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Investing for a Sustainable World

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Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Friday, June 1, 2018

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Wednesday, May 30, 2018

7:00 AM - 5:00 PM	Member Day Check-in and Onsite Registration West Lobby Event Check-in and Registration Desk Open
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM	Capitol Hill Day Attendee Breakfast Palladian Ballroom Breakfast for attendees registered for Capitol Hill Day
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM	Capitol Hill Day Offsite Note: Only available to members who are registered for Member Day + Conference. Capitol Hill Visits are an invaluable opportunity to connect with your Members of Congress and to advance knowledge of sustainable and responsible investment in the US House and Senate. You will be able to educate staff in these offices on policy priorities that help shape a more sustainable world. Prior to the Hill visits, we will hold a training, which covers policy issues as well as tips on effective advocacy. Both first time and experienced participants are welcome. We are looking forward to a productive day on Capitol Hill!
1:00 PM - 6:00 PM	Exhibit Hall Open Ambassador Ballroom
1:00 PM - 1:15 PM	Member Day Lunch Palladian Ballroom Grab lunch and join a concurrent session!
1:15 PM - 2:30 PM	Investors Addressing Injustice and Inequality Congressional A/B This session will address gun violence, mass incarceration and economic inequality, especially in communities of color. Speakers will provide a better understanding of these complex issues as well as a range of strategies for addressing them. Join us for an interactive discussion. Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Robin Lloyd, Renee Morgan, Zachary Norris, Mari Schwartzer Moderator: Danyelle Solomon
1:15 PM - 2:30 PM	Stepping Up When the Government Steps Back: What Can We Expect of the Private Sector? Executive In a policy environment marked by a rush to deregulate and federal government indifference to pressing societal issues such as health care, climate change, guns and human rights, some corporations have opposed controversial policies such as bathroom bills and the Muslim ban and advocated for thoughtful climate policy and gun control. What are realistic expectations around corporations “stepping up” on social and environmental issues given their often competing interests? Is there a litmus test that corporations use in deciding which issues are worth taking on? Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Stu Dalheim, Patsy Doerr, Ellen Dorsey, Joe Rinzel Moderator: Reshma Kapadia
2:40 PM - 3:45 PM	Plenary Roundtable: Lisa Woll in Conversation With Early Adopters of SRI Palladian Ballroom Join me for a conversation with four notable early practitioners of sustainable, responsible and impact investing. We will discuss their goals and hopes when the field began decades ago, where we are today and their predictions for the future. Panelists: Frank Coleman, Amy Domini, Tim Smith, Cheryl Smith
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM	Break Ambassador Ballroom
4:00 PM - 5:15 PM	US SIF Annual Meeting Palladian Ballroom
5:15 PM - 6:00 PM	Networking and Exhibit Fair Ambassador Ballroom
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM	Member Day Reception — China Chilcano Offsite China Chilcano is part of the restaurant group of Chef José Andrés who was named 2018 Humanitarian of the Year by The James Beard Foundation. The food and atmosphere represents the native Criollo, Chinese Chifa and Japanese Nikkei cultures of Peru.. *Offsite Reception for US SIF Members registered for Member Day on May 30th. Note: This reception is not included as part of Non-Member and US SIF Member Conference only (May 31 - June 1) registrations.

