RIAA Conference Aotearoa NZ 2025 Companion: Resources and Readings
This article provides curated, complimentary resources suggested by the session/workshop panel members and Altiorem’s team, to accompany each session of the RIAA Aotearoa New Zealand 2025 Conference. They are designed to support deeper engagement with the topics discussed.
Plenary – Thursday, September 18, 2025
Passive with purpose: Advancing responsible investment through standards for index strategies
09:05 – 09:35
Index/passive investing has surged from just 1% of the global market in the early 1990s to over 50% today. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, inflows into Australasian index funds with sustainability characteristics reached USD 272 million, underscoring their rising influence on the achievement of a healthy environment, economy and society. As index-based strategies grow in dominance, a crucial question arises, how should investors remain responsible stewards of their investments? This session will explore how index-based strategies can meet Responsible Investment aims and align with RIAA’s Responsible Investment Certification Standard, increasing investor confidence through external validation.
Global responsible investment trends: Inside PRI reporting data 2025
Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) (2025)
- This resource provides valuable insights into global responsible investment trends and practical guidance on integrating environmental, social, and governance factors into investment strategies, which complements discussions on the developments and responsibilities of index/passive investing.
Definitions for Responsible Investment Approaches
CFA Institute, PRI, Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (2023)
- This resource provides standardised terminology and definitions for responsible investment approaches, enabling investors to communicate effectively and align their index-based strategies with sustainability goals and certification standards, thereby enhancing responsible stewardship of their investments.
Ashley Lester at MSCI on Sustainability Data at Sustainability LIVE London 2024
Sustainability Magazine
- This video provides guidance on leveraging ESG data for competitive advantage, directly supporting the session’s goal of aligning index-based strategies with responsible investment principles.
Responsible investment – top down, bottom up – Kate Turner
FS Sustainability
- This podcast episode offers a top-down institutional perspective on building a responsible investment strategy, providing practical context for aligning index funds with RIAA’s Certification Standard.
Want more resources? Find them here.
Climate reporting: Navigating the changing seas
09:35-10:05
As New Zealand’s reporting and assurance standard setter, the External Reporting Board (XRB) aims for its standards to be internationally aligned, yet locally relevant. But when the international scene is still evolving and uncertain, challenges can arise. As the new Chief Executive of the XRB, Wendy Venter will share the XRB’s strategic priorities for the next five years, with a particular focus on how it plans to navigate the changing seas of climate reporting.
RIAA policy platform: Sustainable finance for a thriving Aotearoa New Zealand 2023 and beyond
Responsible Investment Association Australasia (2023)
- Provides essential insights into sustainable finance frameworks, outlining strategies that align index-based investing with responsible investment practices, thereby enhancing investor confidence and promoting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) stewardship in a rapidly evolving financial landscape.
ERM SustainAbility Institute (2024)
- Offers a comprehensive comparison of sustainability-related disclosure regulations and standards, aiding investors in understanding how to ensure compliance and align index-based strategies with responsible investment goals, thus enhancing confidence in their sustainability practices.
GHG Protocol
- The GHG Protocol’s resources offer practical, globally recognised frameworks and tools that enhance consistency, transparency, and comparability in climate reporting—helping organisations navigate evolving disclosure requirements and set credible emission reduction strategies.
Voluntarily applying ISSB Standards—A guide for preparers
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (2024)
- This resource provides practical guidance for companies adopting ISSB Standards, enhancing understanding of sustainability-related disclosures, which is crucial for investors seeking responsible investment strategies in an increasingly dominant index-based environment.
Want more resources? Find them here.
Investing in New Zealand’s climate transition
10:15-10:50
Time is tight for New Zealand to reach its goal of 51-55% emissions cuts by 2035 and investors will play a crucial role in delivering on these commitments, with the potential to attract huge sums of global capital towards this objective. While energy transition funding is at record levels, the rate of growth is slowing. This session will bring together leaders in the sector to explore what opportunities climate change offers for Kiwi investors to harness this global megatrend and what leading practice ‘climate investing’ looks like. The panellists will explore the advantages and challenges of different asset classes, such as private equity, fixed income, index investments and real assets, and offer views on the legislative and regulatory changes needed to unleash the scale of investment we need to successfully meet New Zealand’s climate goals.
RIAA policy platform: Sustainable finance for a thriving Aotearoa New Zealand 2023 and beyond
Responsible Investment Association Australasia (2023)
- Directly guides policy, regulatory, and market reforms needed for the scale of climate investment to achieve New Zealand’s climate goals.
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (2024)
Want more resources? Find them here.
