A wise man said being clever is not being able to predict when it will rain, being clever is bringing an umbrella. Much of the discourse surrounding ESG and climate risk revolves around the issue rather than the solution.

In our webinar series, we address the issue of what does a portfolio that is aligned with the Paris Agreement look like in practice. At Barnett Waddingham, we believe that far from being a ‘current issue’, the management of ESG risks will be critical to investment success in the short, medium and long-term.

Impact assets or assets that are being managed to take advantage of the opportunities that climate change and ESG create will be discussed in this third in the series webinar. We discuss the different active management styles that can be used, where we see the opportunities for impact assets and how they can be accessed. We add to this by illustrating to trustees the impact on their carbon footprint by moving to a more climate aware portfolio. Crucially, we also discuss the risk and return characteristics of doing so and seek to leave trustees with the question ‘Why would you choose to remain overweight carbon and risk?’