India Sustainable Investment Leadership Summit 2024 | Mumbai | Press Release

Mumbai, 19 November 2024: Leaders from the Indian financial market, banks, and other institutions converged in National Stock Exchange, Mumbai for the India Sustainable Investment Leadership Summit 2024. The second edition of the Summit, co-convened by CFA Society India, cKinetics and Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) focussed on sustainable investment opportunities, challenges, and practices in the investment industry.

Rajesh Sehgal, CFA, Chairperson, CFA Society India and Upendra Bhatt, Co-founder and Managing Director, cKinetics set the tone for the day’s deliberations by highlighting the current sustainable economic transition in the country and the changing dynamics of investment industry in the era of green economic transformation, both globally and in India. In his opening note, David Atkin, CEO, PRI, highlighted how responsible investment is becoming increasingly mainstreamed by asset managers.

Dhruba Purkayastha, Director, Growth and Institutional Advancement Council on Energy, Environment and Water said financial sector needs to revisit existing financial theories and practices to address financial challenges associated with green economic transition. Vibhuti Garg, Director, South Asia, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) stressed the importance of climate finance support from developed countries, policies, and regulations to accelerate sustainable finance in India.

Labanya Prakash Jena, CFA, Consultant, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis and Mohan Kumar Prabhu, CFA, Director, Aon Consulting India, Co-chair, ESG Working Group, CFA Society India, provided key insights on the state of sustainable finance in India, with a focus on sustainable debt investment in India. They highlighted opportunities for debt investment in India’s green transition and how different actors in the financial system can act to address the challenges associated with sustainable debt.

The plenary session also presented the findings of the impact of physical and transition risk in portfolio and process of integration of climate change in portfolio construction and rebalancing.

In the panel discussion on ‘Global and Emerging Trends in Sustainable Investment’, Navneet Munot, CFA, Managing Director and CEO, HDFC Asset Management, emphasized that sustainable investment is not only good for society but also for the portfolio.

The last panel of the day, which deliberated on ‘Integration of Climate Related Risks and Opportunities in Investment Decisions’ featured notable names such as Arvind Ananthanarayanan, Director, Investments, ValueQuest Investment Advisors, Priyanka Dhingra, Chief Manager, ESG Research, SBI Funds Management, Hardik Shah, CFA, Head Sustainable Investment, DSP Asset Management, Ankur Gupta, CFA, Vice President, Sustainable Investment, Northen Trust Asset Management, Shreenivas Kunte, CFA, Director, CFA Society India, and Ojaswa Anand, Senior Associate, cKinetics amongst others.

Several speakers underscored the role of investment managers in sustainable development and climate action while performing their fiduciary duty to asset owners. They also highlighted the need to spread awareness of sustainable investment among retail investors and following ‘long-termism’ in sustainable investment. The role of policymakers and financial regulators in shaping sustainable investing was also featured as a key area of reflection.

About CFA Society India

CFA Society India is registered as Indian Association of Investment Professionals under Section 8 of the 2013 Companies Act. With more than 2,300 members spread across India, it is one of the premier societies belonging to CFA Institute. The membership base consists of portfolio managers, investment consultants, and other financial experts. As one of the 160 CFA Institute member societies of the CFA Institute, CFA Society India links its regional members to a globally interconnected network of investment professionals. For more information, visit www.cfasocietyindia.org or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter at @CFASocietyIndia.

About cKinetics

cKinetics is a mission driven Sustainability Insight, Innovation and Capital Advisory Firm. With headquarters in India and presence across US, UK, Portugal, Spain and Vietnam, the company works with clients and partners globally to deliver end-to-end solutions for mainstreaming sustainability and climate transition for investors and businesses. cKinetics’ solutions empower client organizations to emerge as competitive and future-proofed in the changing global order where natural resources are being repriced. Our proprietary platforms, innovation frameworks and collaboration models position us as a ‘partner of choice’ and convenor on strategic sustainability pathways. cKinetics engagements are characterized by a demonstrated commitment to bring about change.

Additional details can be seen on

http://www.cKinetics.com | https://ckersfinance.in/ | https://www.ccarbon.info/ | https://iccad.info/

About The Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)

The PRI works with its international network of signatories to put the six Principles for Responsible Investment into practice. Its goals are to understand the investment implications of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and to support signatories in integrating these issues into investment and ownership decisions. The PRI acts in the long-term interests of its signatories, of the financial markets and economies in which they operate and ultimately of the environment and society. The six Principles for Responsible Investment are a voluntary and aspirational set of investment principles that offer a menu of possible actions for incorporating ESG issues into investment practice. The Principles were developed by investors, for investors. In implementing them, signatories contribute to developing a more sustainable global financial system.

More information: www.unpri.org