Attendees were invited to reflect upon the future of the PRI in the next decade and to share their views with regard to the successes and shortcomings of the initiative. This direct consultation aimed to address key challenges that the PRI is facing: including but not limited to the accountability of signatories and the development of a sustainable financial system. This event was an opportunity for a lively exchange of opinions and ideas between participants and the PRI team. In the spirit of the PRI, collaboration was fostered and encouraged.
The outcome of these global workshops will be presented at ‘PRI in Person’, PRI’s annual conference, 6-8 September, in Singapore.
This event demonstrated Ardian’s long-standing commitment within the PRI community to promote the PRI’s mission to achieve an economically efficient, sustainable global financial system that will reward long-term, responsible investment and benefit the environment and society as a whole.
Ardian has a strong heritage in responsible investment. In 2009, it became one of the first investment companies to sign the UN-supported PRI. It has also developed its own CSR Charter. Ardian integrates environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into the whole investment process, from due diligence to investment decision, through holding period and exit.
Dominique Senequier, President of Ardian, said: “We truly believe that excellent ESG practices are highly effective tools both to improve performance, as well as our positive impact on stakeholders and wider communities. That is why we have long been developing and implementing our approach to responsible investment. I would like to thank the PRI for the strong positive impact they have in the industry.”
Fiona Reynolds, Managing Director of the PRI, concluded: "The event comprised a number of important discussions that will feed into our Blueprint for Responsible Investment over the next decade. It was therefore an excellent, and rewarding, day.”
ABOUT THE PRI
The United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) Initiative is an international network of investors working together to put the six Principles for Responsible Investment into practice. Its goal is to understand the implications of sustainability for investors and support signatories to incorporate these issues into their investment decision making and ownership practices. In implementing the Principles, signatories contribute to the development of a more sustainable global financial system. The PRI currently has over 1500 signatories, who collectively represent US$62 trillion in assets under management.
ABOUT ARDIAN
Ardian, founded in 1996 and led by Dominique Senequier, is an independent private investment company with assets of US$55bn managed or advised in Europe, North America and Asia. The company, which is majority-owned by its employees, keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and delivers investment performance to its global investors while fuelling growth in economies across the world. Ardian’s investment process embodies three values: excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship.
Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 410 employees working through twelve offices in Paris, London, Frankfurt, Milan, Madrid, Zurich, New York, San Francisco, Beijing, Singapore, Jersey and Luxembourg. The company offers its 490 investors a diversified choice of funds covering the full range of asset classes through Ardian Funds of Funds (comprising primary, early secondary and secondary activities), Ardian Private Debt, Ardian Direct Funds (comprising Ardian Mid Cap Buyout, Ardian Expansion, Ardian Growth and Ardian Co-Investment), Ardian Infrastructure, Ardian Real Estate and customized mandate solutions with Ardian Mandates.