11:15 - 13:00

Geoffrey Mazullo (Poland)
Adjunct Professor School of American Law, Principal - Emerging Markets ESG

Greg Barker (Mauritius)
Director - Investment Research - Sustainable Capital

Can Sustainability Alpha Be Captured In Africa?

Case studies investigating if sustainability issues are affecting shareholder returns in this market.

Holger Rothenbusch (Germany)
Senior Vice President - DEG - Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH

Nobody Likes To Hug a Tractor

DEG invests in projects to establish and expand private enterprises in developing and transition countries, and thus create the basis for sustainable economic growth and a lasting improvement in the living conditions of the local population. In this regard DEG has recognized that long-term financing for small and medium enterprises (SME) is often not available and a crucial development bottleneck in many countries. Managers of SMEs often report that finding finance is harder for them than for large firms. Large firms have easier access to finance, not only to banks but also to capital markets. Further more, households and individual entrepreneurs are benefiting from microfinance innovations from group lending to credit card. But SMEs are said to be the "missing middle" in finance, although the economic significance of SME is indisputable. In many countries 95% of companies are small or medium-sized. SMEs clearly account for a large share in total employment and approx. 50% of GDP. This presentation looks at the developmental and business rationale of investing in SMEs, the do´s and don´ts in emerging markets and some new approaches to SME finance.

Andreas Holzer (Switzerland )
Analyst, Sustainability Research - Bank Sarasin & Cie AG

Sustainability Analysis of Emerging Market Companies

The trend in the general conditions for sustainable growth in the emerging economies is at a turning point. After two decades of strong, relatively unregulated growth, a transition to more responsible growth is currently taking place. This altered growth paradigm has implications for the companies concerned. Environmental and social demands and opportunities have increased. This trend, and the sustainability risks which are still higher for companies in emerging economies, make the incorporation of ESG aspects very beneficial in making investment decisions.

Aldo Bonati (Italy)
Head of Research Department - ECPI Milan

ESG Investing: Opportunities in Emerging Markets

According to a recent Bloomberg survey of the global investor community, China and Brazil were both tied as the most attractive destination for investment in terms of potential returns, India is 3rd most attractive and the USA is 4th.
Emerging economies are now having to deal with unprecedented interest from investors outside of their borders. Tools are required to assist investment decisions in these markets, where environmental, social and corporate governance risks loom large and threaten the search for alpha.
ECPI will discuss a variety of case study emerging markets and industries, the ESG risks inherent, and how investors’ long-term returns benefit from an overlay of ESG research and analysis and by using indices. For instance, looking at China, we see how ESG data can provide clarity in otherwise foggy markets.