Events

European Seminar on Finance, Environment and Sustainable Development

10 January, 2003 | Paris, France

Overview

In this seminar, Europe's financial community came together to continue the ongoing process of turning finance into a driver for sustainable development.

Over three hundred bankers, insurers, asset managers, and government and civil society representatives from across Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa engaged in a lively discussion on Corporate Responsibility and Capital Markets, Qualitative Risk Management, and Climate Change.

Topics that were presented and discussed include:

• The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines, which may serve as a reporting standard similar to those used in accounting.
• The Environmental Management and Reporting (EM&R) guidelines, which can provide a simple map for financial institutions to implement an EM&R system across business and operational functions, and can give practical advice on how to lessen environmental impact.
• The material financial impact of qualitative risk, seen in price valuations and the availability of credit and cover, compounded by greater regulatory overlay and liability issues.
• The definition of governance.
• The benefits and pitfalls that may arise when integrating sustainability criteria into a fund management strategy and the current state of the mainstream fund management sector and the relative performance of SRI funds.
• The risk posed to the finance, insurance and government sectors by Climate Change and Disaster Management.

Presentations

Keynote Presentations

• Philippe Citerne, Directeur Général Délégué, Société Générale
• Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel, Assistant Executive Director, UNEP
• Elisabeth Guingand, Directrice de la Mission Développement Durable et Qualité du Groupe Caisse des Dépôts

Corporate Responsibility and Capital Markets

Chair: Hanns-Michael Hölz, Global Head Public Affairs & Environmental Coordination, Deutsche Bank; Co-Chair, UNEP FI

• The Power of Full Disclosure (PDF: 245 KB)
  Dr. Allen White, Former CEO and Special Advisor to GRI, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
• Environmental Reporting Guidelines for the Global Finance Sector
  Anthony Sampson, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, AVIVA plc
• The New Challenges of Qualitative Risk Management (PDF: 28 KB)
  Alan Banks, Group CEO, CoreRatings
• Sustainability - Getting it Right at the Level of the Financial System (PDF: 2.2 MB)
  Brian Pearce, Director, Centre for Sustainable Investment, Forum for the Future UK

Financial Institution Case Studies in Project and Portfolio Risk Management

Chair: François de Ricolfis, Medium and Long Term Director, Coface

• Creating Metrics for Corporate Governance and Sustainable Development (PDF: 1 MB)
  George Dallas, Managing Director, Standard & Poor’s
• Corporate Governance and the Fund Manager (PDF: 448 KB)
  Rob Lake, Head of Engagement and Corporate Governance, Henderson Global Investors
• The Risk of Financing Forest Conversion (PDF: 3.5 MB)
  Jan Willem van Gelder, Director, Profundo Economic Research Netherlands
• Banking Risk and Sustainable Development (PDF: 1.3 MB)
  Arnaud Berger, Conseiller environnement, Banque Populaire du Haut-Rhin

Integrating Sustainability Criteria into Fund Management

Chair: Carlos Joly, Senior Vice President, Storebrand; Co-Chair, UNEP FI

• Sustainable Investment Performances (PDF: 652 KB)
  Wim Vermeir, Global Head of Sustainable Management, Dexia Asset Management
• The Responsible Portfolio (PDF: 164 KB)
  David Diamond, Analyste, Crédit Lyonnais Asset Management
• Assessing Bank Exposure to Environmental Risk (PDF: 134 KB)
  Karina Litvack, Director, Governance & Socially Responsible Investment, ISIS Asset Management
• Management for Sustainable Development (PDF: 436 KB)
  Patrick Savadoux, Gérant responsable du pôle Développement durable, CDC IXIS Asset Management

Climate Change, Fiduciary Responsibility and Disclosure

Chair: Pierre Bollon, Délégué Général, Association Française de la Gestion
Financière (AFG-ASFFI)

• Predicting Disaster, Managing Losses (PDF: 2 MB)
  Thomas Loster, Head of Weather/Climate Risks Research, NatCatSERVICE, Munich Re
• Linking Sustainability Performance to Fiduciary Duty (PDF: 604 KB)
  Pierre Trevet, Managing Director, Innovest Strategic Value Advisors
• Insuring the Uninsurable (PDF: 226 KB)
  Dr. Andrew Dlugolecki, Andlug Consulting