WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.125 --> 00:00:01.435
Marc-André, welcome.
2
00:00:01.435 --> 00:00:02.455
We know that governments
3
00:00:02.455 --> 00:00:04.775
and businesses need to work
together in the transition
4
00:00:04.775 --> 00:00:07.535
to a low-carbon economy, but
what does that look like?
5
00:00:08.405 --> 00:00:09.535
Well, it takes many forms
6
00:00:09.535 --> 00:00:11.135
because the,
7
00:00:11.135 --> 00:00:14.415
the challenges we're facing in
climate, when you think about
8
00:00:14.415 --> 00:00:17.875
that, government acting alone cannot do it.
9
00:00:17.875 --> 00:00:21.395
And actually, investors
acting alone cannot do it.
10
00:00:21.395 --> 00:00:24.235
Or the civil society at large
acting alone cannot do it.
11
00:00:24.235 --> 00:00:27.535
So you need to bring every
stakeholder together,
12
00:00:28.395 --> 00:00:30.635
and this is why this COP is so important.
13
00:00:30.635 --> 00:00:33.835
And I like the motto of
this COP that is "unite, act,
14
00:00:33.835 --> 00:00:36.515
and deliver" because it's exactly
what we need to be doing.
15
00:00:36.515 --> 00:00:39.015
But that means we need to build trust
16
00:00:39.015 --> 00:00:40.675
between all of those parts,
17
00:00:40.675 --> 00:00:43.175
and it's not easy at a
time when there's populism
18
00:00:43.175 --> 00:00:45.875
and all of that. What it
looks like for investors,
19
00:00:45.875 --> 00:00:47.955
it takes the form of blended finance
20
00:00:47.955 --> 00:00:50.055
and it takes the form of recognizing
21
00:00:50.055 --> 00:00:53.435
that not all capital has
the same risk tolerance.
22
00:00:53.435 --> 00:00:56.195
And, whether you're philanthropy
23
00:00:56.195 --> 00:00:58.955
or you're an institutional
investor or your family office
24
00:00:58.955 --> 00:01:02.635
or you're a VC, private
equity...everybody has different
25
00:01:02.635 --> 00:01:03.915
risk tolerance.
26
00:01:03.915 --> 00:01:06.475
But we all have a role
to play in the transition,
27
00:01:06.475 --> 00:01:08.635
and that's how we need to come together.
28
00:01:08.635 --> 00:01:11.615
And, I think
blended finance is the solution
29
00:01:11.615 --> 00:01:13.495
to everything we need to be doing.
30
00:01:14.615 --> 00:01:16.215
Specifically, the role of institutional
31
00:01:16.215 --> 00:01:18.285
investors...talk to me about that.
32
00:01:18.285 --> 00:01:22.735
Well, institutional
investors are a big player.
33
00:01:22.735 --> 00:01:26.135
I mean, we control
altogether more than half
34
00:01:26.135 --> 00:01:29.655
of the investible capital in
the world, so we obviously need
35
00:01:29.655 --> 00:01:30.915
to be part of the solution.
36
00:01:30.915 --> 00:01:34.185
And institutional investors, like CDPQ,
37
00:01:34.185 --> 00:01:38.515
which is a largely a pension
fund from Canada, Quebec...
38
00:01:38.515 --> 00:01:41.355
how we do that
is we've set ourselves,
39
00:01:41.355 --> 00:01:43.735
you know, very high targets for reduction
40
00:01:43.735 --> 00:01:47.075
of our carbon footprint,
increasing our green assets.
41
00:01:47.075 --> 00:01:49.115
But where we make the most difference,
42
00:01:49.115 --> 00:01:52.755
the biggest difference, is
actually on how we invest.
43
00:01:52.755 --> 00:01:54.155
Making sure that each
44
00:01:54.155 --> 00:01:56.315
and every investment,
45
00:01:56.315 --> 00:02:00.115
we do an ESG analysis, we
look at what's the impact
46
00:02:00.115 --> 00:02:03.725
on climate and also how we engage
47
00:02:03.725 --> 00:02:05.365
with our portfolio companies.
48
00:02:05.365 --> 00:02:08.275
That will make a huge
difference going forward.
49
00:02:08.275 --> 00:02:11.205
You know, are we engaging in depth
50
00:02:11.205 --> 00:02:14.175
with our portfolio company
to actually make sure
51
00:02:14.175 --> 00:02:16.835
that they're as aligned
as possible with climate?
52
00:02:16.835 --> 00:02:19.615
And that's a question
of value creation for us.
53
00:02:21.135 --> 00:02:24.175
ESG has had a rough
time of it of late, I think
54
00:02:24.175 --> 00:02:25.705
that's probably fair to say.
55
00:02:25.705 --> 00:02:28.555
Where does the future lie for ESG
56
00:02:28.555 --> 00:02:31.175
and institutional investors,
do you think?
57
00:02:31.175 --> 00:02:32.735
Well, I think it's a question of vocabulary
58
00:02:32.735 --> 00:02:36.135
because I
think it's like,
59
00:02:36.135 --> 00:02:39.235
I know in some parts of the
world, ESG is not so popular,
60
00:02:39.235 --> 00:02:43.075
but at the end, for us, ESG is
not only looking at the risk,
61
00:02:43.075 --> 00:02:45.115
but it's looking at value creation.
62
00:02:45.115 --> 00:02:48.575
You take two companies, exactly
the same balance sheet,
63
00:02:48.575 --> 00:02:50.715
exactly the same financial numbers,
64
00:02:50.715 --> 00:02:54.355
but one has leadership
that is more diverse,
65
00:02:54.355 --> 00:02:56.755
the same one uses less water,
66
00:02:56.755 --> 00:03:00.285
has a smaller carbon footprint, has less
67
00:03:00.285 --> 00:03:01.625
of a footprint on real estate.
68
00:03:01.625 --> 00:03:03.095
And you can go on and on and on.
69
00:03:03.095 --> 00:03:05.345
Which company is valued most?
70
00:03:05.345 --> 00:03:08.085
The market has already said
it.
71
00:03:08.085 --> 00:03:10.915
It's that company that actually is aligned
72
00:03:10.915 --> 00:03:12.425
with sustainable development
73
00:03:12.425 --> 00:03:13.258
has more value than the
other.
74
00:03:13.258 --> 00:03:14.091
So it doesn't
75
00:03:14.091 --> 00:03:15.725
matter what we call it.
It's the principles that count.
76
00:03:15.725 --> 00:03:18.565
Exactly. And for us,
we look at it in a way
77
00:03:18.565 --> 00:03:20.635
that, it's value creation,
78
00:03:20.635 --> 00:03:22.545
it's making sure that our assets,
79
00:03:22.545 --> 00:03:25.685
we are a long-term
asset owner, making sure
80
00:03:25.685 --> 00:03:28.155
that our assets are not stranded.
81
00:03:28.155 --> 00:03:30.505
Just think about real estate,
82
00:03:30.505 --> 00:03:33.305
and the impact of the rise
of sea levels on real estate.
83
00:03:33.305 --> 00:03:35.425
We need to think about it as an investor
84
00:03:35.425 --> 00:03:36.905
who owns real estate
85
00:03:36.905 --> 00:03:38.505
and will own the same piece of real estate
86
00:03:38.505 --> 00:03:40.355
for the next 20, 25 years.
87
00:03:40.355 --> 00:03:41.188
Marc-André, thank you so much.
88
00:03:41.188 --> 00:03:42.021
Thank you.