Beyond influencing the companies and physical assets they invest in, asset managers should engage with governments, policymakers and other key stakeholders to correct market failures on sustainability issues. Welcome to the world of macro stewardship.
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Macro stewardship: An introduction
The investment industry is currently dominated by three letters: E, S, and G. Yet for all the attention, a backlash is building. This is not all bad, though. Amidst all the grand claims and grandstanding, greater scrutiny of responsible investing is welcome.
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A tragedy of perception: Fixing the ESG blind spots in business, finance and economics
A distorted sense of reality has caused us to disregard sustainability concerns when modelling economies, companies and finance. We can no longer ignore such material issues just because they are too hard to fathom. This is where systems thinking comes in, explains Steve Waygood.
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Redefining stewardship: Why stakeholder capitalism needs to wake up
Asset managers and other financial institutions have a duty to act in the best interests of their customers and society. Macro stewardship will be crucial to meeting these responsibilities, argues Mark Versey.
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Moving mountains and markets: A new way to approach systematic risk
A series of market failures have brutally exposed the shortcomings of Modern Portfolio Theory. However, market participants play an active role in markets; they are not mere bystanders. Understanding this could provide a better way to think about and deal with systematic risk.
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Patterns, partnerships and a Marshall Plan for the planet: An interview with Nigel Topping
The UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for the COP26 summit in the UK sets out how the private and public sectors can work together to tackle the climate crisis and other systemic threats. Words by Miles Costello.
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The levers of change: A systems approach to reconcile finance with planetary boundaries
Financial services underpin all economic activity, which itself depends on Earth’s natural capital. Resolving their interconnected issues to bring about a just transition will require a holistic, systems-thinking approach.
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Ring the changes: An interview with Kate Raworth
The influential academic speaks to AIQ about the flaws in traditional economic thinking and how her revolutionary “Doughnut” offers a fresh approach to solving the world’s greatest problems.
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Strategies to change the financial system: An interview with Natalie Mangondo
Can society reform the system that has enabled growth but simultaneously brought the long-term health of the planet into question? UN Climate Change High Level Champions Finance Youth Fellow Natalie Mangondo contemplates choices and change with AIQ.
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Know your limits: An interview with Nafeez Ahmed
Warnings that natural systems are close to breaking point are not new – but how will we respond? Combining what we know with existing technologies could offer a remarkable opportunity to rethink our world, as Nafeez Ahmed explains.
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The burning issue: Avoiding ESG fatigue
How can we face existential problems and stay positive? Abigail Herron contemplates simple steps to protect momentum and avoid burnout.
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The Little Book of Data
Good data visualisation makes us see the world anew. The sixth edition of The Little Book of Data presents original and curated visuals, charts and graphics to offer a fresh perspective on topics shaping our world.
