Dublin, Ireland, 2 April 2020 — ESG Ireland is pleased to welcome First State Investments as a new member of the ESG Ireland community, committed to working towards a more secure future.
Vincent McCarthy, Founder, ESG Ireland, said: “I am delighted to welcome First State Investments as a new member of ESG Ireland. They are a global asset manager that has a long history of putting responsible investment at the heart of their investment process, strongly committed to acting as responsible stewards of their client’s assets.
The objective of ESG Ireland is to develop a community of stakeholders committed to responsible stewardship, so it is hugely positive to have First State as part of this initiative. First State are a leader in the area of responsible investment, and we look forward to working with them, as part of helping stakeholders in Ireland come to terms with how best to develop responsible investment policies and integrate ESG into decision making.”
Adrian Hilderly, Head of FSI Ireland, First State Investments, said: “First State is delighted to join the ESG Ireland community. We have a long-established commitment to Responsible Investment and are convinced of its merit, both in terms of investor returns and broader societal outcomes.
We consider advocacy to be an important part of our commitment. Amongst other industry engagements, First State is a member of the Investor Group on Climate Change and a founding member of the University of Cambridge Investment Leaders Group. We believe that ESG Ireland provides a worthy partner for furthering our advocacy work here in Ireland.”
About First State Investments
First State Investments, known as First Sentier Investors in Australia, is a global asset management business focused on providing high quality, long-term investment capabilities to our clients across a range of asset classes. Our commitment to RI and stewardship is a common thread which runs through our diverse investment capabilities. In particular, all our teams believe that ESG issues impact investment value and that as a leading global institutional investor we can achieve better long-term investment outcomes through active engagement and by exercising the equity ownership rights we hold on behalf of our clients.
About ESG Ireland™
ESG Ireland™ is an independent knowledge centre focused on delivering thought leadership, education and the latest developments on the integration of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors into decision-making frameworks, to assist companies, trustees, investors and all stakeholders. ESG Ireland has been established to be part of the solution for a more secure future; we believe the best way to achieve this is through collaboration with all stakeholders, to promote a greater sharing of perspectives.
While the broader theme of sustainability has garnered more publicity in Ireland recently, a big knowledge gap exists around the practical application of ESG and responsible investment among stakeholders, something which ESG Ireland has been set up to address. The core purpose of ESG Ireland is to turn intent into action and to make Ireland a beacon for other countries to follow. Taking a responsible approach to capital allocation and investing is not about sacrificing returns, it is about delivering more sustainable returns over the long term and in turn securing the future.
To learn more about ESG Ireland membership and to join this collaborative effort, contact: membership@ESG.ie