Category: News

Speakers:
Bertrand Millot, Head of Climate Risk and Issues, CDPQ
Sarah Keyes, Principal, ESG Global Advisors
Peter Richardson, Climate Strategist, Manifest Climate
Marie-Justine Labelle, Head of Responsible Investment, Desjardins Investments

There’s a growing impetus for investors to set and achieve targets that are going to lead them to net zero portfolios by 2050. In the meantime, investors are setting interim targets to measure and report on their progress.

During the conference session, “The Net Zero Portfolio: Strategies and Practices for Investors to Align their Portfolios with Net Zero,” moderator Sarah Keyes, Principal at ESG Global Advisors, dove into a discussion of opportunities and challenges of transitioning investors’ portfolios to net zero.

“Ultimately net zero emissions are achieved when greenhouse gases (GHG) that are emitted into the atmosphere are balanced by an equal number of GHG removals,” said Keyes, using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s definition of net zero.

There are three key elements when it comes to transitioning to net zero. “Choosing the right tool for the job, understanding the difference between leading and lagging indicators, and knowing how to tell the most effective story,” said Peter Richardson, Climate Strategist at Manifest Climate.

“If you’re driving a car and can look out the rear-view window, that’s a lagging indicator because it’s what’s been going on in the past. Looking out the windshield is a leading indicator. Historically, we’ve been driving along, looking in the rear view mirror. . . But, thanks to folks, like some of the folks on this webinar, we’re starting to see leading indicators, like the establishment of plans, the link between executive compensation and financial performance, and meaningful engagement at all levels.”

Engagement top priority for reaching net zero

During the session, most audience members agreed during a live poll that engagement with portfolio companies on decarbonization pathways was important for investors in achieving net zero, followed by engagement with industry sectors to develop GHG emission reduction solutions.

Audience poll

“Engagement is a critical tool. We need to understand where companies are going from a strategy point of view. We need to know what companies are thinking about and that occurs through engagement,” said Bertrand Millot, Head of Climate Risks and Issues at CDPQ.

“If we feel that a company is not going anywhere fast or anywhere as fast as we want to go, then we make decisions.”

Marie-Justine Labelle, Head of Responsible Investments at Desjardins Investments, added: “Not all engagement is created equal.” Engagement has to be strategic and go beyond ticking a box.

When it comes to using carbon offsets to reduce portfolio emissions, the audience voted this as the least important tactic, and the panelists agreed.

“Buying the right to emit from somebody else does not reduce anything at the planetary level and should be avoided. It is the cheap way out. Buying offsets that are certified is better today but I think where we’re going collectively is a world where carbon capture and sequestration, whether it is through natural solutions or industrial solutions, will be certified properly, Millot said.

“Carbon offsets might have a role in a certain situation at a certain point in time, but it’s a slippery slope if presented as something that’s equal to the reduction of emissions,” Labelle added.

Retail clients want to know more

Financial advisors have an opportunity to bridge a knowledge gap, especially as retail investors are increasingly interested in ESG and net zero.

“When we talk to retail investors, they want to hear about this. We even hear them say they’re a bit frustrated that they’re not hearing about it [from their advisors] and they’re not bringing up this conversation themselves,” Labelle said.

Her advice: “Be transparent about the state of things, and what each product is doing, what it’s not doing, and what it’s trying to achieve.”

Speakers:
Brent Bergeron, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Pan American Silver Corp.
Susan Uthayakumar, President, Sustainability Business Division, Schneider Electric
John Coyne, Vice-President External Affairs and Sustainability, Unilever Canada
Michelle Edkins, Managing Director, Investment Stewardship, BlackRock

To halt climate change and prevent further catastrophe, it’s imperative to limit the average global temperature rise to no more than 1.5 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels.

That’s why both the public and private sector are working towards net zero emissions by the year 2050.

Corporations are a key part of this transition, and every company must do its part, said Michelle Edkins, Managing Director of Investment Stewardship at BlackRock, while speaking with panelists Brent Bergeron, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Pan American Silver Corp., Susan Uthayakumar, President of the Sustainability Business Division at Schneider Electric, and John Coyne, Vice-President of External Affairs and Sustainability at Unilever Canada, at the RIA conference session “The Net Zero Corporation: Strategies and Practices for Corporations to Align their Operations with Net Zero.”

“[Sustainability] cannot be a parallel initiative within the corporation,” Uthayakumar said. “It has to be driven from the top with full conviction and full investment to drive the right decision.”

If companies use less resources, they will, by default, have lower emissions and greater profitability. It’s been proven that companies who operate sustainably have better margins and customer satisfaction, she added.

