Afina CEO David Godfrey-Thomas joined a panel of investors to discuss next-generation sustainable investing at the Sustainable and Impact Investing Forum: The New Dynamics in Asia conference held on November 28 at the Mandarin Orchard Singapore.
Joining Godfrey-Thomas on the panel, titled “5th Generation Sustainability and Impact Investing, ” were:
- Moderator and NUS Business School Professor Joseph Cherian
- Karin Ri, Director, Responsible Investment, Asset Management One
- En Lee, Head of Sustainable and Impact Investments, Asia, LGT
- Dr. Keith Lee, Senior Vice President, Asia Sustainable Finance, WWF
“We, as investors must accept responsibility for the impact of our investment decisions, good and bad,” Godfrey-Thomas said, pointing to the interplay amongst responsible investing, economic prosperity, and income equality.
“Socially responsible investing is fundamental to resolving the social unrest we see across the world,” he explained. “We need to produce 60% more food by 2050, for example, while at the same time reduce global warming. Using advances in biotechnology to improve soil health and increase carbon capture are key parts to helping us address this food security/climate change paradox, and those innovations only take off with responsible investment strategies.”