From awareness to action: Investing in nature
11:25-12:05
This panel will examine the shift from awareness of nature risk & opportunity to assessment of the investment portfolio dependencies, impacts, opportunities and risks as it relates to nature. As the investment community moves beyond awareness, investors are increasingly working to ensure nature-related investment activity reflects both ecological and cultural integrity. Brought to you by the RIAA Nature Working Group, join us to explore how various elements of the industry—from data and disclosure to regulation and governance—will shape this evolving landscape.
Guidance on the identification and assessment of nature related issues: The LEAP approach
TNFD (2023)
- This guidance is a practical step-by-step foundation for investors assessing nature and cultural integrity risks across their portfolios.
Responsible Investment Association Australasia (2024)
- This toolkit provides essential guidance for investors to identify and assess nature-related risks, opportunities, and impacts, helping them align their portfolios with ecological and cultural integrity as they navigate the evolving investment landscape.
Tools from RIAA’s nature tool kit
Want more resources? Find them here.
Te Ao Hurihuri: Navigating governance and ESG in Aotearoa
12:10-12:50
Corporate governance in Aotearoa New Zealand is changing rapidly. Updates to the NZX Corporate Governance Code and legislative reforms are raising expectations around ESG disclosures, board independence, and shareholder engagement. But good governance is not only shaped by external rules and regulations. It is also a function of internal leadership. As boards and investors navigate increasing complexity, the ability to lead with clarity, empathy, and resilience becomes essential. In this session, panellists will explore the implications of changing norms, the growing importance of ESG and climate disclosures, the role of shareholder activism and equity market dynamics.
Guiding principles for responsible investment stewardship in Aotearoa New Zealand
Stewardship Code Aotearoa New Zealand (2023)
- Serves as a practical foundation for directors and investors to enhance ESG leadership and align practices with evolving governance expectations in New Zealand.
Nzx Rules & Guidance, Corporate Governance Code
New Zealand’s Exchange
RIAA policy platform: Sustainable finance for a thriving Aotearoa New Zealand 2023 and beyond
Responsible Investment Association Australasia (2023)
- Outlines the national strategy and key frameworks for sustainable finance, providing essential context on the regulations and market expectations driving ESG integration and disclosure practices.
&Bloom’s New Zealand Climate Standards Toolkit
&Bloom (2024)
- Offers an essential framework and practical guidance for complying with New Zealand’s mandatory climate disclosure standards, directly addressing the session’s focus on evolving ESG reporting expectations.
Want more resources? Find them here.
ESG in the crosshairs: Navigating global pressures and staying the course
13:45-14:30
With the re-election of Donald Trump as US President, and executive orders targeting everything from climate to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), ESG investing has become a lightning rod in global debates.
This session will unpack the impact on US companies and ripple effects of President Trump’s second term in office on sustainable finance worldwide, including managing stewardship programs, engagement and proxy voting. The expert panel will share how investors are adapting amid increased scrutiny of ESG globally and explore how Kiwi investors can chart a smart path forward that protects returns and avoids the traps of global culture wars.
Greg Liddell (2025) ESG in the Trump era: What’s next?
- Essential for understanding how shifting US policy could reshape ESG priorities, influence global standards and require adaptive strategies.
Ioannis Ioannou (2025) Holding the Line: A Playbook for ESG Leadership in Hostile Terrain
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), First Sentier Investors (2023) Constructive corporate engagements from a corporate perspective
- Delivers practical insights into managing engagement and governance amid political and stakeholder scrutiny.
Want more resources? Find them here.
The grey zone: Responsible investment in a world at war
16:15-16:55
Responsible and ethical investors are grappling with questions around investment in the defence industries, not only in relation to controversial and nuclear weapons, but also conventional weapons. This session brings together experts from investment, ethics, and Indigenous leadership to explore the nuanced space of weapons exclusions in responsible investment. The panel will examine whether blanket exclusions of weapons-related industries remain appropriate in a world where geopolitical instability is rising and defence investment is reframed as national security. Topics will include dual-use technologies, the blurred lines between offensive and defensive systems, and the tension between ethical purity and global responsibility.
Heartland Initiative (2023)
- Provides practical insights into ethical considerations in supply chains, aiding investors in navigating the complexities of responsible investment in defense industries amid rising geopolitical instability and the evolving discourse on national security
Investor toolkit on human rights and armed conflict
Responsible Investment Association Australasia (2023)
- Equips investors to identify and manage legal and reputational risks in conflict and defence-related investments, highlighting the importance of hHRDD and international standards.
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (2024)
- Offers practical guidance on early warning systems in fragile contexts, essential for understanding the broader implications of investment decisions in defense industries amidst rising geopolitical instability and ethical considerations in crisis management.
Want more resources? Find them here.