Schneider Electric sets an ambition and measures against that ambition every quarter. The company reports results publicly to keep themselves accountable and encourage and influence others in the industry to do the same.

“Today, sustainability is not a nice to have,” Uthayakumar said. “It’s a must because there is  brand reputation at stake. Your stakeholders — whether they’re investors, employees or customers — demand it.”

Collaboration is key

When it comes to achieving net zero, all stakeholders, governments, companies, and communities are driven by the same objective.

“We want to be able to improve the way we are moving toward decarbonization and toward net zero. We have to do this together,” Bergeron said.

Policy needs to work alongside company efforts to enable new technologies and sustainability objectives, he added.

“Climate change is a global issue and it requires a global solution by the private sector and public sector, hand-in-hand.” Uthayakumar said.

Schneider Electric, for instance, has been working with a number of administrations, such as the U.S. and Canadian governments to discuss how to accelerate the transition to net zero.

In the discussion, Coyne proposed that it’s actually up to the private sector to call for more action from the public sector.

“Climate change and the transition to a zero carbon economic and environmental structure can’t be brought to us by operating in the way we’ve operated up to this point,” Coyne said.

“The private sector needs to demand what policy makers should put forward as the right kind of policies to help workers, to help develop innovation, and to help companies with new products and new services.”

If we don’t put in stronger input, we can’t expect changes because they don’t know what we know, he added.

Material risk versus opportunity

During the live poll, audience members were asked if the energy transition is a material risk, an opportunity or both. The vast majority (81.6%) said both.

Audience poll

Coyne asked everyone to rethink the framing of the question, noting that it’s always positioned as opportunity versus risk when that’s not exactly the case.

“The problem that we’ve got isn’t that it’s either an opportunity or a risk,” he said. “This transition is either inevitable or we fail.”

Speakers:
Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance
Doug Guzman, Group Head, RBC Wealth Management, RBC Insurance RBC Investor & Treasury Services

Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance and Vice Chair and Head of ESG and Impact Fund Investing at Brookfield Asset Management shared his expertise on the private finance strategy for COP26 during his keynote address.

That strategy, he said, plans to put in place information, tools and markets so that every professional finance decision can take climate change into account.

The four pillars of this strategy are reporting, risk, returns and mobilisation, and he broke them down as follows:

1. Reporting

Information about climate-related risks is essential and starts with metrics and the carbon footprint of an entity, but it also includes risk management governance and a forward look at strategic resilience, Carney said. This is best expressed by the Task Force for Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which was developed by the private sector for the private sector.

These recommendations were delivered to the G20 Leaders Summit three years ago, and have been taken up by a wide range of firms. Over 2000 companies representing over $17 trillion of market cap are currently reporting against the TCFD standards.

Carney said the private sector has taken the TCFD as far as it can and now it’s time for the public sector to make it mandatory to ensure comprehensive, comparable and reliable information within and across jurisdictions.

2. Risk

The second pillar is about developing capabilities in the public and private sectors for managing climate-related risks that are unprecedented in nature. We need to look forward when it comes to risk, but also develop a risk capacity, Carney said.

This is currently being worked on in partnership between various institutions in the public and private sector. In a number of jurisdictions, climate stress tests are being used, testing whether boards and senior management think their strategy is robust enough to withstand different climate scenarios.

3. Returns

The third pillar is about returns and the opportunities that come from addressing and solving existential risks. This can create enormous value and commercial opportunity. The goal is to align the net zero plans of companies with the commitments of the financial sector. These commitments are continuously growing. For instance, over 160 major global financial institutions made commitments to net zero for 2050, with interim targets beforehand, at President Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate Change in April, Carney said.

4. Mobilization

Mobilization is about developing the missing markets that are necessary for the transition to net zero. Carney highlighted three in particular:

1. Global professional deep liquid market for carbon offsets – This is a small market that garners a lot of newspaper headlines. The scale of carbon offset investments is measured in hundreds of millions of dollars, but to make a dent in the transition to net zero, it needs to be measured in the tens of billions of dollars on an annual basis.
2. Blended finance – Blended finance leverages public sector money, mainly from the multilateral development banks, with private sector money. The goal is to establish climate resilient infrastructure and climate mitigating structure in emerging and developing economies.
3. The protection gap –  There is a huge insurance protection gap in the world. On average, extreme weather events are causing around $100 billion in insured losses. On top of that, there is at least $200 billion of annual damage to the built environment in emerging and developing economies and much higher losses from harm caused to economic activity, as well as human suffering. The global insurance industry is now working with the International Money Fund, World Bank, and others to close that gap by developing a series of metrics and information that will help replace this missing market in insurance, and help target scarce funding for resilient infrastructure and targeted aid.

