The Responsibility of Investing (formerly The Principles for Responsible Investment) is a podcast by the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), the world’s largest global body on responsible investment, representing over $128 trillion in assets under management. Each episode features conversations with thought leaders and experts from around the world, exploring how sustainable factors are transforming the investment landscape. Listen for unique insight into how climate, nature and human rights issues are affecting asset classes and responsible investment policies.  

The series helps PRI signatories - and the wider investment community - navigate responsible investment with greater precision and confidence, for the benefit of both investors and society. No matter your size, market, nor stage of the responsible investment journey, The Responsibility of Investing will bring you a new perspective every fortnight.

Launching Tuesday 17th June 2025, available wherever you get your podcasts.

Join us in São Paulo for the world’s leading responsible investment event, as we return for PRI in Person 2025, book now to secure your early bird rate - available until 2 July.

In this episode of the PRI podcast, we discuss implementing net zero commitments in listed equity portfolios.

Joined by Anna Cala, Assistant Vice President, ESG, ClearBridge Investments, and Maia Becker, Senior Director, RBC Global Asset Management, we explore:

1. Net zero ambition & commitments
2. Challenges and issues on the path to net zero
3. Steps taken towards achieving these targets
4. The role of divestments in achieving net zero targets

Download full transcript.

In this week's podcast, we look at the social licence of infrastructure investing. Joined by Gwen Colin of Vauban Infrastructure and Antoine Tréboz of ALiS, we explore:

·       How the social licence delivers better infrastructure projects for investors and their stakeholders

·       How to conduct effective stakeholder engagement

Find the transcript here: https://bit.ly/3FQ5sAn

 In this episode, Sebastien Akbik, Corporate Governance Analyst at the PRI spoke with Kiran Aziz, Head of Responsible Investments from KLP and Daniel Mulé, Policy Lead, Extractive Industries Tax and Transparency from Oxfam America. 

They discussed the importance for responsible investors to consider tax both from a risk mitigation and positive impact perspective. The speakers also discussed the increasing momentum on tax, including the shareholder proposals on tax transparency filed by Oxfam America and KLP.  

Find transcript here: https://bit.ly/3YMKuJ8  

What is tech addiction and why should investors be paying attention to the issue?

In this episode, we are joined by Di Rifai, Founder and Chair of the non-profit Creating Future Us, who works with investors to champion sustainable use of technology in business and by Carlota Garcia-Manas, Head of Climate Transition and ESG Engagement at Royal London Asset Management.

Together we discuss:

• How tech addiction is affecting society
• How investors can influence the tech sector
• Successes and challenges of engaging with the tech sector
• The role of regulation within tech companies

Find transcript here: https://bit.ly/41QqS9E

In this special episode of the PRI podcast, we take stock of progress in 2022 on the climate and environment, as we discuss:     

·      The biggest achievements for climate and environmental action in 2022, and where we fell short.

·       The importance for investors to consider climate and nature together, and their connection.

·       The key topics and moments where we would expect greater investor climate and nature action and policy environment.

Find transcript here:  COP_27_PT_2.pdf (libsyn.com)

Many governments are turning to labelled sustainable bonds, and Latin American sovereigns have been particularly innovative.

The PRI’s latest podcast delves into the issuer and investor perspective, and the different types of bonds coming to the market.

In this podcast we discuss:

• The state and evolution of the sovereign sustainable bond market
• How Latin America have approached this market and how Columbia, Mexico, and Chile have been the leaders in this space.
• Weighing up use-of-proceeds labelled bonds versus sustainability-linked bonds

It features Esther Law, who is a Senior Investment Manager in Emerging Market Debt at Amundi and César Arias, the former Director of Public Credit and National Treasury at the Ministry of Finance of Colombia.

Find podcast transcript here : https://bit.ly/3Xx5XGm 

In this episode, the PRI’s head of fixed income, Carmen Nuzzo speaks with Adam Heltzer of Ares Management and Faith Rosenfeld of HPS Investment Partners, to discuss how private debt investors are incorporating ESG into their investment practices.   

With this, they discuss the ESG opportunities for private debt and private equity investors to collaborate and the regulatory implications on reporting with limited partners. 

In this special episode of the PRI podcast, we shine the spotlight on COP27.

Host Liz Barnes speaks with Habib Abdur-Rahman, Head of ESG at Investcorp, and Prudential's Liza Jansen, Head of Responsible Investment at Prudential, and member of the UN-Convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance.

With just a week to go until the highly anticipated climate conference, they discuss their expectations for COP27, the role of investors in scaling up actions to deliver on a just transition to net zero, and how blended finance can be leveraged to mobilise capital into where finance is needed the most.

In this episode, we take a closer look at what is really happening behind the scenes at major sporting events, bringing to the forefront human rights abuses of migrant workers. With FIFA just around the corner, we discuss what is happening on the ground and what responsible investors can to do to tackle this issue.  

Find the transcript here: https://bit.ly/3FgJ83i 

In this new podcast, an investor and a bank discuss which ESG data they use for securitised product analysis and how it differs from other asset classes.