Breakout Room – Thursday, September 18, 2025
The future of impact
10:10-10:50
Impact investing is at a crossroads. Will it remain largely niche? Will it become a mainstream investment strategy with institutional investors? Or will it evolve and serve as the trail-blazer for a more holistic and flexible approach to impact across portfolios? Might we see a paradigm shift in future financial markets – much like the seismic shift of Modern Portfolio Theory several decades ago – adding impact as a standard investment factor alongside risk and return? Hear how investors are grappling with these questions.
Total Impact Portfolio: Constructing an investment portfolio with an impact lens
Sakshe Vasudeva, Kylie Charlton, Emmalene Wysocki (2025)
- This Expert Guide provides a comprehensive framework for building portfolios that integrate impact across all asset classes, directly addressing the session’s core question about making impact investing mainstream and holistic.
Impact economies tractions and trends: Insights from 34 GSG National Partners
GSG Impact (2025)
- Offers insights into the evolving landscape of impact investing, providing practical guidance on how national strategies and institutional involvement are shaping a more inclusive and mainstream approach to investment, relevant to current discussions.
Pursuing impact within a portfolio: Insights from institutional asset owners
The Global Impact Investing Network (2023)
- Provides practical guidance from institutional asset owners on integrating impact investing within broader portfolio strategies, highlighting emerging trends and strategies that can shape the future of impact investing in financial markets.
Want more resources? Find them here.
Values to value: Constructing portfolios with purpose
11:25-12:05
You’ve had the values conversation—now what? This session dives into the practical realities of building responsible and ethical portfolios for clients. We’ll explore how to map client priorities to actual investment options across KiwiSaver, managed funds, ETFs, and direct investments.
Speakers will unpack:
- How to balance financial objectives with values alignment
- The current landscape of responsible investment products in NZ
- Limitations and trade-offs (e.g. exclusions vs engagement, passive vs active)
- Case studies of sample portfolios at different risk levels
- Tools to assess product credibility and avoid greenwashing
Whether you’re working with clients just beginning their sustainability journey or deeply committed ethical investors, you’ll leave with actionable strategies to turn values into viable investment solutions.
Total Impact Portfolio: Constructing an investment portfolio with an impact lens
Sakshe Vasudeva, Kylie Charlton, Emmalene Wysocki (2025)
- Provides a comprehensive framework for constructing portfolios that balance risk, return, and impact, offering practical strategies to align client values with diversified investment solutions.
Between impact and returns: Private investors and the sustainable development goals
Falko Paetzold, Anne Kellers, Timo Busch, Sebastian Utz (2022)
- Provides empirical insights into the expectations and behaviours of high-net-worth individuals regarding impact investing, offering valuable guidance on aligning financial returns with sustainable development goals, which complements the session’s focus on responsible and ethical portfolio building.
Understanding and aligning with beneficiaries’ sustainability preferences
Principles for Responsible Investment, United Nations Global Compact, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (2021)
- Outlines practical steps for asset owners to engage beneficiaries on their sustainability preferences, offering insights that complement the session’s focus on aligning client values with investment options across various financial products.
Want more resources? Find them here.
The conversation gap: Setting expectations and navigating the hard questions
12:10-12:50
Many advisers hesitate to raise responsible investment with clients – not because they don’t want to, but because they fear not having all the answers, or not being able to deliver on clients’ preferences. This session is designed to boost your confidence and equip you with the tools to lead values-based conversations with clarity, professionalism, and care.
We’ll explore:
- How to set the scene and manage expectations upfront
- Common tough questions clients ask
- How to respond when you don’t have a perfect answer
- How to respond when clients’ values can’t be fully met by available products
How to explain trade-offs and limitations without undermining the adviser-client relationship
With real-life examples and input from experienced practitioners, you’ll leave with renewed confidence to have these conversations—not avoid them.
Sustainable Finance Observatory (2023)
- Outlines how advisers can probe motivations, explain limitations, and guide clients towards products that best fit their values. Recommends simple language and clear process.
Guidance and questionnaire for assessing client sustainability preferences and motivations
Sustainable Finance Observatory (2023)
- Equips advisers with guidance on assessing client sustainability preferences and motivations, helping facilitate informed, values-based discussions while addressing client concerns and expectations effectively.
Sustainable investing capabilities of private banks
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth (2022)
- Offers a comprehensive assessment of sustainable investing capabilities among private banks, providing practical insights and best practices that advisers can leverage to enhance their confidence and effectiveness in leading responsible investment discussions with clients.
Want more resources? Find them here.
Effective corporate engagement for net zero
13:45-14:30
We’ve seen a real rise in investor engagement activity in New Zealand in recent years, particularly when it comes to the net zero transition. This session will explore the growing momentum behind investor engagement, with a particular focus on the net zero transition. We will explore how companies are responding to investor expectations around the climate transition and the challenges and opportunities that arise through corporate engagement of this theme. Panellists will share insights from their collaborative engagement with leading companies highlighting what effective net zero focused engagement looks like, and how a proactive, solutions focused approach can deliver meaningful value.