Near the closing of the session, Doug Guzman, Group Head of RBC Wealth Management, RBC Insurance, RBC Investor and Treasury services, asked Carney if he had any final advice for the crowd.

Carney responded that there’s a very basic question we can ask of any country, financial institution or company, and that’s “what’s your plan for net zero?”

Speakers:
Christine Bergeron, President and CEO, Vancity
Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO, Institute of Corporate Directors
Lara Zink, President and CEO, Women in Capital Markets (Moderator)

The RIA kicked off its first conference session with a roundtable discussion on leadership and governance with industry leaders Lara Zink, Christine Bergeron and Rahul Bhardwaj. Jaqui Parchment, CEO of Mercer Canada, was also scheduled to join but could not due to technical issues. The trio spoke to the interconnectivity of sustainability and inclusion, and why leadership can no longer remain silent or inactive on these issues.

“Generation Z cares about people and the planet, and they’re incorporating ESG into their decisions on where they work and how they invest,” Zink said.

There is now pressure on asset managers and governance frameworks to progress on ESG issues. Movements like #MeToo, Black Lives Matter and climate change have created social pressure to adopt these practices, but at the same time, more and more companies know they need to adopt ESG to create long-term value, Bhardwaj added.

Businesses and asset managers can also no longer look at issues like environmental sustainability, and social and economic inclusion as distinct spheres. In the past, a company could get away with focusing on either the environment or social issues. In reality, the two are intertwined.

For instance, in the case of climate change, those least responsible are at the risk of bearing the brunt of its impact, Bergeron said.

Companies need to adopt a more holistic outlook on how to reduce harm and maximize positive impacts for people, communities and the planet. This means putting people at the centre of your ESG framework and asking, specifically, how company decisions impact people, Bergeron added. This can lead to better outcomes across all areas.

“These are really systemic issues and they do require a system to change. So focusing on one is necessary but I would say insufficient,” she said.

When it comes to asset managers, the focus on ESG should extend beyond investments to include the business model, as a whole, especially if they want to retain top talent.

Canada’s boards look to make changes

It’s really about connecting purpose with value creation for all stakeholders, Bhardwaj says.

Boards are now looking to structure themselves differently, not just in terms of board composition, but also in terms of their agendas so they can create more space to talk about ESG, reputational risk, or just business risk and strategy. There’s so much compliance to be done that boards don’t always have the space to talk amongst themselves on strategy, he added.

At the Institute of Corporate Directors (IDC), they’re creating opportunities for boards and chairs to understand what other successful boards are doing, and learn how they may be able to follow in the same path, not just in the Canadian environment, but the global environment as well.

The ICD also provides support to its members on how they can further embrace diversity within board and senior management positions. The ICD provides a free toolkit on their website and a director’s registrar.

How organizations can drive sustainability and inclusion

“A business is not truly successful if the environment and the community in which it operates is also not thriving,” Bergeron said. If a leader doesn’t see the value of sustainability and inclusion, they should read up on the research regarding risk and opportunities because there’s a sound business case.

Employees, investors, clients and consumer views have shifted significantly and quickly, making ESG a long-term strategic opportunity. Leaders shouldn’t view these issues as the work of their sustainability team. Instead, they need to embed it into their strategy, Bergeron said. For those that haven’t started, they’re already behind.

“If your business model can’t support these societal and stakeholder expectations, your purpose is misaligned right now,” Bhardwaj added. “If you can’t make the business case, you’re not trying hard enough. And if you really can’t make the business case under your model, you’re doing something fundamentally wrong.”

The RIA is pleased to announce the winners and finalists of the 2021 RIA Leadership Awards, which recognize the outstanding contributions of RIA members in advancing responsible investment (RI) in Canada.

Our sincere congratulations to the Winners, whose submissions exemplified leading-edge RI projects, practices and activities. Finalists, who received the second-highest scores in their category, are commended for demonstrating excellence in RI with their competitive submissions. We thank all organizations and individuals who made submissions, as they showcased the great breadth of work that has been done and considerable momentum in the industry going forward.

