PRI in Person Toronto Side Event

Mapping Conflict Risk and Peace Finance: Practical insights and discussing the path ahead

Join us again this year for our side event at PRI in Person Toronto! We will be hosting a panel discussion with representatives from EIRIS CRN, Finance for Peace and the Responsible Investment Association Australasia.

Taking place on 9 October 2024, Wednesday at 8am-9:15am EDT. Please register through the link below.

Registration here

Join us to explore the initiatives and tools available in the field of conflict risk and peace finance. We will be delving into the following questions:

Where are investors now in conflict analysis and integration, and how do we see this developing?

How can investors get started on conflict risk analysis and integration: is there a principles based approach, or is it all just too political?

How does conflict and peace finance relate to and build upon existing work on climate, human rights or the SDGs? Should we be transitioning from a conflict risk mitigation mindset to a peacebuilding mindset?

We also want to hear from you the areas in which you see the most value in investors supporting each other on this journey.

Panelists

Dean Hegarty

Co-CEO/Executive Director, Responsible Investment Association Australasia

Passionate about championing ESG investment, Dean collaborates closely with global and local asset managers, super funds, Kiwisaver providers, financial advisors, and wealth platforms to align capital with sustainable outcomes.
His strategic leadership has played a pivotal role in elevating RIAA’s presence in both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, resulting in substantial growth and transformative organisational changes.
He has over a decade of experience leading teams in the not-for-profit sector and has driven remarkable growth in membership and events while forging essential industry partnerships.
Dean also serves as a member of the National Advisory Board on Impact Investing in New Zealand and sits on the GovCo of the New Zealand Stewardship Code.

Fiona has 30 years’ experience in the financial services, superannuation and pension sectors. She joined the PRI where she was CEO for nine and a half years from the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST).
Her current roles include multiple board and advisory member positions in global finance/sustainability/ESG & pension fund organisations. She is also the current Chair of the UN Global Compact Network Australia.
She now focuses her time on advancing sustainability issues in public policy, business and investment spheres. Her particular passion is around working to innovate and create solutions within complex multi stakeholder systems.

Fiona Reynolds
Independent Director & Advisory Board Member, FAIRR Initiative

Kate Turner
Global Head of Responsible Investment, First Sentier Investors

Kate combines a legal background with significant experience in structuring sustainable finance deals and advising investment professionals on applying a responsible investment lens to their strategies. She is passionate about the potential of the investment sector to support positive change and make well informed investment decisions.
Her roles include Chair of the Steering Group for Investors Against Slavery and Trafficking APAC, and membership of the RIAA board and Human Rights Working Group.

Sam has 8 years’ experience in ESG research. She joined EIRIS CRN from ISS ESG where she was a team lead in the human rights allegations team.
Sam has experience in qualitative research and report writing, research methodology enhancement, and company engagement.
She now focuses her time on conflict risk research, methodology development, and working with investors to advocate for the inclusion of conflict in their investment processes.

Samantha Chua
Project Manager, EIRIS Conflict Risk Network

Samuel Jones
President & Co-Founder, Heartland Initiative

Sam he leads the development of methodologies, tools, and guidance to assist investors in the prevention and mitigation of human rights harms across their portfolios.
He has over 25 years of experience in conflict-sensitive research, analysis, and programming, international humanitarian and human rights law, and multi-stakeholder engagement in public and private spheres. Before co-founding Heartland Initiative, Sam worked as Associate Director of the Human Rights Program at The Carter Center, where he managed programs in the Middle East and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including those focused on corporate accountability for human rights harms in industrial mining and the protection of human rights defenders.
Sam previously served as regional representative for Asia/Near East for Counterpart International, managing humanitarian and development programs in Iraq and Jordan and leading assessment missions to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Lebanon, and Afghanistan.

Moderated by

Peter Webster has led the EIRIS Foundation since it was founded in 1983. He has focused on the challenges of providing ESG ratings and research to a wide range of owners and managers, helping investors to make good use of that research and advancing the concept of responsible investment.
He was treasurer of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association for 20 years until the end of 2011 and from October 2013 to October 2019 was a member of the PRI Board.
Since the EIRIS Foundation sold its ESG Rating Agency, Peter has focused on projects and proposals designed to advance the sustainable finance agenda ranging from impact investment and investors role on business & human rights, to conflict-affected investments, corporate lobbying on social issues and the roles of ESG Ratings Agencies and charity investors in moving the responsible investment conversation forward.