2023 In Review

2023 presented its fair share of challenges for sustainability and sustainable investing, yet amidst the hurdles, there were notable bright spots and the year ultimately concluded on a promising note.

In the Fund’s latest webinar, Ted Franks, Seb Beloe & Rachael Monterio provide a review of 2023.

Webinar Highlights:

1. Narrow market leadership and the relative underperformance of the more sustainable sectors of the economy led to a challenging environment in 2023.
2. Looking forward, there are reasons to be optimistic about many of the sectors that lagged last year, and even in an environment of policy headwinds, we have seen exponential growth in sustainable technologies.
3. Climate adaptation technologies are increasingly important. Advanced Drainage Systems is a great example of a company growing revenue and expanding margins by providing a critical adaptation solution.
4. COP28 in Dubai was always going to be controversial. Meaningful advances were made but the scale of the advances is dwarfed by the scale of what still has to be done.
5. WHEB has become more methodical in its stewardship, focusing on issues most crucial for the long-term success of businesses. This involves a detailed process of identifying priority issues, setting ambitious engagement objectives, and leveraging the investment team’s expertise to ensure alignment with the long-term success of the business.

Webinar Sections:

Introduction

Strategy Review

Outlook

COP28 Review

Stewardship Update

Q&A

CPD points applicable for Australian Financial Planners