In the tenth podcast of a series on the ESG in Credit Risk and Ratings Initiative, Sixtine Dubost (PRI) speaks with Erika Wranegard (Lombard Odier Investment Managers) and Michael Ferguson (S&P Global Ratings) about the ESG information provider landscape and the usefulness of the product and service offering for fixed income investors.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3f3e24d

In this episode of the PRI podcast, Jasper Cox, Investment Practices Analyst at the PRI, speaks with Christian Leveque, Municipal Portfolio Manager and Strategist at Payden & Rygel, and Ruth Ducret, Senior Analyst, Municipal Research at Breckinridge Capital Advisors

State and local governments in the US have a critical role to play in tackling environmental and social challenges.

In turn, the investors who lend to these administrations through buying municipal (muni) bonds can contribute to the solutions. Some muni bond issuers have also started selling labelled bonds that earmark proceeds for green or social projects.

This podcast explores how sustainability outcomes can be factored into muni bond investment decisions, and what the role of labelled bonds is in this market.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3AC6zBh

Join the PRI’s Bonnie Groves and guests John Hoeppner, LGIM America, and Aeisha Mastagni, CalSTRS, in this episode of the PRI podcast.  

John and Aeisha discuss this year’s AGM season and the trends that will shape future proxy seasons. They tackle voting on new and complex shareholder resolutions and the role of universal owners in addressing systemic risks.  Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3JpLi0G

In this new podcast, PRI’s Carmen Nuzzo speaks with an originator and an investor  to discuss the benefits and the challenges of structured products with green or social labels. They are growing rapidly but are not always genuine.

The ICGN have recently published an update of the ICGN model mandate paper alongside the GISD. This paper is a practical tool for asset owners to incorporate clauses into investment mandates on issues such as climate change, human rights and reporting.

The PRI is fully supportive of this paper. In this session we will explore the paper, how it might be used and how the relationship between asset managers and asset owners has changed since the publication of the original paper in 2012.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3Pmyv0N

In this episode Laura de Ornelas, PRI’s Empowering Asset Owners Director, speaks to Jenny Kvaskova and Tim Manuel from Aon. They explore the insights into Asset Owners’ responsible investment practices, particularly how they differ across geographies and Asset Owner segments.

Jenny shares the methodology and techniques used to bring the PRI’s reporting data to life. Tim Manuel shares from his experience in supporting Asset Owners in their responsible investment journey, explores the challenges they face, and gives insight into how the industry is solving these.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3utVKOc

In this episode of the PRI podcast, Jasper Cox, Investment Practices Analyst at the PRI, speaks with Lupin Rahman, Head of Emerging Markets Sovereign Credit at PIMCO, and Jarrad Linzie, Global Head of Fixed Income Index Research at MSCI.

Indices help shape investment decisions, whether investors track them passively or use them as a benchmark for performance. Therefore, the index providers incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into a growing number of their products are key actors in the responsible investment ecosystem.

When designing ESG indices for government bonds, there are certain differences compared with corporate indices. This podcast explores these distinctions, as well as the purpose of ESG sovereign debt indices and potential areas for future development.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3bAXNcG

Interested in the resources discussed in this episode?

Bringing together sovereign debt investors and index providers: https://www.unpri.org/sovereign-debt/bringing-together-sovereign-debt-investors-and-index-providers/9890.article

In this episode of the PRI podcast, host Ed Baker (PRI’s Head of Climate Policy), speaks with Patrick Arber, Head of International Government Engagement at Aviva and Co-Lead of the UN-convened Asset Owner Alliance Policy Track and Karishma Gulrajani, Engagement Manager at Vivid Economics, on the AOA’s recently published position paper on carbon pricing. 

The transition to net zero hinges on a policy mix consistent with Paris Agreement goals. The escalating global energy security crisis underscores the imperative for an accelerated net zero transition, and carbon pricing provides a broad incentive for decarbonisation, driving emissions where they are most cost-effective. With growing momentum around this policy tool, particularly at the G7 this year, it is important to ensure that carbon pricing schemes are implemented in a robust and effective manner and supported by both enabling and complementary policies.   

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3A6FRRu

In the ninth podcast of a series on the ESG in Credit Risk and Ratings Initiative, Sixtine Dubost (PRI) speaks with Lisa Abraham (Brown Advisory) and Florian Grandcolas (EthiFinance) about TCFD’s recommended disclosures and their incorporation in credit risk analysis.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3te1A63

In this episode of the PRI podcast, Jasper Cox, Investment Practices Analyst at the PRI, speaks with Camilla Ogunbiyi, Senior Sovereign ESG Analyst at Nordea Asset Management, and James Lockhart Smith, Vice President for Markets at Verisk Maplecroft.

Sovereign nations are the ultimate guarantors of human rights, making the bonds they issue a logical focus for responsible investors. However, investors face unique challenges considering this topic in government debt. This podcast discusses the link between human rights and borrowing costs, how to find and use data on human rights, and engaging with countries on the subject.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3EL5J5Z

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI's Head of Private Equity, Peter Dunbar, speaks with Delilah Rothenburg, Executive Director & Co-Founding Partner of The Predistibution Initiative and Tensie Whelan, Director, Center for Sustainable Business, NYU Stern.

