Conning and PRI Discuss Commitment to Insurers in ESG Investing

December 14, 2020


Conning Integrates ESG Principles in Investment Process in Response to Increasing Interest from U.S. Insurers


HARTFORD, CT – December 14, 2020 —Leading global investment management firm Conning has published a Viewpoint with the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) that examines the growing interest among insurance companies in environmental, social and governmental (ESG) investment principles. Conning and PRI discuss how they are committed to helping improve insurers’ understanding of ESG principles, and Conning details how it incorporates ESG principles throughout its investment process.

 

The Viewpoint “Conning & PRI’s Commitment to ESG Investing for Insurers” notes that ESG interest among U.S. insurers has historically trailed that of their European and Asian counterparts, but that is changing. Helping to spark interest among U.S. insurers are specific concerns related to climate-change risk, as well as increasing shareholder demands, growing regulatory concerns, and, not least of all, interest in enhancing long-term business viability. In PRI’s segment of the Viewpoint, it offers an overview of its resources providing best practices related to ESG investment principles.

 

“Conning’s view is that integrating ESG risk factors into insurance portfolios enhances the research process and better allows us to adhere to the fiduciary duty we owe each client,” said Matt Daly, Viewpoint author and head of Conning’s Corporate and Municipal Teams. “We view ESG integration as a firm-wide effort, core to our global capabilities and one in which we leverage skills across the enterprise. We also believe it’s the right thing to do, both for our clients and for us as a firm.”

 

Daly explains Conning’s efforts to integrate ESG investment principles into the firm’s credit research process. He also highlights the interaction between the firm’s ESG Steering Committee, Board of Directors, chief risk officer and investment teams, its portfolio ESG dashboard for each client, and its recent A+ score for its overarching approach to ESG Strategy and Governance in the 2020 Assessment Report from PRI.

 

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ABOUT CONNING

Conning (www.conning.com) is a leading investment management firm with approximately $188 billion in global assets under management as of September 30, 2020.* With a long history of serving the insurance industry, Conning supports institutional investors, including pension plans, with investment solutions and asset management offerings, risk modeling software, and industry research. Founded in 1912, Conning has investment centers in Asia, Europe and North America.

 

*As of September 30, 2020, represents the combined global assets under management for the affiliated firms under Conning Holdings Limited and Cathay Securities Investment Trust Co., Ltd. (“SITE”).  SITE reports internally into Conning Asia Pacific Limited, but is a separate legal entity under Cathay Financial Holding Co., Ltd. which is the ultimate controlling parent of all Conning Holdings Limited controlled entities.

 

 

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Media Contacts

Myra Lee
Conning
+1 860 299 2278
myra.lee@conning.com