Thursday, May 31, 2018

7:00 AM - 5:30 PM	Check-in and Registration Open West Lobby
7:00 AM - 5:30 PM	Exhibit Hall Open Ambassador Ballroom
7:30 AM - 8:45 AM	Breakfast for Member Day Attendees Diplomat
8:00 AM - 11:15 AM	Fundamentals of Sustainable and Impact Investment Live Course Palladian Ballroom Led by expert instructors, the course is for investment advisors, financial planners and other financial professionals who want to learn the basics of sustainable, responsible and impact investment. Pre-registration is recommended to attend the course; onsite registrations will be accommodated if capacity allows. Fees are not included with conference registration unless you either select a registration option that includes the course or select the course in addition to your registration option. A course-only registration option is also available. Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Course Speakers: Frank Coleman, Mary Gregory, Paul Hilton, Kathy Leonard, Tim Smith
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM	US SIF Strategic Plan Discussion Congressional A/B US SIF members only
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM	Non-Member and New Conference Attendee Information Session Executive
11:30 AM - 11:55 AM	Conference Welcome and Kickoff Regency Ballroom Lisa Woll, CEO and Craig Metrick, Board Chair
11:55 AM - 12:30 PM	Finding the Funds to Invest in Nature Regency Ballroom The Nature Conservancy has a long history of land conservation, which has included, more recently, cross-sector collaborations with corporations, investors and governments to improve corporate environmental practices and address green infrastructure needs and climate change. Its CEO, drawing on his finance experience, will share his ideas on what it means to invest for a sustainable world and how to make progress in the current political environment. Plenary Speaker: Mark Tercek
12:30 PM - 1:10 PM	Lunch Regency Ballroom
1:10 PM - 2:00 PM	The SEC in 2018: Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Investors Regency Ballroom Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Plenary Speaker: Robert J. Jackson Jr.
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM	Tax Avoidance and Transparency Executive The US corporate tax rate is now one of the lowest among developed countries, but the incentives to shift profits to even lower tax jurisdictions remains. Countries around the world continue to lose billions of dollars each year to aggressive corporate tax avoidance, spurring governments, NGOs, consumers and investors to respond. In February, the B Team, working with a group of global corporations and other stakeholders, launched a set of responsible tax principles. Oxfam has been convening roundtable discussions with companies, and the UN PRI has launched an ambitious global engagement effort, focused on a set of investor expectations for corporate income tax disclosure. Meanwhile, the AFL-CIO is challenging companies to account to investors for the risks of their tax practices. Hear from a panel of experts that is helping to chart a course through this rapidly changing landscape. Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Elise Bean, Maria Martinez, Brandon Rees Moderator: Adam Kanzer
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM	The Myth of Underperformance Palladian Ballroom As interest in sustainable, responsible and impact investing has increased, many studies and meta-studies have confirmed that these funds do not underperform. This session will focus on the “next generation” performance studies that assess how environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors affect risk, and how asset managers and advisory practices can benefit from their findings. Viewing ESG through the lens of downside risk and volatility, experts in fixed income and equity investing will shed light on how ESG factors are influencing credit downgrades and have led to financially significant effects, but also how to differentiate between correlation and causality. Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Mike Chen, Raina Oberoi, Lukasz Pomorski Moderator: Tony Hay
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM	The Rise of ESG Passive Investing by Asset Owners Congressional A/B With the rise of passive investing by ESG-focused investors, this session will explore the advantages and opportunities of ESG factors in active and passive investing. Discussion will include managing the risks of incorporating ESG as well as how investors seek environmental and social impact including a focus on water. You will hear from experts including a large asset owner, an investment consultant, and an investment manager. Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Hugh Brown, Daniel Kern, George Wong Moderator: Wendy Walker
3:20 PM - 3:50 PM	Networking and Exhibit Fair Ambassador Ballroom
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM	Diversity, Pay Equity and Workplace Harassment Congressional A/B We are in a watershed moment that has raised the profile of sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Meanwhile, shareholder advocates have stepped up efforts to make companies more inclusive and diverse. The Thirty Percent Coalition, which has a mission to promote women, including women of color, to corporate boards, has worked with institutional investors to engage companies on this issue. A surge of shareholder proposals on gender pay equity and management level diversity have also sought to address discriminatory treatment at the employee and management levels. To what extent have these investor initiatives helped to change the corporate cultures that allow sexual harassment to persist? What can investors do to accelerate the pace of change? Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Charlotte Laurent-Ottomane, Emily Martin, Heather Smith Moderator: Haley Griffin
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM	Examining ESG Practices in Fixed Income and Equity Investments Palladian Ballroom What are the differences in ESG integration practices across equity and fixed income investments? In addition, what asset classes provide more opportunities and what can we learn from green and sustainable bonds? This session will assess whether best practices in one asset class can be applied to the other. Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Kwame Anochie, Jessica Milano, Diederik Timmer Moderator: Aubre Clemens
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM	Shareholder Proposals and the SEC: A Roundup and Look Forward Executive Since the November 2017 Securities and Exchange Commission release of Staff Legal Bulletin 14I, shareholders, companies and their lawyers have been concerned about its implications for how the SEC would approach the ordinary business and relevance exclusions of Rule 14a-8. Now that we have gone through the no-action letter “season", we can start the process of trying to understand what happened and future implications. What will be the role of corporate boards of directors in applying the rule? Do previous votes matter in an ordinary business or relevance analysis? This panel will combine shared insights from two lawyers with deep experience in the shareholder proposal process with a lively and audience-inclusive conversation. Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Keir Gumbs, Beth Young Moderator: Jonas Kron
5:10 PM - 6:45 PM	Movie Screening - Chasing Coral Regency Ballroom Join us for popcorn and a screening of the documentary film, Chasing Coral. Richard Vevers, one of the principals of the film, will speak on June 1. Coral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate. A team of divers, photographers and scientists sets out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world.
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM	Conference Reception Empire Patio