Market Education (Institutional Investors & Financial Institutions)

Winner: BMO Global Asset Management
Project: MyESG Campaign: Aligning Beliefs and Investments

Finalist: Desjardins
Project: The RI Certification Program

Integration (Institutional Investors)

Winner: British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI)
Project: BCI’s ESG Risk and Opportunities Framework

Finalist: Inspirit Foundation
Project: 100% Impact Portfolio

Stewardship (Institutional Investors)

Winner: BMO Global Asset Management
Project: Diversity and inclusion (D&I) engagement in Canada: moving beyond gender

Finalist: British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI)
Project: BCI’s Leading Stewardship in Board Governance and Climate-related Disclosure Practices

Service Leadership (Service Providers)

Winner: SHARE (Shareholder Association for Research & Education) and Atkinson Foundation
Project: Valuing Decent Work (Collaborative Submission)

Finalist: MSCI
Project: Advancing Climate Investing in Canada

Individual Leadership (Financial Advisors and Professionals)

Winner: Dr. Edward T. Jackson
Project: Assessing Ecosystem Building: The Evaluation of the Convergence Blended Finance Platform

Finalist: Tony Pringle
Project: Supporting ESG Leadership Among Canadian Alternative Investors

The RIA is very grateful to the Panel of Judges for their diligence, time and commitment to judging the submissions in an unbiased manner.

Process

The RIA Leadership Awards were launched in 2020 to recognize the leadership and excellence of RIA members in advancing responsible investment in Canada.

For the 2021 RIA Leadership Awards, there were five categories:

• Market Education: Driving awareness and demand for responsible investments
  >  Open to Organizational Members – Institutional Investors & Financial Institutions
• Integration: Developing RI capacity of investment professionals
  >  Open to Organizational Members – Institutional Investors
• Stewardship: Advancing Practices and Policies to Support RI
  >  Open to Organizational Members – Institutional Investors
• Service Leadership: Advancing Market Practices to Support RI
  >  Open to Organizational Members – Service Providers
• Individual Leadership: Implementing practices to drive awareness and demand for RI
  >  Open to Individual Members – Financial Advisors and Professionals

We received a total of 27 submissions for the 2021 RIA Leadership Awards during the submission period of February 12th to April 14th, 2021. A detailed breakdown is shown below:

• RIA Leadership Award for Market Education  – 5 submissions from organizations
• RIA Leadership Award for Integration – 9 submissions from organizations
• RIA Leadership Award for Stewardship – 4 submissions from organizations
• RIA Service Leadership Award – 5 submissions from organizations
• RIA Individual Leadership Award – 4 submissions from individuals

Submissions consisted of a project description, long-form answers to questions in the categories and sub-themes below, and supplementary materials.

Category: Originality

• Sub-themes: Ambition, Innovation, Uniqueness

Category: Design & Delivery

• Organizational Sub-themes: Design, Methodology, Accessibility, Comprehensibility, Success
• Individual Sub-themes: Design, Methodology, Success

Category: Influence

• Sub-themes: Mainstream, Impact, Momentum

Submissions were assessed by a panel of eleven judges, who scored the submissions independently, with no communication amongst them. Submissions were scored on a scale from 1-5 for each sub-theme listed above, with 5 being the highest score. Judges submitted their scorecards to RIA staff, and staff calculated the average scores for each submission. The maximum possible score was 15. The Winners were those with the highest average score, and the Finalists had the second highest score.

Judges are subject to a conflict of interest policy. Two Judges were recused from assessing certain categories in which their firm/colleague had made a submission. Three other Judges were recused from certain categories due to ongoing business relationships with submitting organizations/individuals. RIA staff had zero influence on the scoring outcomes. 

All organizations and individuals who entered a submission for the Awards will receive a copy of their final scorecard, along with the scores of the Winner and Finalist in their category, and the range of scores given for all the submissions in their category.

You can find out more information about the Winner and Finalist Submissions on the Awards webpage.

New platform offers efficient, cost effective professional development in responsible investment

The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is pleased to announce the launch of the RIA Digital Academy, a new online learning platform for professionals to strengthen their knowledge of responsible investment, which refers to investments that incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. 

The RIA Digital Academy offers two online courses: a new and improved version of RI Fundamentals for Retail Advisors and the all-new RI Essentials for Investment Professionals. Both courses are offered in English and French, and they are priced at C$450 each with discounts available for RIA members and post-secondary students. 

RI Essentials for Investment Professionals was developed in collaboration with the Institute for Sustainable Finance, which is based at the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University. The course gives financial professionals a broad overview of key concepts, issues, strategies, frameworks and trends in responsible investment. It can be completed in 10 to 15 hours of study time. It has been accredited for CE credits by IIROC, FP Canada, and IAFE, and it has been accredited for PDUs by IQPF and CSF. 

As its name indicates, RI Fundamentals for Retail Advisors is tailored for retail advisors working in the Canadian market. It offers practical, efficient, and cost-effective education for retail advisors who want to develop knowledge of responsible investment and how it works in practice. The course can be completed in approximately 10 hours of study time. It has been accredited for CE credits by IIROC, FP Canada, and IAFE, and it has been accredited for PDUs by IQPF and CSF. The new platform offers an updated version of the same Fundamentals course that the RIA has offered since 2016. 

