Accelerating Impact
In response to a growing demand for practical, actionable information, HWW has undertaken a dramatic expansion of our work. We have organized four workstreams anchored around four central themes:
Climate Change & Climate Justice Gender, Diversity & InclusionPlace Based Investing Portfolio Construction
Each workstream will curate a series of virtual events. Like our symposium, these smaller, more intimate, conversations will be highly curated to offer the highest value, synergy and networking among participants.
Climate Change and Climate Justice
Transitioning to a just, clean energy
In this workstream we will review the state of the current investment landscape, including stranded asset risk and fossil fuel infrastructure and consider the economic impact of energy markets on the clean energy transition. We will identify investment opportunities using the project drawdown framework and explore how to achieve a profitable and just transition to a green economy. We will explore the new models of capital and investment that are helping enrich and empower poor and disenfranchised communities.
Gender, Diversity and Inclusion
Investing in the power of difference
Studies show that diverse teams and businesses outperform, yet investors and businesses still struggle to achieve diversity. We will feature case studies and discuss successful diversity solutions as well as investment strategies that see investment in women and underrepresented minorities as a source of alpha and differentiated returns and discuss the value of diversity in different businesses, and in technology and innovation. What steps can investors take to better address the pipeline problem? What effective strategies will help identify and promote diverse talent?
Place Based Investing
These workstream sessions will highlight the innovative developments and leadership happening in place-based investing. Issues will include: smart cities, the urban grid, manufacturing and job creation, sustainable development, affordable housing, community engagement, public policy, indigenous communities, measurement, infrastructure, health, job creation, and regenerative agriculture.
Impact Investment Portfolio Construction
Effective impact investment approaches across the entire portfolio. From program related investment to profit seeking public and private capital. Impact investment is investing, and the most successful approaches look not only at outcomes but the process and structure by which they are achieved. If impact investment is going to be successful in allocating capital to the areas of greatest need, it needs to insure that the entire investment portfolio is activated. All investments are impact investments.
Completed Workstream Sessions
Climate Change and Climate Justice
Transitioning to a just, clean energy
July 8, 2020Stranded assets, carbon lock-in and the clean energy transition
What is the current state of fossil fuel infrastructure and scope of ‘stranded asset’ risk? How are investors tackling stranded asset risk in their portfolios? We will explore how investors should interpret the vast market corrections caused by the climate crisis, and how they should face these impending liabilities in their portfolios.
Featuring:
Tracey Cameron, Ceres
Maria Garrahan, MA Pension Reserve Investment Mgmt Board
Bob Litterman, Kepos Capital
David Wood, Harvard Kennedy School
Moderated by: Imogen Rose-SmithSept 22, 2020Energy markets and the renewable economy
Structural shifts in the energy sector have drastic impacts on its current infrastructure, revenue models and consumer markets. How will this shake up in energy markets impact the renewable energy transition? We will examine these economic shifts and what it means for asset owners, managers and fiduciaries.
Featuring:
Rob Day, Spring Lane Capital
Amy Jaffe, Council on Foreign Relations
Kathleen Kelley, Queen Anne’s Gate Capital
Albert Lee, University of California
Michelle Levinson, The Cadmus Group
Moderated by: Imogen Rose-SmithOct 21, 2020Technology disruptions in sustainability: trillions at risk, trillions to be made
Technology innovation is a major part of how countries around the world are going to be able to halt and reverse the impacts of climate change, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. The development and adoption of technologies is likely to accelerate the rate at which countries and industries lower their dependence on fossil fuels. Stranded asset risk associated with carbon could be greater than many models predict. Are capital markets underestimating the adoption and impact of disruptive technologies in areas such as renewables and transportation? How can investors best anticipate and prepare for, and profit from, innovative disruption?
Featuring:
Nick Gogerty, Carbon Finance Labs
Liqian Ma, Cambridge Associates
Christina Lampe-Onnerud, Cadenza Innovation
Ally Yost, The Engine
Moderated by: Caroline Abramo, Pana LCE
Gender, Diversity and Inclusion
Investing in the power of difference
July 17, 2020Gender, diversity lens investing
Gender lens investing has been gaining traction among institutional investors, with a growing number of pathways into public and private markets, such as gender bonds and funds. In this session, we will explore various ways to use a ‘gender lens’, from investing in diverse managers to solutions that bring capital to diverse and underserved populations. We will review the following:
- Ways to leverage the existing stakeholder model to ensure meaningful focus on gender perspectives.
