How does a leading investment fund fully integrate stewardship and sustainability into its strategy?

In this episode of The Responsibility of Investing, Cambria Allen-Ratzlaff, Chief Responsible Investment Ecosystems Officer at the PRI, is joined by Jonathan Grabel, Chief Investment Officer for the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA). They discuss how LACERA incorporates responsible investment principles across all asset classes, driven by a strong fiduciary duty to its beneficiaries.

Jonathan shares insights into LACERA’s governance structure, investment beliefs, and the operational integration of stewardship and the TIDE (Towards Inclusion, Diversity & Equity) programme. The conversation explores the role of data, proxy voting, and climate scenario analysis in managing risk and generating durable, risk-adjusted returns. Listeners will gain a clear understanding of how sustainability is embedded at every level of LACERA’s investment process to protect and grow assets for current and future retirees.

Visit the PRI website: https://www.unpri.org/

Can sustainability truly redefine the landscape of private markets and drive unprecedented financial value?

In this episode of The Responsibility of Investing, Kate Webber, Chief Solutions & Technology Officer at the PRI is joined by Aditya Vikram, Head of Private Equity at the PRI to explore a topic that’s transforming private markets: sustainability as a driver of financial value. 

Discover how sustainability has shifted from a mere buzzword to an essential element of business resilience and capital formation. With insights drawn from over 400 global investors, Aditya demonstrates how sustainability's role as a key driver for financial value transcends geographical boundaries. Learn how tools like AI and data analytics are revolutionising the identification of sustainability risks and opportunities, making them a cornerstone of modern investment strategies. 

Hear insights into the PRI's ‘sustainability value creation framework’, developed with Bain & Company and NYU Stern Centre for Sustainable Business and involving over 400 investors through a world-wide survey, one-to-one interviews, and regional workshops across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin and North America.

Chapters:

02:15 - The evolution of sustainability in private markets

06:08 - Shifting perspectives on sustainability and value creation

13:11 - The journey of sustainability value creation

18:31 - Integrating sustainability into investment practices

21:02 - Value creation framework in sustainability investing

How is AI revolutionising the way we approach responsible investing? In this episode, Paul Van Eynde, Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer at the PRI is joined by Lorenzo Saa, Chief Sustainability Officer at Clarity AI, to explore how technological innovation is reshaping the investment landscape.

Lorenzo shares his journey from microfinance to becoming a front-runner in sustainable investments, offering insights into the transition from traditional analyst-driven models to pioneering data and technology-driven solutions at Clarity AI. Hear how AI can be used as a collaborative tool to enhance understanding of sustainability issues and opening new avenues for improved investment outcomes, particularly in emerging markets, leveraging alternative data sets and using AI for environmental monitoring.

Focusing on the interplay between human and artificial intelligence in the investment realm, Lorenzo explains that AI tools not only enhance productivity but also offer deeper insights, likening AI’s capabilities to those of a cheetah for speed and an owl for wisdom. As we routinely  increase the adoption of these technologies, Lorenzo advocates for a proactive approach to integrating AI into responsible investing, while ensuring transparency and aligning with client expectations.

With more than 5,000 PRI signatories navigating different mandates, asset mixes, and sustainability priorities, a one-size-fits-all approach to responsible investment no longer works.

In this episode, our host and Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer Paul Van Eynde speaks to our Chief Sustainable Systems Officer, Nathan Fabian, to unpack the thinking behind the PRI’s Pathways framework, designed to reflect the real-world complexity of responsible investment and support signatories in ways that make sense for them.

Later, our Chief Solutions and Technology Officer, Kate Webber, explains how her team is bringing that framework to life, turning it into a product signatories can use and interact with through MyPRI, our new digital portal launching in November.

For more on Pathways and MyPRI, visit: https://pathways.unpri.org

New episodes released fortnightly. Subscribe to The Responsibility of Investing wherever you get your podcasts.

In the inaugural episode of the relaunched The Responsibility of Investing podcast Paul Van Eynde, Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer at the PRI chats with José Pugas, Partner & Chief Sustainability Officer at Regia Capital about the upcoming COP30  in Belem, Brazil in November 2025 to explore the critical intersection of finance and environmental responsibility . 

José shares the pivotal role of nature in investment strategies and offers invaluable insights into Regia Capital’s establishment as a joint venture between Brazilian giants JGP Asset Management and Banco do Brasil Asset Management, highlighting their pioneering role in green finance within Brazil's ecological transition framework.