Net Zero Investment Framework 2.0
Asia Investor Group on Climate Change, Investor Group on Climate Change, Ceres (2024)
Investor expectations of corporate transition plans: From a to zero
Institutional Investor Group on Climate Change (2023)
Investor expectations for corporate just transition planning
Institutional Investor Group on Climate Change (2024)
A blueprint for best practice in investor collaborations
Kate Turner, Vani Ambardar, Emmalene Wysocki (2025)
Want more resources? Find them here.
Charting the ESG-AI frontier: Opportunities and risks
14:35-15:15
AI is playing a transformative role in ESG investing, helping address longstanding challenges while unlocking new capabilities. But there are risks. This future-focused session will explore how AI is being used in sustainable and ESG investing, including climate scenario modelling, automated ESG data collection and analysis, scoring and benchmarking, sustainability reporting, supply chain management and capital allocation. Experts from both AI providers and users will delve into the implications for responsible investors of using such an emissions-heavy technology to seek to address the climate crisis, any human rights implications of AI’s use in ESG integration and the risks of model bias in AI predictions.
Artificial intelligence and human rights investor toolkit
Responsible Investment Association Australasia (2024)
Amundi, International Finance Corporation (2021)
The intersection of Responsible AI and ESG: A framework for investors
CSIRO, Alphinity Investment Management (2024)
Want more resources? Find them here.
Workshop Room – Thursday, September 18, 2025
Making responsible investment work for you, and your clients
09:40 – 10:50
Responsible investment is no longer niche — it’s what more clients are asking for, and where the money is flowing. But many advisers are missing out on the opportunity because they don’t know where to start or think it’s too hard to do well.
This session will show you how to quickly and confidently step into this growing space – taking advantage of the tools already in the market to give better advice on responsible products.
We’ll cover:
- What the data says: rising client demand, especially among younger investors and intergenerational wealth transfers
- How to get started fast — understand the tools available to talk with clients and find the products that meet their investment needs
- An introduction to ongoing training options that bridge the knowledge gap
- How to take the next step: become a Certified Responsible Investment Adviser and stand out in a competitive market
You’ll leave this session with a clear action plan, practical tools, and a compelling reason to integrate responsible investment advice into your work.
Sustainable investing capabilities of private banks
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth (2022)
- Offers insights into sustainable investing practices, helping advisers align their offerings with client preferences and market demand, facilitating informed discussions and effective investment strategies in responsible investment.
Sustainable Finance Observatory (2023)
- Provides practical guidelines for assessing clients’ sustainability preferences, enabling advisers to effectively understand and meet the rising demand for responsible investment products, thus enhancing their advisory capabilities in a competitive market.
Guidance and questionnaire for assessing client sustainability preferences and motivations
Sustainable Finance Observatory (2023)
- Offers practical guidance on assessing client sustainability preferences and motivations, equipping advisers with the necessary tools and insights to confidently engage clients in responsible investment discussions and enhance their advisory capabilities.
Want more resources? Find them here.
A systems thinking simulation for human rights due diligence
11:25-12:55
In this immersive, scenario-based workshop, participants will explore the role of investors in conducting human rights due diligence on fictional companies. Brought to you by the RIAA working groups, participants will uncover and analyse a range of human rights risks—from AI ethics and military contracts to climate justice and data privacy. Participants will identify risks, exchange insights, and develop and prioritise investor engagement. The session highlights the interconnectedness of human rights issues and the importance of integrated, systems-based approaches to investor responsibility.
A pilot study on systems thinking in asset management
Stockholm Environment Institute (2023)
- Offers valuable insights on systems thinking in asset management, enhancing participants’ understanding of integrating sustainability and human rights considerations into investment strategies, thus complementing the workshop’s focus on responsible investor engagement.
The Investment Integrated Project (2023)
- Provides practical guidance on system-level investing, emphasising the need for investors to address systemic social and environmental risks, including human rights issues, thereby complementing the workshop’s focus on integrated investor responsibility.
Business model red flags: 24 ways in which business could be wired to put people at risk
Shift (2021)
- This toolkit guides financial institutions through policy commitment, risk-screening, stakeholder engagement, due diligence, remedy, and disclosure. This mirrors the workshop’s focus on systems thinking, layered risks, investor responsibility and prioritising human-rights risks across sectors.
UNEP FI Human Rights Toolkit for Financial Institutions
United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative, UNEP FI
- This resource equips investors in finance with tools to screen and assess human rights risk in investment & lending operations: covering due diligence, risk prioritisation, and engagement approaches. It aligns directly with the workshop’s emphasis on systemic risk identification and prioritised investor action.
Want more resources? Find them here.
