A new approach to responsible investing is needed to avoid disappointing investors and wasting the chance to make a difference in the world, Patrick Odier told our London client conference on 30 October.

Titled ‘Rethink Responsible Investing’, the event took place in the UN Ballroom at the new Four Seasons Hotel in London — the setting for the inaugural reception of the United Nations General Assembly in 1946 — and attracted more than 80 professional clients from leading institutions from the UK and Europe.

Here’s Patrick Odier’s statement in full:
 

One of the key characteristics of Lombard Odier IM’s approach to responsible investing is a laser-focus on measurable results - an important differentiating feature in a part of the industry where ‘greenwashing’ (exaggerating the sustainability credentials of an investment) is all too common.

In 2012, we introduced a proprietary scoring system called CAR (consciousness, actions, results), designed to identify which businesses are truly ‘walking the walk’ on sustainability issues. This year, we launched the next evolution of our process, which builds the UN Sustainable Development Goals into our methodology.

As Jonathan Clenshaw, Head of Institutional Clients, told the conference, responsible investing demands a major commitment of resources and intellectual energy:
 

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