*Times are listed in BST. The agenda and order of the panel topics are subject to change.
9:40am Panel | The future of ESG investing - a practitioners' perspective
This panel will bring together senior ESG practitioners for a discussion of the themes that they believe will shape industry approaches in the coming months and years, addressing topics such as net zero alignment, the treatment of alternative investment strategies in ESG disclosure frameworks, stewardship, and future product design considerations.
10:25am UK ESG regulatory update: FCA TCFD rules for asset managers, SDR and other hot topics
Speakers will discuss UK ESG regulation for asset managers, including the FCA’s TCFD rules and the lessons learned in 2023 which can help firms publishing for the first time in 2024, as well as making preparations for SDR and other regulations.
11:00am Breakout sessions - Part one
SESSION A - The Roadmap to ESG Compliance in 2023
2023 has brought about an ever-evolving landscape of ESG related trends, tools and regulatory pressures that private fund managers must be cognizant of if they want to stay out of the crosshairs of U.S. regulators. In this session, Trysha Daskam, Managing Director & Head of ESG Strategy at at Silver Regulatory Associates, will address the following key themes:
- Getting up to speed on the SEC
- “Living with ESG” – What our clients face
- What to expect in ESG for the remainder of 2023
SESSION B - ESG data in action: Current trends and future roadmap
With an enormous $91.9 billion capital raised in ESG private capital funds at the end of 2022, it is clearly an ideal time for alternative assets players to capture a share of the ESG market. Preqin ESG experts will explore the following through a data-led approach:
• Current ESG landscape and trends
• ESG fundraising
• Investor sentiments on ESG, over the years
• Live Q&A
SESSION C - Net Zero – Assessing in the Investment Process and Reporting
In this session you will learn what Net Zero means and how to approach it in the context of investing, including for hedge fund strategies. The session will also look at reporting against Net Zero commitments and the role of reporting frameworks such as TCFD.
12:00pm Panel | SFDR, Taxonomy, Labels - what's new in the EU's Sustainable Finance Action Plan
This session will explore residual challenges in the context of SFDR compliance and address potential future changes to SFDR requirements. It will also consider other aspects of the EU’s sustainable finance action plan, including the Taxonomy and efforts to tackle greenwashing, highlighting what these mean in practice for hedge funds and private credit firms.
12:45pm Diversity, Equity & Inclusion - regulatory and investor expectations
This panel will examine firms’ approaches to diversity, equity and inclusion, exploring investor expectations and the practical challenges of responding to requests for data about the composition of the workforce at a firm. It will also consider regulatory interest in this area and what that might mean for firms in the future.
2:10pm Panel | ESG in private markets - the viewpoint of alternative credit managers
This panel discussion will focus on operational topics for private credit managers when integrating ESG into their investment process. The panel will consider the use of in-house and external data to support due diligence, as well as the role of ESG indicators in risk management and investor reporting.
3:00pm Breakout sessions - part two
SESSION D - Data, materiality, and reporting
In this session we will discuss key considerations around ESG data collection, including what and how you can get the data you need for purposes of reporting, creating client materials and meeting regulatory requirements including under TCFD and SFDR.
SESSION E - Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)
Discover the similarities and delta of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) as they are revolutionising the way businesses and financial institutions interact with the environment and biodiversity. The speakers will provide insights into the complementary roles of TNFD and TCFD in redefining our approach to environmental challenges and disclosures as well as some of the practical potential challenges presented by the differences between both frameworks and practical steps on how to get started with TCFD and how to build on that in preparation for TNFD
SESSION F (repeated session A) - The Roadmap to ESG Compliance in 2023
2023 has brought about an ever-evolving landscape of ESG related trends, tools and regulatory pressures that private fund managers must be cognizant of if they want to stay out of the crosshairs of U.S. regulators. In this session, Trysha Daskam, Managing Director & Head of ESG Strategy at Silver Regulatory Associates, will address the following key themes:
- Getting up to speed on the SEC
- “Living with ESG” – What our clients face
- What to expect in ESG for the remainder of 2023
4:00pm Impact Investing Institute - Impact investing, market trends and growth
Learn what impact investing is, the size of the market and who is playing in it; get up-to-date on the latest impact trends from Just Transition finance to how assets owners are increasingly asking for impact from their managers.