With a focus on Brazil, explore the challenges and opportunities associated with nature-based solutions. José highlights the importance of collaborating with experts outside the financial sector and emphasizes the potential for global investors to support emerging markets in their transition to low-carbon economies. This underscores the need to move beyond traditional approaches and embrace a broader understanding of investment opportunities linked to nature and sustainability.

Join us in São Paulo from November 4–6, 2025, for PRI in Person, our annual flagship global conference on responsible investment, strategically timed just before the COP30 in Belem. As a gathering of over 1,000 institutional investors, policymakers, corporates, and sustainable finance leaders, this event is a powerhouse of collaboration and innovation on critical responsible investment issues.

Taking place in Brazil, the heart of immense biodiversity and green finance opportunities, PRI in Person will drive impactful connections to mobilise capital for emerging markets and tackle urgent climate and nature challenges. With COP30 as a pivotal moment for nations to enhance their climate commitments, the conference ensures strategic alignment for ambitious investments that align with a net-zero, sustainable future. 

Disclaimer

This podcast and material referenced herein is provided for information only. It is not intended to be investment, legal, tax or other advice, nor is it intended to be relied upon in making an investment or other decision. PRI Association is not responsible for any decision made or action taken based on information on this podcast. Listeners retain sole discretion over whether and how to use the information contained herein. PRI Association is not responsible for and does not endorse third parties featured on in this podcast or any third party comments, content or other resources that may be included or referenced herein. Unless otherwise stated, podcast content does not necessarily represent the views of signatories to the Principles for Responsible Investment. All information is provided “as-is” with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy or timeliness, or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. PRI Association is committed to compliance with all applicable laws. Copyright © PRI Association 2025. All rights reserved. This content may not be reproduced, or used for any other purpose, without the prior written consent of PRI Association.

The Responsibility of Investing (formerly The Principles for Responsible Investment) is a podcast by the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), the world’s largest global body on responsible investment, representing over $128 trillion in assets under management. Each episode features conversations with thought leaders and experts from around the world, exploring how sustainable factors are transforming the investment landscape. Listen for unique insight into how climate, nature and human rights issues are affecting asset classes and responsible investment policies.  

The series helps PRI signatories - and the wider investment community - navigate responsible investment with greater precision and confidence, for the benefit of both investors and society. No matter your size, market, nor stage of the responsible investment journey, The Responsibility of Investing will bring you a new perspective every fortnight.

Join us in São Paulo for the world’s leading responsible investment event, as we return for PRI in Person 2025, book now to secure your early bird rate - available until 2 July.

Disclaimer

This podcast and material referenced herein is provided for information only. It is not intended to be investment, legal, tax or other advice, nor is it intended to be relied upon in making an investment or other decision. PRI Association is not responsible for any decision made or action taken based on information on this podcast. Listeners retain sole discretion over whether and how to use the information contained herein. PRI Association is not responsible for and does not endorse third parties featured on in this podcast or any third party comments, content or other resources that may be included or referenced herein. Unless otherwise stated, podcast content does not necessarily represent the views of signatories to the Principles for Responsible Investment. All information is provided “as-is” with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy or timeliness, or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. PRI Association is committed to compliance with all applicable laws. Copyright © PRI Association 2025. All rights reserved. This content may not be reproduced, or used for any other purpose, without the prior written consent of PRI Association.

In this episode of the PRI podcast, we discuss implementing net zero commitments in listed equity portfolios.

Joined by Anna Cala, Assistant Vice President, ESG, ClearBridge Investments, and Maia Becker, Senior Director, RBC Global Asset Management, we explore:

2. Net zero ambition & commitments
3. 
   
5. Challenges and issues on the path to net zero
6. 
   
8. Steps taken towards achieving these targets
9. 
   
11. The role of divestments in achieving net zero targets

Download full transcript.

In this week's podcast, we look at the social licence of infrastructure investing. Joined by Gwen Colin of Vauban Infrastructure and Antoine Tréboz of ALiS, we explore:

·       How the social licence delivers better infrastructure projects for investors and their stakeholders

·       How to conduct effective stakeholder engagement

Find the transcript here: https://bit.ly/3FQ5sAn

 In this episode, Sebastien Akbik, Corporate Governance Analyst at the PRI spoke with Kiran Aziz, Head of Responsible Investments from KLP and Daniel Mulé, Policy Lead, Extractive Industries Tax and Transparency from Oxfam America. 

They discussed the importance for responsible investors to consider tax both from a risk mitigation and positive impact perspective. The speakers also discussed the increasing momentum on tax, including the shareholder proposals on tax transparency filed by Oxfam America and KLP.  

