Sessions
Session 1: How Can Social and Governance Strategies Add Value?
Millennials and Gen Z investors are pouring record amounts of money into products that aim to help the environment and promote the social good. This trend is set to continue, particularly as their income rises and more wealth transfers to them. How can firms translate this into tangible initiatives to create value?
Moderator
Ian Tam
Director – Investment Research
Morningstar Canada
Speakers
Patricia Fletcher
Chief Executive Officer
Responsible Investment Association
Kelly Gauthier
President, Rally Assets
Director, Responsible Investment Association
Dean Segell
Vice President – Sustainability and Social Impact
Sun Life
Session 2: It’s Not Just About Gender
Women are emerging as the largest beneficiaries of the wealth transfer, and the future of socially responsible investing appears to be in their hands. Is this why we should care about gender and equality in our businesses?
Moderator
Sonja Volpe
Chief Executive Officer
BNP Paribas in Canada
Speakers
Dr. Julie Cafley
Executive Director
Catalyst Canada
Paula Glick
Co-Founder
Honeytree Investment Management
Julie Savard-Shaw
Executive Director
The Prosperity Project
Mary Vitug
Acting President & CEO
Women in Capital Markets
Keynote Address: Confronting Our Common Future
The social dimensions of the ESG agenda focuses upon an organization’s relationships with stakeholders and the communities within which the organization operates. However, it is difficult to engage with the social dimensions of ESG if the dynamics of economy, and hence the investment climate, is misunderstood.
Having done extensive international work in various political economies utilizing feminist development economics, this speaker will discuss how using a gender lens thoroughly changes the way in which the operation of the economy is approached, and the implications of such for understanding the constraints upon, and challenges in, our financial framework.
Moderator
Dr. A. Haroon Akram-Lodhi
Professor – Department of International Development Studies
Trent University
Session 3: Governance Greater Good – It’s All About Accountability
The Governance element of ESG is about fostering a reputation for trustworthy leadership, with decision-making policies that are built on positive morals and ethics. By investing in strong leadership that’s guided by an ESG compliant moral compass, businesses and portfolio managers can add significant long-term value to their concerns. But it’s a slower game to play – is it really worth it in an environment where people seem to be looking for short-term profitability?
Moderator
Tanya van Biesen
Managing Partner, Board & CEO Services Canada, and Senior Client Partner, Global Board and CEO Services, Korn Ferry
Speakers
Mark Bonham
President, Veritas Charity Services Inc.
Executive Director, The Veritas Foundation
Senior Fellow, Massey College, University of Toronto
Advisory Board Member, LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors Canada
Shelley Gilberg
National ESG Markets Leader and Canadian Platforms Leader
PwC Canada
Ivy Lumia
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Best in Governance Inc.
Session 4: The Power of Ethnic Diversity in Financial Services
In one survey, up to 85 percent of financial services CEOs said promoting inclusion and diversity helps enhance business performance. Other research supports the findings that inclusive cultures lead to increased profitability, creativity, and innovation. This panel will examine the power of ethnic diversity in financial services, discuss where things currently stand, and speculate on what the future holds.
Moderator
Anthony Okolie
On-Air Host and Investment Producer
TD Wealth
Speakers
Bindu Cudjoe
Executive Vice-President, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Inclusion and Equity Officer and Corporate Secretary
Laurentian Bank of Canada
Dennis Mitchell
Chief Executive Officer & Chief Investment Officer, Starlight Capital
Director, Toronto Foundation
Co-Founder and Director, Black Opportunity Fund