Asset management firm CANDRIAM announced today that it is partnering with London School of Economics and Political Science’s (LSE) Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment (GRI) to form the “Sustainability, Investment, Inclusion and Impact” (SI3) Initiative, to help lead global investment industry’s efforts towards a sustainable and inclusive global economy.

The partnership is being established against the backdrop of calls to “build back better” from the COVID-19 crisis recognizing the growing demand for recovery plans that accelerate green investments into areas such as building efficiency and renewable energy.

The initiative will focus on the often overlooked social dimension of investments made to tackle climate change, noting that these investments need to deliver high-quality jobs and community renewal so that the world can deliver a just transition to a net zero economy by 2050.

SI3 will be a 3-year initiative, facilitating innovative research, strengthening dialogue and promoting the international exchange of ideas on ways to ensure that climate action delivers positive social impact. The social aspect will be of particular importance, according to the partners, as the transition to net zero can only be successful if climate policies are viewed by workers, consumers and citizens as fair and just.

The partnership will focus on the role that institutional investors can play in promoting this just transition, by producing public-interest research that could include analysis of the role of different asset classes, the challenges facing different regions, and the policy changes that are needed to bring about inclusive climate action, such as carbon pricing. One of SI3’s initial goals will be to produce actionable research ahead of the COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (recently postponed to November 2021 due to COVID-19).

SI3 will be led by GRI Professor in Practice for Sustainable Finance, Nick Robins with oversight from CEO of CANDRIAM, Naïm Abou-Jaoudé.

Commenting on the new initiative, CANDRIAM CEO Naïm Abou-Jaoudé said:

“Achieving the Paris Agreement and delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals will require a rewiring of the financial system to meet the long-term needs of our economies and societies. As we look to the future, CANDRIAM is proud to partner with the Grantham Research Institute to launch a world-class research and collaboration initiative to help support the transition to a sustainable and inclusive global economy.”

Professor Robins commented:

“The just transition is the next frontier for investor action on climate change. I’m delighted to join with CANDRIAM to design this international initiative that can make the issues of environmental sustainability, inclusion and impact come to life and so show investors can contribute to a better world after COVID-19.”