Developments and commentary in and around the ESG investment space.

Lombard Odier
Last week, Lombard Odier was joined by former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, keynote speaker at its virtual event entitled “The Race to Net Zero: A Sprint or a Marathon.”

The virtual conference was held last Thursday and streamed live across eight Asia-Pacific markets including Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.

Ban Ki-Moon said: “The global economy is on a trajectory that would lead to a worsening global climate crisis, and the recent UN IPCC climate report painted a devastating picture that the crisis is inevitable, unprecedented and irreversible. With the Paris Agreement as our best hope against such serious climate threats, leading financial institutions such as Lombard Odier and its ecosystem of strategic alliances in the region have a crucial role to play as we step up on our efforts to implement the Paris Agreement.”

The “Race to Net Zero” conference was hosted by Lombard Odier’s Limited Partner and Asia CEO, Vincent Magnenat, together with its six partners from its Strategic Alliance network – namely JBWere Australia, Kasikornbank Private Banking, Mandiri Private, Mizuho Securities (Singapore), Taipei Fubon Bank, and UnionBank Private Banking. 

Net Zero Investment Consultants Initiative
A group of 12 investment firms, which together advise institutional asset owners overseeing about $10 trillion, have launched the Net Zero Investment Consultants Initiative.

Through nine specific action points, they commit to supporting the goal of global net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner, the organisations said. Consultants give strategic advice to clients such as pension funds and family offices, putting them into a position to influence the drive towards goals such as “net zero” carbon emissions.

The consultants are: Barnett Waddingham, bfinance, Cambridge Associates, Cardano, Frontier, Hymans Robertson, JANA, LCP, Meketa, Redington, Willis Towers Watson and Wilshire.