Friday, June 1, 2018

7:00 AM - 2:00 PM	Check-In and Registration Open West Lobby
7:00 AM - 2:00 PM	Exhibit Hall Open Ambassador Ballroom
7:30 AM - 8:40 AM	Breakfast and Topic Tables Diplomat
8:50 AM - 9:45 AM	Coral Reef Conservation: A Call to Action Regency Ballroom The Ocean Agency uses new technology, media, and above all creativity to help support ocean conservation with a particular focus on coral reef conservation. The Ocean Agency’s CEO and Founder, and a principal in the movie Chasing Coral, will discuss how 2018, International Year of the Reef, is a pivotal year for coral reefs, and how our actions and investments can protect coral reefs—an ecosystem that supports a quarter of all ocean life and over half a billion people. Plenary Speaker: Richard Vevers
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM	Exploring Private Equity in the SRI Portfolio Executive Private equity investing continues to gain momentum as more investors look to have a deeper connection to the impact being created within their investment portfolios: the assets under management in private equity funds that consider environmental, social and governance factors more than doubled from 2012 to 2016. This momentum is encouraging the curation of new sustainable investing strategies across the private equity ESG landscape. Panelists will explore the advantages and challenges presented by the growing array of opportunities, drawing from their own experiences engaging in the private markets. Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Rick Davis, Amy Jensen, Gretchen Postula, Geraldine Watson Moderator: Kate Starr
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM	Sustainable Development Goals: Reality or Rhetoric? Congressional A/B The UN Sustainable Development Goals are attracting attention from business and investors including efforts to create a World Benchmarking Alliance which would align corporate sustainability benchmarks with the SDGs. Some investors have pledged to frame their ESG analysis around these 17 goals; some companies are using the SDGs as a framework for their sustainability programs or reporting. This interactive session will discuss the metrics needed to assess how and whether corporations and investors are aligning their actions and commitments with the SDGs. The panel will also assess how investors and companies can substantially affect issues—such as ending poverty and providing peace—traditionally understood to be the responsibility of governments. Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: David Bennell, Rachel Goldstein, Carly Greenberg Moderator: Aniket Shah
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM	The Digital Revolution and Sustainable Investing Palladian Ballroom Digital technologies are at the heart of everyday life. Facebook has more than 2 billion monthly users. Google performs more than 1.2 trillion searches a year. Internet service providers like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T are gatekeepers to the digital world for hundreds of millions of Americans. Digital technologies are increasingly being integrated into the “Internet of Things” – cars, medical devices, home security. However, what negative externalities are created when new technologies are introduced without regard for potential long-term consequences? What are the financial and reputational risks for companies? And how can investors develop analytical frameworks and deploy shareholder engagement strategies to help shape the sustainable digital world of the future? Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Sonia Kowal, Rebecca MacKinnon, Aeisha Mastagni Moderator: Michael Connor
11:00 AM - 11:45 AM	Networking and Exhibit Fair Ambassador Ballroom
11:50 AM - 12:50 PM	Aligning Corporate Retirement Plans with Sustainability Commitments Palladian Ballroom Many companies have made significant environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments and have begun to align key business priorities with specific Sustainable Development Goals. However, these commitments are often not reflected in corporations' retirement plan investment strategies. Millennial-aged employees now represent the majority of the US workforce, and creating retirement plans that connect to their core values—such as solving social and environmental problems —can attract the best and brightest, spark innovation, and increase retention. This panel will discuss case studies of companies that have successfully transitioned their retirement plans to align with corporate and employee values. Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Tony Calandro, Aruna Jain, Leslie Samuelrich, Chris Walker Moderator: Andrew Behar
11:50 AM - 12:50 PM	Corporate and Investor Perspectives on the ESG Data Ecosystem Executive The ongoing love/hate relationship with ESG ratings and rankings has been in existence for over 20 years. The Global Initiative for Sustainability Ratings, launched in 2004 no longer exists. In its absence, how do any of us make sense of ESG performance information and determine which providers are reliable? Do we look to the company and its disclosures? The intermediary that collects and organizes corporate disclosures? Or the intermediary that provides its own ESG opinion? And how can corporate sustainability officers respond to the external demands for ESG information and manage operations sustainably? Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Duane Roberts, Dave Stangis, David Tulauskas, Jessica Urdangarin Moderator: Michelle Clayman
11:50 AM - 12:50 PM	How Investors Can Help Resolve the Affordable Housing Crisis Congressional A/B The shortage of affordable housing is becoming an acute crisis in cities across the United States. It is not uncommon for lower-income households to spend well over 50 percent of their income on rents, making them vulnerable to eviction when they fall behind and requiring them to shortchange other household necessities. The supply of public housing meets only a small fraction of the demand. What combination of government policies and investment incentives can spur the private sector to step up at the needed scale? Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Panelists: Frank Altman, Beth Bafford, Jonathan F.P. Rose Moderator: Diane Yentel
12:55 PM - 1:45 PM	Lunch and Networking Regency Ballroom
1:45 PM - 2:50 PM	Oxford Style Debate & Closing Remarks Regency Ballroom Come hear a lively debate on the position of the house: Europe will be more successful than the United States in embedding sustainable and responsible investment across the financial system in the next five years. Session submitted for CE approval (CFP, CIMA, etc.) Speakers: Flavia Micilotta, Anna Pot, Lenora Suki, Kurt Summers
2:55 PM - 3:30 PM	Wine Reception—See you in Minneapolis in 2019!! Empire Patio

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