Alpha in Adversity

Event

The EITI

It is in conflict-affected and high-risk areas where salient human rights risks to people most often translate into financially material risks to companies and their shareholders. It is therefore incumbent upon investors to Identify, assess, and address these severe and systemic risks in order to uphold their responsibilities to rights holders under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and their fiduciary duties to their clients. However, guidance on heightened human rights due diligence for investors and their role in advancing rights-respecting conduct in these contexts is still largely lacking.

With the number, intensity, and duration of conflicts and rights violations by authoritarian states on the rise, this conversation is an important opportunity to explore current challenges to rights-respecting investment in conflict-affected and high-risk areas, practical guidance for approaching the (human rights) saliency / (financial) materiality nexus in investment portfolios and company engagements, and evolving investor action.

This discussion will be built around an upcoming white paper from Heartland Initiative, Schroders, and Wespath Benefits & Investments on the ‘saliency-materiality nexus’.

Introduction

• Dr Erica Harper, Head of Research and Policy Studies, Geneva Academy

Moderation

• Gerald Pachoud, Managing Partner, Pluto Advisory

Speakers

• Katie Frame, Active Ownership Manager, Schroders
• Samuel Jones, President, Heartland Initiative
• Rebecca DeWinter-Schmitt, Associate Director, Investor Alliance for Human Rights

Disclaimer

This event may be filmed, recorded and/or photographed on behalf of the Geneva Academy. The Geneva Academy may use these recordings and photographs for internal and external communications for information, teaching and research purposes, and/or promotion and illustration through its various media channels (website, social media, newsletters, annual report, etc.).

By participating in this event, you are agreeing to the possibility of appearing in the aforementioned films, recordings and photographs, and their subsequent use by the Geneva Academy.