“We are really excited to deliver these educational offerings for our membership and the broader market,” said Dustyn Lanz, CEO of the Responsible Investment Association. “ESG knowledge is no longer nice to have; it’s table stakes for winning institutional mandates and that will soon be the case in the retail market. We are thrilled to partner with the Institute for Sustainable Finance to ramp up ESG education in Canada.” 

“Today’s financial professionals need robust sustainable finance education to fully assess the risks and seize the opportunities of responsible investing,” said Sean Cleary, Chair of the Institute for Sustainable Finance. “We are pleased to work with RIA Canada to address this important gap in professional development.”

The course outlines and more details are available at academy.riacanada.ca. Furthermore, the RIA continues to partner with the PRI Academy, offering discounts on PRI Academy courses to RIA members. Links to PRI Academy courses are available on the RIA Digital Academy website, and members can access their discount code in the member portal of the RIA website.

About the Responsible Investment Association 

The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is Canada’s industry association for responsible investment (RI). The RIA aims to drive the growth and development of RI in Canada, with a vision to align capital with sustainable and inclusive development as codified in the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our members include asset managers, asset owners, advisors, and service providers who support these objectives. Our institutional investor members collectively manage more than $29 trillion in assets. Learn more about the RIA at www.riacanada.ca. 

About the Institute for Sustainable Finance 

The Institute for Sustainable Finance (ISF) is the first-ever cross-cutting and collaborative hub in Canada that fuses academia, the private sector, and government with the singular focus of increasing Canada’s sustainable finance capacity. The institute’s mission is to align mainstream financial markets with Canada’s transition to a prosperous sustainable economy. Learn more about the ISF at www.isfcanada.org.

RIA Member Enquiries 

Olga Bordatcheva
Senior Manager, Member Relations
Email: olga@riacanada.ca
Phone: +1(416)461-6042 x7

Media Enquiries 

Nick Buccheri
Director, Operations
+1 416-461-6042

Congratulations to Canada’s newest recipients of the RIA’s financial credentials in recognition of expertise in responsible investing. View a full list of RIA credential holders here.

Learn more about the RIA’s training and credentials here.

Oksana Babkina (RIS), Steinbach Credit Union
Karan Bains (RIS), Vancity Credit Union
Tony Barclay (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Charles-Olivier Barsalou (RIS), Socium groupe financier
Amy Becken (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Christine Bédard (RIS), De Champlain
Lawrence Boucher Brière (RIS), Desjardins
Julien Bourassa (RIS), Desjardins
Curtis Bowie (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union
Albert Brandstatte (RIS), National Bank
Gage Buchanan (RIS)
Lucas Cerqueira (RIS), Your Neighbourhood Credit Union
Brenda Clark (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Jennifer Cook (RIS), The Co-operators
Hervé Curate (RIS), Lavallée et associés services financiers
Isabelle De Henau (RIS)
Sylvie DeGrâce (RIS), UNI Coopération financière
Megan Deslippe (RIS)
Rose Dodaro (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union
Guy Drolet (RIS), Gestion FÉRIQUE
Bryan Dubois Bourque (RIS), Desjardins
Praven Elankumaran (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Ramsey Fashho (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union
Daisy Ferreira (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union
Rafael Ferreira Mendes (RIS), Vancity Credit Union
Ricardo Figueiredo (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union
Lisa Flannigan (RIS), Tandia Financial Credit Union
Grant Galloway (RIS), Credential Asset Management Inc
Gaitian Gao (RIS)
Lauren Gardy (RIS), Fidelity Investments
Andrée-Anne Girard (RIS), Services en placement Peak
Stephanie Govier (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Jonathan Grenier (RIS), Desjardins
Chedly Harmel (RIS) Desjardins
Michael Hilbig (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Laurie Horan (RIS), Tandia Financial Credit Union
Kelechi Idoko (RIS), Aviso
James Johnson (RIS), Affinity Wealth Management
Joanne Kaban (RIS) Coast Capital Wealth Management
Corinne Kadin (RIS), Thrive Wealth Management
Shabnam Kassaian (RIS)
Jeff Keill (RIS), Keill & Associates/ IPC Securities Corporation
Dean Kennedy (RIS), Pier Financial Group
Shawn Khimji (RIS), Alterna
Neal Kongkham (RIS), Sun Life Financial
Rohit Kumar (RIS), Vancity Credit Union
Patrick Lagrange (RIS), SFL Placements
Adam Lane (RIS), Fidelity Investments
Julie Lanteigne (RIS), UNI Coopération financière
Marie-Eve Lauriault (RIS), SFL Placements
Pierre Lavallée (RIS), Lavallée et associés services financiers
Tien Le (RIS), RBC Wealth Management
Bryan Lee (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union
Jason Leung (RIS), De Champlain Groupe Financier Inc
Gonzalo Lucas (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union
Marta Malkinska (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union
Karine Marcotte (RIS), SFL Placements
Marc-Antoine Marois (RIS), SFL Placements
Amanda Martyn (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Joseph Matos (RIS), Your Neighbourhood Credit Union
Craig Mcdonald (RIS)
Melissa McGuire (RIS), Coast Capital Wealth Management
Brian McIntosh (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union
Sebastian Meltzer (RIS), Fidelity Investments
Hugues Ménard (RIS), Lavallée et associés services financiers
Kathy Mercey (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union
Elisa Moteeram (RIS), Manulife Securities Incorprated
Hutson Myles (RIS) BMO Global Asset Management
Katherine Pelley (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Jacquelyn Platis (RIS)
Garith R. Mill (RIS) Prospera Credit Union
Alexandre Rancourt (RIS), Lavallée et associés services financiers
Bun Rith Nak (RIS), Gestion FÉRIQUE
Gener Robinos (RIS), Vancity
Christopher Roe (RIS), Fidelity
Aquiles Rosales (RIS), Prospera Credit Union
Isabelle Roussel-Pelletier (RIS), UNI Coopération financière
Randi Russett (RIS), Churchbridge Credit Union
Tara Scollon (RIS), Vancity
Frank Sgro (RIS), Alterna Savings
Bandish Sharma (RIS), Affinity Credit Union
Karen Shaver (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union
Hildah Sibanda (RIS), Connect First Wealth
Ryan Siegel (RIS), Fidelity Investments
Man Kit (Jacky) Siu (RIS), Vancity
Jeff Stathopulos (RIS), Scotia Wealth Management
Charlotte Strahl (RIS)
Pawel Suszycki (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Magdalema Szeremeta (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Charles Tellier (RIS)
Michelle Thompson (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Steve Truong (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Derek Valchuk (RIS), Tandia Financial Credit Union
Jacques Veilleux (RIS), Services Financiers Jaques Veilleux inc
Paaras Wadhwa (RIS), Fidelity Investments
Melissa Wagner (RIS), Affinity Wealth Management
Kimberly Wells (RIS) Synergy Credit Union
Cameron Wicks (RIS), Fidelity
Tara Wilkie (RIS), Westoba Financial Solutions
Cha Young Lee (RIS), Vancity

