From property to infrastructure, real assets can offer investors a unique opportunity to drive real-world improvements through investment allocations and ESG considerations. The provision of debt to these projects is an essential part of this, and can come with different investment characteristics to help investors meet their financial goals. Despite the significant progress in ESG integration and stewardship within real assets in recent years, there remains ample room for progress – with some frameworks still lacking an explicit application to these asset classes.
In this online session, speakers from Barings explored the evolving landscape of ESG into real estate debt and infrastructure debt. They discussed the importance of obtaining meaningful data and engaging in dialogue with issuers to drive improvements on financially material risks. Additionally, the conversation emphasised the importance of transparency in reporting ESG outcomes in these markets – in particular, how demonstrating where outcomes are occurring can pave the way for more intentional investments in the future.
Ecosystem Theme: Impact integration
Who was this event open to?
This event was open to asset owners such as pension fund trustees and in-house executives, independent investment advisers and investment consultants.
Sponsor
Speakers
Sean Allen, Stewardship Director, Barings
Sean’s role involves coordinating and enhancing the existing stewardship activities across investment teams to support Barings’ sustainability vision and strategy. This involves the development and facilitation of training and awareness raising, as well as participation in industry initiatives.
Sean has worked in the field of ESG and sustainability since graduating in 2013 with a BSc in Environmental Sciences from the University of Southampton. Starting at the engineering and environmental consultancy, WSP, he gained experience in environmental and social due diligence projects for major international financial institutions before moving to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). At the PRI, Sean worked in the Stewardship team before his role as a signatory relations manager for UK and Ireland.
Kristina Arsenievich, Senior Director, Europe Real Estate ESG, Barings
Kristina is a member of Barings Real Estate, a global real estate platform with extensive capabilities across debt and equity strategies. Kristina is responsible for the evolution of firm-level real estate ESG strategy for equity and debt, and alignment to the Barings Global sustainability policy. She leads the development and implementation of zero carbon and climate resilience policies that will help Barings achieve the goal of net zero, and support Barings’ tenants and the value chain. She works alongside the Global Sustainability team and serves on the Barings Real Estate Global ESG Committee.
Before joining Barings, Kristina worked with Canary Wharf Group as an ESG lead, responsible for Net Zero Carbon 2030 strategy development, enabling the Group to define ambitious science-based targets and become the first real estate business to join The Climate Pledge to reach net-zero annual carbon emissions ahead of the Paris Agreement. Kristina holds a diploma in Sustainable Investment from Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership, a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Brighton and an MSc in Urban Planning from Saint-Petersburg State University. She is a member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), a STEM Ambassador and an Engineers Without Borders UK alumni.
Richard Parker, Managing Director, Barings
Richard Parker is Head of Barings’ EMEA Infrastructure Group and a member of the Barings’ Global Infrastructure Committee. He is based in London, and is responsible for originating, structuring and underwriting non-recourse structured finance transactions in the infrastructure, power and energy sectors.
Richard has worked in the industry for 20 years and, before joining Barings, was the Head of the London infrastructure team at Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank where he worked for 12 years with a focus on debt advisory and the origination, structuring and underwriting of infrastructure transactions. Before that he worked at Bank of Ireland in the project finance team. Richard is Association of Charterd Certified Accounts (ACCA) qualified and has a BA in History from Queen’s University in Belfast.
Host
Laasya Shekaran, Director, Pensions for Purpose
Laasya is responsible for working with our Community, developing content and knowledge, and driving forward collaborative initiatives across the industry.
Laasya is passionate about approaching pensions and investment with a systems lens and understanding how these sectors interact with the wider social and environmental systems they exist within.
Laasya is a CFA charterholder with experience working with a range of asset owners as an investment adviser, with a focus on corporate defined benefit pensions. Laasya is a regular speaker at industry conferences and events, and is also an experienced podcast host, and presenter of the Pensions for Purpose podcast. Laasya is an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion and is particularly passionate about anti-racism activism. She has previously won the Women in Pensions and Women in Investment Rising Star awards.
Pensions for Purpose
Pensions for Purpose exists as a bridge between asset managers, pension funds and their professional advisers, to encourage the flow of capital towards impact investment. Our aim is to empower pension funds to seek positive impact opportunities and mitigate negative impact risks.
Our Community allows members to learn from leaders in the impact investment industry. We provide a trusted environment to interact, collaborate and share knowledge. Members engage in a programme of activity to shape their strategy in ESG, sustainable and impact investments.
For more information, please email the Membership Manager.
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