Private equity can be a divisive topic. On the one hand, it provides strong financial returns to pension funds and other institutional investors. But, on the other hand, it has a reputation for not always acting responsibly. Delilah and Tensie highlight some of the positive and negative impacts the asset class can have on a range of stakeholders. They also introduce the work they are doing on this topic to better measure those impacts and create improved investment practices that could help create value for all.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3LUjPUH

In the eighth podcast of the series on the ESG in Credit Risk and Ratings Initiative, Carmen Nuzzo, PRI speaks with Barbara Mattos, Moody’s Investors Service and Jod Hsu, NN Investment Partners about deforestation and how it can affect credit risk analysis.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3wTFyIp

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI’s senior lead in listed equities, Michal Bartek speaks with Steve Lydenberg, a partner at Domini Social Investments.

They reflect on the key developments in responsible investing in decades past, discuss the nature of challenges that listed equity investors currently face and explore what it takes for listed equity asset managers to show leadership.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3iqlrsA

This episode explores the impact of mass incarceration on people and also on their families and communities. It will also look at the involvement of investors and businesses in the prison system, particularly around contracted prison labour in companies’ supply chains and the actions they can take to mitigate negative social outcomes for those most impacted.  

Find the full transcript here: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/pripodcasts/Transcript_form_-_private_prisons.pdf

In this episode of the PRI podcast, PRI’s Betina Vaz Boni, speaks with Timothy Youmans from EOS at Federated Hermes. They discuss what corporate purpose is, what the latest leading research says about the future of the corporation and, why this has become a critical issue for investors.

Interested in the resources discussed in this episode?

Enacting Purpose Initiative Report #2: Directors & Investors: Building on Common Ground to Advance Sustainable Capitalism, Miazad, Younger, Eccles & Mayer, July 2021 : https://enactingpurpose.org/assets/epi-report-final.pdf

EOS at Federated Hermes: How to move corporate purpose forward, Youmans, August 2019: https://www.hermes-investment.com/uki/eos-insight/eos/whats-the-purpose-of-business-purpose/

EOS at Federated Hermes: Statement of Purpose Guidance Document, Eccles & Youmans, August 2019: https://www.hermes-investment.com/uki/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/statement-of-purpose-guidance-document-aug-2019.pdf

Harvard Business Review: 3 Ways to Put Your Corporate Purpose Into Action, Eccles Strine & Youmans, May 2020, https://hbr.org/2020/05/3-ways-to-put-your-corporate-purpose-into-action

This podcast explores how the US opioid crisis plays out at the local level, with repercussions not just on lives lost and healthcare costs, but also US municipal bonds and the cost of local authorities’ funding.

Leading the discussion are the PRI’s Carmen Nuzzo, Head of Fixed Income, and Katherine Ng, Head of Research. They’re joined by Eric Friedland, Director of Municipal Research, Lord Abbett, and John Hund, Assistant Professor of Finance, University of Georgia.

Interested in the resources discussed in this episode?

Opioid abuse affects municipal access to capital: https://www.unpri.org/pri-blog/opioid-abuse-affects-municipal-access-to-capital/8827.article

Sub-sovereign debt resources: https://www.unpri.org/investment-tools/fixed-income/sub-sovereign-debt

Fixed income resources: https://www.unpri.org/investment-tools/fixed-income

PRI academic research: https://www.unpri.org/sustainability-issues/research

Find the podcast transcript: https://bit.ly/3Iwl4s6 

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI’s Stewardship Specialist, Livia Rossi, speaks with Barbara Davidson from the Carbon Tracker Initiative and Caroline Escott from Railpen about carbon accounting. They discuss the integration of the financial impacts of climate-related matters into companies’ financial statements and explore the results of Carbon Tracker’s report “Flying Blind: The glaring absence of climate-related risks in financial reporting”.

They reflect how better transparency on this systematic issue can help investors understand the extent to which management have considered the effects of the goals of the Paris Agreement, and how Climate Action 100+ will provide information to help investors engage, vote or allocate capital more efficiently and effectively.

Find the podcast transcript: https://bit.ly/3GeSHNc

In this episode of the PRI podcast, the PRI’s senior lead in listed equities, Michal Bartek speaks with Edris Boey of Maitri Asset Management.

They reflect on the key developments in ESG incorporation in APAC region, discuss what it takes for investment organisations to be or keep up with the leaders in the field.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3AptNJr

In this episode, the PRI’s Simon Whistler talks with Chris Clubb from Convergence and Nadia Nikolova from Allianz Global Investors on the role of blended finance in driving more sustainable investment in emerging markets. They discuss the challenges and opportunities blended finance provides for institutional investors, and why it can be such an important tool delivering more investments that will speed progress towards Net Zero and the SDGs.

Find the podcast transcript here: https://bit.ly/3qcd0ow