Employer: Responsible Investment Association (RIA)
Location: Toronto (Exceptional candidates in Montréal or Vancouver will be considered)
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Start date: June or July, 2021
Application deadline: Please apply ASAP as interviews are booked on a rolling basis. This advertisement will be online until the position is filled.

About the Responsible Investment Association (RIA)

The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is Canada’s industry association for responsible investment (RI). The RIA aims to drive the growth and development of RI in Canada, with a vision to align capital with sustainable and inclusive development as codified in the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our members include asset managers, asset owners, advisors, and service providers who support these objectives.

Due to the pandemic, our staff are working remotely and will continue to do so until it is safe to return to the office. We expect this will be no sooner than September, and we will adapt our timeline as needed to ensure the safety of our staff. Our office is located at 111 Peter Street in downtown Toronto. Exceptional candidates in Montréal or Vancouver would be considered for a remote position.

Diversity

The RIA is a strong proponent of diversity and strives to foster an inclusive workplace culture driven by purpose, wellness, development, and productivity. We encourage applications from traditionally underrepresented groups, including but not limited to: Black and Indigenous communities, people of colour, women, members of the LGBT2Q+ community, and people experiencing disabilities.

Position Overview

As Manager, Research & Insights, you will join a small team of ten staff members working to advance responsible investment (RI) in Canada. You will manage and execute research projects, and you will be our in-house writing specialist and subject matter expert on the RI market. You will work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to develop and deliver insights, reports, and other educational content related to responsible investment and sustainable finance.

Key Accountabilities

Research & Analysis

• Conduct research on the market for responsible investing. Major research projects include the Canadian Responsible Investment Trends Report, RIA Investor Opinion Survey, and more.
• Manage small and large research projects from inception to delivery, in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Design research questionnaires and methodologies.
• Collect and analyze market data via surveys and desk research.
• Prepare research summaries for the CEO.
• Present research findings at industry events.

Insights

• Write educational content for the RIA’s website, online courses, infographics, explainer videos, and other channels.
• Curate content for the RIA’s monthly newsletters.

Other

• Review and provide feedback on others’ written work.
• As we are a small team, the Manager, Research & Insights is expected to help with other tasks as needed to support the success of the organization.

