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.