- Explore the variety of tools accessible to investors in the wake of the pandemic and ways to measure the impact of these approaches.
- Identify the different ways gender lens investing is democratizing.
- Investigate ways decision makers can direct the investment or solution to ensure equal access to capital for women.
Featuring:
Catherine Banat, RBC Global Asset Management
Suzanne Biegel, GenderSmart
Jo Ann Corkran
Heran Getachew, Illumen Capital
Moderated by: Anna Snider, Bank of AmericaNov 5, 2020Diversity and innovation
How does difference drive productivity and change? In this session we will explore investment solutions that have dedicated lenses, how funds and portfolios are moving the needle on gender and inclusivity, ways to integrate criteria into analysis/selection and engage in shareholder advocacy and policy work, opportunities for innovation, incentive structures to improve performance and more.
Featuring:
Cat Berman, CNote
Nidhi Chadda, Enzo Advisors
Nicole Douillet, Alti
Kristin Hull, Nia Impact Capital
Lorine Pendleton, Portfolia
Moderated by: Kristin Hull, Nia Impact CapitalJan 2021Emerging managers: delivering a diverse economy
Featuring:
A. Jabbar Abdi, Sidereal Capital Group
Caroline Abramo, Pana LCE
Chris Ito, FFI Advisors
Katie Palencsar, Anthemis
Nasir Qadree, Zeal Capital Partners
Moderated by: Susan Webb, Appomattox Advisory
Impact Investment Portfolio Construction
Aug 5, 2020Aligning mission and returns
In this session we will review methods of embedding impact across the entire portfolio. We will examine the impacts of COVID on alternative assets: How has asset allocation changed? What are the new challenges and solutions, across different investment and geographic markets? What are some of the headwinds if the crisis extends? We will also consider whether or not indexing is living up to the promise of being both a solution and a problem for impact investment? With the loosely defined criteria in many ESG indices, how can we resolve the widespread concern of greenwashing?
Featuring:
Robert Boogard, PCG Investments
JoAnn Hanson, Church Investment Group
Patience Marime-Ball, Women of the World Endowment
Ruth Shaber, M.D., Tara Health Foundation
Betty T. Yee, California State Controller
Moderated by: Drianne Benner, Appomattox AdvisoryNov 19, 2020The fixed income portfolio: integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG)
Growing interest in ESG and sustainability factors is driving demand for a broad range of fixed income/credit investments, from the simplest long only strategies to structured credit portfolios. How are ESG factors /impact considerations being incorporated into mainstream fixed income/credit mandates? How big is the universe of relevant strategies and what are the sub-strategies for an asset allocator? How does one evaluate and assess the material impact on the portfolio and its performance? What are some of the challenges around scaling up the green and social bond, loan and securitization markets?
Featuring:
Rachel Betton, PIMCO
Tamara Larsen, Agility
Barbara McKenna, Longfellow Investment Management
Tess Virmani, LSTA
Moderated by: Kim Leslie Shafer, AerisFeb 25, 2021Constructing an ESG aligned public equities portfolio
Equity allocations are generally the largest portion of a portfolio. How are investors putting together their portfolios to either tilt to a theme, incorporate exclusions, or add environmental and social factors? What frameworks are used? Are fiduciaries able to allocate across both large and small portfolios to take these considerations into account? Do these considerations make a material impact on the portfolio in terms of meeting risk and return and intentional ESG and impact goals? Are they measurable?
Featuring:
Bill Davis, Stance Capital
Sarah Edwards, Cambridge Associates
D. Guillaume Mascotto, American Century Investments
Bhakti Mirchandani, Trinity Church Wall Street
Moderated by: Moya ConnellyMar 2, 2021ESG measurement: models for implementation
There are many ways to construct portfolios to meet risk and return guidelines. How are investors measuring and assessing the managers that they pick? How is this measured and scaled to show that these portfolios are meeting ESG best practices? How do some of these choices get incorporated into legal documents and who assesses their adherence? Investors and practitioners will share their approaches to assessing and measuring ESG within their portfolios and provide guidance on which tools they leverage for this analysis
Featuring:
Kate Ahern, Cartica
Ryan Folscroft, PwC
Elena Philipova, Refinitiv
Betsy Popken, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
Moderated by: Amy Patel, Elevar Equity