As EU regulation rolls out potently across the E, S and G areas, translation and implementation at the country level becomes paramount. In turn, governments are evolving their domestic responses to ESG, notably on climate change based on their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement. In the biggest European institutional markets this is rapidly translating into pension fund attention on ESG reporting, strategy and related asset decisions.
 
This series of RI country events drops down to the country level to bring together the country’s policy makers, regulators, investors, asset managers and service providers to examine and discuss these developments.
 
The RI country spotlight conferences are week long events, comprising 5 main plenary discussion sessions (one per day, Mon-Fri), plus dedicated case studies.

ESG developments in the Netherlands that will be discussed:

• The Dutch market is still Europe’s biggest for pension funds running assets of €1.4 trillion. They have been frontrunners in responsible investment and renewables investing, and are now branching out into impact investing, notably via the SDG Investment Initiative.
• The Dutch finance sector has signed a climate agreement with the government committing to reduce GHG emissions, and the Dutch central bank DNB has taken a leadership position on sustainable finance internationally, particularly on biodiversity.
• The Dutch Stewardship Code is considered one of the most progressive in the world and more than 90% of Dutch pension funds have signed a responsible business conduct covenant. 2021 will be a year of huge scaling up of ESG in the Netherlands.

Conference website