Jun 9, 2025
Nicole Gehrig speaks with Tamara Close, CFA, Senior Director
of ESG Advisory for the Petra Funds Group, about the ongoing
evolution of sustainable finance and ESG (Environmental, Social,
and Governance) practices within the institutional investment
landscape. Tamara reflects on her career path, including her time
at PSP Investments, and shares key insights into the shifting
perceptions and integration of ESG issues into mainstream
investment strategies. The discussion covers how institutional
investors have evolved and increased in sophistication when it
comes to their ESG practices. It looks as well at the regional
disparities in adoption, the distinct roles of public versus
private markets, and the growing expectations placed on asset
managers by institutional investors. Nicole and Tamara also examine
the increasing demand for transparency, high-quality data, and
measurable outcomes, from institutional investors emphasizing the
maturation of considering ESG issues from a values-driven approach
to a financially material integrated investment framework.
Key Takeaways:
• Institutional investors have progressed from values-based
investing to fully integrating ESG issues into risk management
frameworks, aiming to create real world impact through their
investments.
• Public markets are increasingly seen as a risk management
play for institutional investors focusing on ESG issues, whereas
private markets present more opportunities to deliver measurable
impact.
• Transparency and evidence-based results are essential
requirements for credible ESG strategies.
• There are key questions institutional investors can use to
help assess a fund manager's ESG integration maturity.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:40 Tamara's Sustainability Story
05:08 How Institutional Investors Treat ESG Issues: Evolution
and Trends
11:04 Regional Differences in ESG Practices and
Regulations
15:13 Public vs. Private Markets: ESG Approaches
20:27 Expectations from Institutional Investors
23:30 Key Questions for Asset Managers on Integrating ESG
Issues
27:41 Future of ESG Practices in Investment Strategies