Key Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field of study such as business, social sciences, statistics, or sustainability with a focus on research and a track record of outstanding academic performance.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in a professional research & writing role, preferably with a think tank, research firm, consultancy, or NGO.
• Proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Familiarity with the following software would be an asset: Google Drive, Dropbox, Slack, Salesforce, Apple Pages, Formstack, and SurveyMonkey.
• Bilingualism (French and English) would be a valuable asset.

Essential Skills

All applicants must possess strong competencies in these five areas:

1. Research – You are an experienced researcher, ideally with publications to your credit and competencies in qualitative and quantitative methods.
2. Writing – You have outstanding writing skills, and you can easily adapt your writing style for research or web content as needed. You have the ability to communicate complex ideas in a clear, concise, and cogent manner.
3. Data Management, Analysis & Visualization – You are able to manage & analyze data effectively and create compelling charts.
4. ESG Knowledge – You have demonstrable knowledge of the market for ESG and sustainable finance.
5. Project Management – You have experience managing collaborative projects.

About You

• You are a “high achiever,” never satisfied with less than excellent outcomes.
• You are highly organized and efficient with your time.
• You are industrious & adaptable, and you have an entrepreneurial mindset. In other words, you have a way of thinking that enables you to overcome challenges, be decisive, and accept responsibility for your outcomes.
• You are savvy with digital platforms, willing and able to quickly learn software applications that are new to you.
• You are happy to perform tasks outside your job description to help your colleagues.
• You are passionate about societal issues such as sustainability and inclusion.

What’s in it For You

• Competitive salary for a non-profit organization.
• Health and dental benefits after completing three-month probationary period.
• 6% RRSP contributions after one year of employment.
• $1,000 annual credit for professional development activities.
• $1,000 annual credit for wellness expenses.
• Three weeks of paid vacation (FTE), plus the RIA winter office closure between December 24^th and January 1^st, for a total of four weeks of paid time off.
• When it is safe to return to the office, you will work in a bright, modern office space in downtown Toronto with sit-stand desks and nearby access to public transit. Exceptional candidates in Montréal or Vancouver would be considered for a remote position.
• Be part of a small team of professionals who are helping to create positive societal change in the investment industry!

How to Apply

Please read these instructions carefully. Applications that do not follow these instructions will not be considered.

Please prepare your application as a single PDF, composed of the following materials in the following order:

1. Cover Letter – Your cover letter should explain why you are interested in this position and why you would be an asset to the RIA. The cover letter should be no more than one page.
2. Résumé – Your résumé should be between 1-3 pages, and it should include links to any publications (with your byline) that may support your application.
3. Short Essay or Article – Write a clear and cogent essay or article between 500-1,000 words. You may write this piece in the style of an essay or an op-ed article. Choose one of the following themes and demonstrate subject matter knowledge while making any argument you want: (a) investor stewardship; (b) impact investing; (c) net zero portfolios; (d) transition finance; (e) investing for diversity & inclusion. Assume your audience is composed of investors and investment professionals who are familiar with responsible investment, but not specialists. All references should be properly cited. Contributions will be analyzed for plagiarism. The successful candidate’s work may be published on the RIA website with their byline.
4. Transcript – Candidates with less than five years of experience in a professional research role are required to submit their graduate school transcript(s).

Send your application as a single PDF to careers@riacanada.ca with the subject line, “Manager, Research & Insights.” The filename of your PDF should follow the format, “FirstName_LastName_Application.”

Congratulations to Canada’s newest recipients of the RIA’s financial credentials in recognition of expertise in responsible investing. View a full list of RIA credential holders here.

Learn more about the RIA’s training and credentials here.