Find transcript here: https://bit.ly/3YMKuJ8  

Many governments are turning to labelled sustainable bonds, and Latin American sovereigns have been particularly innovative.

The PRI’s latest podcast delves into the issuer and investor perspective, and the different types of bonds coming to the market.

In this podcast we discuss:

• The state and evolution of the sovereign sustainable bond market
• How Latin America have approached this market and how Columbia, Mexico, and Chile have been the leaders in this space.
• Weighing up use-of-proceeds labelled bonds versus sustainability-linked bonds

It features Esther Law, who is a Senior Investment Manager in Emerging Market Debt at Amundi and César Arias, the former Director of Public Credit and National Treasury at the Ministry of Finance of Colombia.

Find podcast transcript here : https://bit.ly/3Xx5XGm 

In this episode, the PRI’s head of fixed income, Carmen Nuzzo speaks with Adam Heltzer of Ares Management and Faith Rosenfeld of HPS Investment Partners, to discuss how private debt investors are incorporating ESG into their investment practices.   

With this, they discuss the ESG opportunities for private debt and private equity investors to collaborate and the regulatory implications on reporting with limited partners. 

In this special episode of the PRI podcast, we shine the spotlight on COP27.

Host Liz Barnes speaks with Habib Abdur-Rahman, Head of ESG at Investcorp, and Prudential's Liza Jansen, Head of Responsible Investment at Prudential, and member of the UN-Convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance.

With just a week to go until the highly anticipated climate conference, they discuss their expectations for COP27, the role of investors in scaling up actions to deliver on a just transition to net zero, and how blended finance can be leveraged to mobilise capital into where finance is needed the most.

In this new podcast, an investor and a bank discuss which ESG data they use for securitised product analysis and how it differs from other asset classes.

In the tenth podcast of a series on the ESG in Credit Risk and Ratings Initiative, Sixtine Dubost (PRI) speaks with Erika Wranegard (Lombard Odier Investment Managers) and Michael Ferguson (S&P Global Ratings) about the ESG information provider landscape and the usefulness of the product and service offering for fixed income investors.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3f3e24d

In this episode of the PRI podcast, Jasper Cox, Investment Practices Analyst at the PRI, speaks with Christian Leveque, Municipal Portfolio Manager and Strategist at Payden & Rygel, and Ruth Ducret, Senior Analyst, Municipal Research at Breckinridge Capital Advisors

State and local governments in the US have a critical role to play in tackling environmental and social challenges.

In turn, the investors who lend to these administrations through buying municipal (muni) bonds can contribute to the solutions. Some muni bond issuers have also started selling labelled bonds that earmark proceeds for green or social projects.

This podcast explores how sustainability outcomes can be factored into muni bond investment decisions, and what the role of labelled bonds is in this market.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3AC6zBh

Join the PRI’s Bonnie Groves and guests John Hoeppner, LGIM America, and Aeisha Mastagni, CalSTRS, in this episode of the PRI podcast.  

John and Aeisha discuss this year’s AGM season and the trends that will shape future proxy seasons. They tackle voting on new and complex shareholder resolutions and the role of universal owners in addressing systemic risks.  Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3JpLi0G

In this new podcast, PRI’s Carmen Nuzzo speaks with an originator and an investor  to discuss the benefits and the challenges of structured products with green or social labels. They are growing rapidly but are not always genuine.

In this episode Laura de Ornelas, PRI’s Empowering Asset Owners Director, speaks to Jenny Kvaskova and Tim Manuel from Aon. They explore the insights into Asset Owners’ responsible investment practices, particularly how they differ across geographies and Asset Owner segments.

Jenny shares the methodology and techniques used to bring the PRI’s reporting data to life. Tim Manuel shares from his experience in supporting Asset Owners in their responsible investment journey, explores the challenges they face, and gives insight into how the industry is solving these.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3utVKOc

In this episode of the PRI podcast, Jasper Cox, Investment Practices Analyst at the PRI, speaks with Lupin Rahman, Head of Emerging Markets Sovereign Credit at PIMCO, and Jarrad Linzie, Global Head of Fixed Income Index Research at MSCI.

Indices help shape investment decisions, whether investors track them passively or use them as a benchmark for performance. Therefore, the index providers incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into a growing number of their products are key actors in the responsible investment ecosystem.

When designing ESG indices for government bonds, there are certain differences compared with corporate indices. This podcast explores these distinctions, as well as the purpose of ESG sovereign debt indices and potential areas for future development.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3bAXNcG

Interested in the resources discussed in this episode?

