Socially Responsible Investment: Current Developments, New Opportunities, Remaining Challenges

Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) products and initiatives have been increasing in importance over the past 10 years, and the market size of core SRI products in Europe exceeded €100 Billion in assets by the end of 2005.
This round-table discussion will consider the latest developments and future directions of SRI as well as the challenges that remain for its further development.

Our panelists will include:

• Paul Clements-Hunt, Head of the United Nations Environmental Programme, Finance Unit.
• Angela De Wolff, Independent SRI Advisor in Geneva and former head of SRI at Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie.
• Elisabeth Höller, Founder of the PRIME VALUE Ethical Funds (the first ethical fund in Continental Europe) and current CEO of INVERA, Investment Ethics Research and Advisory, AG, Zürich, Switzerland.
• Guido Palazzo, Professor of Business Ethics at HEC, University of Lausanne and consultant in Corporate Social Responsibility.
• Christoph Schwingenstein, Director of the Umwelt Akademie, Munich. Member of the Investment Ethics Committees of Dr. Höller Vermögensverwaltung and Bank Sarasin.

The panel will consider, among others, the following questions:
•What underlies the increasing importance of social, environmental and corporate governance factors in investment decisions?
•How can fund managers and investors identify companies that are truly “socially responsible?” How successful are these analyses?
•How can investment professionals develop and market products that are consistent with the diverse range of their clients’ ethical views?
•Do investors compromise financial performance by investing in SRI?
•What steps are necessary in order for SRI to continue to grow and evolve in the future?

After a round-table discussion of approx. 1 hour, panelists will be open to questions and responses from members of the audience.

Further Information:
Christopher Greenwald
Christopher.Greenwald@invera.ch
Tel.:  +41 (0) 44 220 11 33
Fax: +41 (0) 44 220 11 34