Cesar Alcantara (RIS)
Thomas Anderson (RIS), Meridian Credit Union
Tyler Beatty (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Stephen Bebber (RIS), Fidelity Investments
Corilee Blanchard (RIS), Prospera Credit Union
Vanessa Blandino (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Yann Bochud (RIS), Financière Liberté 55
Amanda Boehm (RIS), 1st Choice Savings Credit Union
Natalie Boldt (RIS), Connect First Wealth
Jessica Bone (RIS), Prairie Centre Credit Union
Sherri Bowie (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Kevin Briscoe (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Cindy Broschell (RIS), Meridan Credit Union
Shawna Brunet (RIS), Servus Credit Union
Bryan Burrows (RIS), 1st Choice Savings Credit Union
Amber Butler (RIS), Northern Credit Union
Gavin Caldecott (RIS), Prospera Credit Union
Sébastien Carreau (RIS), Sun Life
Thomas Caulfield (RIS), Fidelity Investments
Karen Christie (RIS), Prospera Credit Union
Lindsay Cilurzo (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Derek Condon (RIS), Haven Wealth Management
Jennifer Cook (RIS), The Co-operators
Megan Crofts (RIS), Prairie Centre Credit Union
Matthew Crudo (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Carlos Da Costa Frias (RIS), Desjardins Wealth Management
John De Vincenzi (RIPC), RBC Dominion Securities Inc.
Annie Delisle (RIS), Desjardins
François Deschamps (RIS), IG Gestion de Patrimoine
Anthony Dias (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Linda Dobby (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Beth Dowell (RIS), Kawartha Credit Union
Ted Ecclestone (RIS), Ecclestone Financial Group Inc.
Laura Ecclestone Salter (RIS), Ecclestone Financial Group Inc.
Paolo Espinoza (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Joe Fehrman (RIS), FirstOntario Credit Union
John Ferguson (RIS)
Craig Fewer (RIS), Prospera Credit Union
Robert Finch Noyes (RIAC), RBC
Francis Frappier (RIS), Finexia Inc
Elysse Froshaug (RIS), Prairie Centre Credit Union
Gus Grier (RIS)
Irene Haines (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Erik Hamar (RIS)
April Hamilton (RIS), 1st Choice Savings Credit Union
Shawna Harwood (RIS), Synergy Credit Union
Kevin Herder (RIS), Ecclestone Financial Group Inc.
Nikhol Hopkins (RIS), Prospera Credit Union
Benny Ho (RIS), Prospera Credit Union
Damon Hoy (RIS), Prospera Credit Union
Davion Hutchinson (RIS), Prospera Credit Union
Pier-Karl Jolicoeur (RIS), Jolicoeur | Lapierre Gestion Financière
Neermala Kailass (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Michael Kerr (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Barbara Kowerchuk (RIS), Prairie Centre Credit Union
Joel Krueger (RIS), CIBC
Padmashri Kulkari (RIS), Vancity
Alexander Kwok (RIS), Fidelity Investments
Maxime Lamoureux (RIS), Services Financiers Groupe Investors Inc.
Stephen LaPage (RIS), Guardian Financial Planning
Charles-Éric Lapierre (RIS), Jolicoeur | Lapierre Gestion Financière
Dominic Lapointe (RIS), Groupe DeVimy inc.
Jean-Philippe Lepage (RIS), Multi Services Financiers inc.
Jérôme Lepage (RIS), Multi Services Financiers inc.
Christina Lewis (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Debra MacWilliam (RIS), SunCu Financial Services Inc.
Alison Mason (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Erin McCarthy (RIS)
Jesse McDonald (RIS), Vancity
Taneisha McDonald (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Tim McGillivray (RIS), Affinity Wealth Management
Shelley M. Moch (RIS), Vision Credit Union Ltd
Cecilia Montagne (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Janice Morton (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Mina Nademi Hosseini (RIS), Vancity
Nathan Nair (RIS)
Aaron Nasipayko (RIS), Latitude Financial Services Inc.
Kay Nasseir (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Lauren Nation (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Mudit Pachauri (RIS)
Luc Pagé (RIS), Pagé services financiers
Samathan Patel (RIS)
Kerria Penaloza (RIS), Prospera Credit Union
Raphael Pineau (RIS), Desjardins
Tammy Pregizer Legge (RIS), Prairie Centre Credit Union
Sylvain Rioux (RIS), Financière Liberté 55
Trish Rozendal (RIS), Ecclestone Financial Group Inc
Sean Seabrook (RIS), Edward Jones
Anuradha Roy Sen (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Jing Sheng Bi (RIS), Vancity
Angela Shryane (RIS), Libro Credit Union
Mohit Singh (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Jo-Ann Spicer (RIS), Kawartha Credit Union
Stephan St. Amant (RIS), Synergy Credit Union
Mariya Stasyuk (RIS), BMO Nesbitt Burns
Amanda Stevens (RIS), Prairie Centre Credit Union
Camela Stubbins (RIS), Prairie Centre Credit Union
Mike Sullivan (RIS), Kawartha Credit Union
Olena Svistolnikova (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Martin Theberge (RIS), Desjardins
Lynden Thorpe (RIS), Prairie Centre Credit Union
Umang Vaghela (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Wayne Vigneux (RIS), Libro Credit Union
David Vincent-Auger (RIS), Desjardins
Laurie Wagner (RIS), Prairie Centre Credit Union
Rick Watson (RIS), Kawartha Credit Union
Gillian Watt (RIS), Kawartha Credit Union
Laksamana Wibisono (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Amy Williams (RIS), Kawartha Credit Union
Michael Yablonsky (RIS)
Russell Yolles (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd
Sharon Young (RIS), DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd