?
  • What assurance are investors asking for on non-financial corporate disclosures?

Moderator: Gina Gambetta, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

Aeisha Magstani, Senior Portfolio Manager, Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Strategies, CALSTRS

Caitlin McSherry, Head of Investment Stewardship, Neuberger Berman

Meagen Stack, ESG Reporting, Chevron

Neil Stewart, Director of Corporate Outreach, ISSB/IFRS Foundation

 

A speaker photo for Aeisha Mastagni

Aeisha Mastagni

Senior Portfolio Manager, Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Strategies, CALSTRS

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A speaker photo for Caitlin McSherry

Caitlin McSherry

Head of Investment Stewardship, Neuberger Berman

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A speaker photo for Meagen Stack

Meagen Stack

ESG Reporting, Chevron

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A speaker photo for Neil Stewart

Neil Stewart

Director of Corporate Outreach, ISSB / IFRS Foundation

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A speaker photo for Gina Gambetta

Gina Gambetta

Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

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12:15 - 13:05

Lunch

Plenary
13:05 - 13:25

Keynote - Stewardship: Aligning Strategies, Collaborating Productively

Aeisha Mastagni, Gina Gambetta

Aeisha Magstani, Senior Portfolio Manager, Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Strategies, CALSTRS

Moderator: Gina Gambetta, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

A speaker photo for Aeisha Mastagni

Aeisha Mastagni

Senior Portfolio Manager, Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Strategies, CALSTRS

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A speaker photo for Gina Gambetta

Gina Gambetta

Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

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13:25 - 14:10

Plenary 7: After Exxon: The future of shareholder proposals

Gina Gambetta, Danielle Fugere, Heidi Welsh, Cynthia Simon
  • What are the implications for shareholder rights in the US of the Exxon lawsuit?
  • What will Trump 2.0 mean for shareholder proposals?
  • Will the file-first mentality of shareholders shift towards a more engagement/dialogue-focused approach?
  • How can shareholder proposals be used most effectively in a sustainability context?

Moderator: Gina Gambetta, Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

Cynthia Simon, Policy Director, Shareholder Rights Group

Danielle Fugere, President & Chief Counsel, As You Sow

Heidi Welsh. Executive Director. Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2)

A speaker photo for Gina Gambetta

Gina Gambetta

Senior Reporter, Responsible Investor

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A speaker photo for Danielle Fugere

Danielle Fugere

President & Chief Counsel, As You Sow

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A speaker photo for Heidi Welsh

Heidi Welsh

Founding Executive Director, Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2)

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A speaker photo for Cynthia Simon

Cynthia Simon

Policy Director, Shareholder Rights Group

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14:10 - 15:00

Plenary 8: Fiduciary duty in 2024: Operating effectively within a polarized environment

Fran Seegull, Colin Melvin, Deborah Ng
  • Beyond the politics: What does fiduciary duty look like for a universal owner in 2024?
  • Which issues are necessary for a fiduciary to consider? Are some like AMR being overlooked?
  • How can a universal owner mitigate systemic risks to portfolios?
  • To what extent can sustainability preferences – and outcomes – be factored into fiduciary duty?

Moderator: Fran Seegull, President, U.S. Impact Investing Alliance

Colin Melvin, Founder & Managing Director, Arkadiko Partners

Deborah Ng, Head of ESG and Sustainability, GMO

A speaker photo for Fran Seegull

Fran Seegull

President, U.S. Impact Investing Alliance

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A speaker photo for Colin Melvin

Colin Melvin

Founder & Managing Director, Arkadiko Partners

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A speaker photo for Deborah Ng

Deborah Ng

Head of ESG and Sustainability, GMO

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14:45 - 14:45

End of conference

Network at America's leading responsible investment event

Meet America’s sustainability leaders

Network with active asset owners, banks, and insurers in the industry. Benefit from also our expansive and multi-stakeholder 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

AP Pension
British Columbia Investment Management Corporation
Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec
California Public Employees' Retirement System
California State Teachers' Retirement System
Chicago Teacher’s Pension Fund
Government Pension Investment Fund
LifeBank Foundation
Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association
New York State Common Retirement Fund
Office of the New York City Comptroller
OMERS
PGGM
Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System
State of New Jersey
Toyota Tsusho Corporate Pension Fund
World Bank Group

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 2025 business goals.

Enquire about sponsorship

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.

View sponsorship opportunities

2024 sponsors included:

Associate Sponsor Level

View all sponsors

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.

Connect with responsible investment investors

African Development Bank
AGF Investments
AIMCo
Alberta Investment Management Corporation
Allegra Wealth
Allianz Global Investors
Allstate Investments
Alphinity investments
AMP Capital
Aon
Atlantic Bank
Aviva Canada
AXA Investment Managers
Axia Real Assets
Baillie Gifford
Banister & Company
Bank of America
Bank of Canada
Banque Nationale Investissements
BC Pension Corp
BCI
BentallGreenOak
BHP Foundation
BlackRock
BlueOrchard
BMO
BMO Global Asset Management
BNP Paribas
British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI)
Brookfield
Brookfield Asset Management Inc.
Brookfield Properties
BTG Pactual
CalPERS
Canada Climate Law Initiative
Canada Life
Canada Post Corporation Pension Plan
Canadian Institute for Climate Choices
Capstone Infrastructure
CDPQ

Asset owners at RI USA

The Responsible Investor USA conference provides an unrivalled platform for asset owners investing in sustainable finance. In 2024, over 100 asset owners from across the United States gathered to discuss the latest responsible investing trends and compare best practices and allocation strategies for the coming year.

There are a limited number of complimentary passes for the event 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.

Meet the USA’s leading investor community

Network with leading asset owners from across the region. Past attendees have included CalsTrs, UNJSPF, Wafra, Wespath Investment Management, World Bank Group and more.

Understand investor appetites and allocation preferences

Join your peers as they delve into the latest responsible investment trends and compare best practices and allocation strategies for 2025 and beyond.

Enhance your network

Meet with emerging players and industry veterans to understand the evolving responsible investment landscape. Make the most of dedicated networking breaks, investor-only breakfasts, lunches and more to build your network.

2024 asset owners included:

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.

Apply for a complimentary asset owner pass

A limited number of complimentary passes are available for eligible asset owners to join the event.

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.

Our leading advisory board in 2023 included:

Robert Eccles

Professor, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Lucy Fitzgeorge-Parker

Editor, Responsible Investor

Ryan McQueeney

Manager, Investments Marketing and Communications, Wespath / Communications Co-Lead, Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance

Steven M. Rothstein

Managing Director, Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets

Alison Taylor

Clinical Associate Professor, NYU