Bringing together sovereign debt investors and index providers: https://www.unpri.org/sovereign-debt/bringing-together-sovereign-debt-investors-and-index-providers/9890.article

In the ninth podcast of a series on the ESG in Credit Risk and Ratings Initiative, Sixtine Dubost (PRI) speaks with Lisa Abraham (Brown Advisory) and Florian Grandcolas (EthiFinance) about TCFD’s recommended disclosures and their incorporation in credit risk analysis.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3te1A63

In this episode of the PRI podcast, Jasper Cox, Investment Practices Analyst at the PRI, speaks with Camilla Ogunbiyi, Senior Sovereign ESG Analyst at Nordea Asset Management, and James Lockhart Smith, Vice President for Markets at Verisk Maplecroft.

Sovereign nations are the ultimate guarantors of human rights, making the bonds they issue a logical focus for responsible investors. However, investors face unique challenges considering this topic in government debt. This podcast discusses the link between human rights and borrowing costs, how to find and use data on human rights, and engaging with countries on the subject.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3EL5J5Z

In the eighth podcast of the series on the ESG in Credit Risk and Ratings Initiative, Carmen Nuzzo, PRI speaks with Barbara Mattos, Moody’s Investors Service and Jod Hsu, NN Investment Partners about deforestation and how it can affect credit risk analysis.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3wTFyIp

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI’s senior lead in listed equities, Michal Bartek speaks with Steve Lydenberg, a partner at Domini Social Investments.

They reflect on the key developments in responsible investing in decades past, discuss the nature of challenges that listed equity investors currently face and explore what it takes for listed equity asset managers to show leadership.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3iqlrsA

This podcast explores how the US opioid crisis plays out at the local level, with repercussions not just on lives lost and healthcare costs, but also US municipal bonds and the cost of local authorities’ funding.

Leading the discussion are the PRI’s Carmen Nuzzo, Head of Fixed Income, and Katherine Ng, Head of Research. They’re joined by Eric Friedland, Director of Municipal Research, Lord Abbett, and John Hund, Assistant Professor of Finance, University of Georgia.

Interested in the resources discussed in this episode?

Opioid abuse affects municipal access to capital: https://www.unpri.org/pri-blog/opioid-abuse-affects-municipal-access-to-capital/8827.article

Sub-sovereign debt resources: https://www.unpri.org/investment-tools/fixed-income/sub-sovereign-debt

Fixed income resources: https://www.unpri.org/investment-tools/fixed-income

PRI academic research: https://www.unpri.org/sustainability-issues/research

Find the podcast transcript: https://bit.ly/3Iwl4s6 

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI’s senior lead in listed equities, Michal Bartek speaks with Edris Boey of Maitri Asset Management.

They reflect on the key developments in ESG incorporation in APAC region, discuss what it takes for investment organisations to be or keep up with the leaders in the field.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3AptNJr

In this episode, the PRI’s Simon Whistler talks with Chris Clubb from Convergence and Nadia Nikolova from Allianz Global Investors on the role of blended finance in driving more sustainable investment in emerging markets. They discuss the challenges and opportunities blended finance provides for institutional investors, and why it can be such an important tool delivering more investments that will speed progress towards Net Zero and the SDGs.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3qcd0ow

In this episode of the PRI’s human rights podcast series, the PRI’s Bettina Reinboth speaks to Surya Deva, Chair of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights and John Morrison, CEO of the Institute of Human Rights and Business, on the impact of the UNGPs during the last decade since they were established, and what we should expect for the next decade.  

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3Ihzc8K

The PRI’s Jasper Cox discusses how environmental, social and governance issues affect the credit risk of US municipal bonds with PIMCO’s Emily Robare and Breckinridge Capital Advisors’ Andrew Teras.

Find the podcast transcript here:

https://bit.ly/3cXYeey

In this episode of the PRI podcast, Michal Bartek, senior lead in listed equities from PRI speaks with Peter Michaelis from Liontrust.

They reflect on the key developments in responsible investing in decades past, discuss the likely issues in the next decade and explore what it takes for listed equity asset management firms to be among the leaders.

Find a transcript of the episode here: https://bit.ly/3CZIcw8

During this episode, Eline Sleurink, Head of UK and Ireland and Middle East, Dave Gorman, Head of Social Responsibility and Sustainability, University of Edinburgh and Ben Pollard, CEO and Cofounder, Cushon discuss how the University of Edinburgh and Cushon have set a net zero target, the first steps they are taking to achieve this, how they built a business case for net zero internally, and how they are holding themselves accountable.

Find a transcript of the episode here: https://bit.ly/2Y5tDIr