Equity markets are often seen as playing the foremost role of urging companies to become more sustainable. However, we believe bonds are in a privileged position with which to drive towards a more biodiverse world and in some ways are better positioned than equity markets in exerting pressure and promoting positive change.

The size of the bond markets (currently trading around US $1 trillion each day), frequency of bond issuance, breadth of issuer type, and use of sustainable debt instruments are all unique advantages bond investors have in addressing biodiversity. Investors are quickly waking up to the potential of this sleeping giant.

As part of the Paris Alignment Forum, Kris Atkinson, Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income of Fidelity International led this one-hour interactive roundtable, which was followed by a Q&A hosted by Karen Shackleton of Pensions for Purpose.

Who was this event for?

This event was opened to asset owners such as pension fund trustees, in-house executives and independent advisers, professional trustees, government representatives and consultants

Sponsor

Speaker biography

Kris Atkinson, Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income, Fidelity International

Kris Atkinson joined Fidelity in 2000 and is responsible for managing a number of Fidelity’s investment grade (IG) and sustainable bond funds. He manages the Fidelity Sustainable Climate Bond Fund, the Fidelity Sustainable Asian Bond Fund, the Fidelity Global Corporate Bond Fund and the Fidelity Hybrids Bond Fund.

He also acts as a co-manager on the Fidelity Sustainable MoneyBuilder Income Fund and a number of Sterling IG bond funds. Kris is a key member of Fidelity’s sterling IG strategy team and is a Fidelity Sustainability Ambassador.

Kris became a credit analyst in 2001 and a senior credit analyst in 2010. During this time, he covered a variety of sectors across IG, high yield and emerging markets. He was promoted to portfolio manager in 2013.

Kris has an MA Economics from the University of Cambridge.

Host

Karen Shackleton, Director and Founder, Pensions for Purpose

Karen has worked in the finance sector for over 30 years. As well as being Founder of Pensions for Purpose, she is Deputy Chair of the Strategic Investment Board for the Ministry of Justice and a non-executive director and Chair of the Board of Resonance Ltd, a social impact investment company.

She sits on the Advisory Council of the Impact Investing Institute. Karen also provides independent investment advice to the London Boroughs of Islington, Camden and Hounslow through MJ Hudson. She was the Chief Executive/Managing Director of AllenbridgeEpic Investment Advisers from 2010 to 2013.

Prior to that, she had ten years’ experience as a fund manager and director for County NatWest and BZW Investment Management (now BlackRock).

The Paris Alignment Forum was established by Pensions for Purpose to help pension funds and other asset owners on their journey towards alignment with the goals of the Paris Agreement. We do this by sharing climate-related thought leadership written by our members (asset managers, consultants and lawyers), by running free training workshops for trustees and by engaging in industry-wide conversation through our quarterly all-stakeholder and asset-owner events. To join the Paris Alignment Forum, please email the Forum Lead.

Pensions for Purpose

Pensions for Purpose exists as a bridge between asset managers, pension funds and their professional advisers, to encourage the flow of capital towards impact investment. Our aim is to empower pension funds to seek positive impact opportunities and mitigate negative impact risks. For more information, please email our Membership Manager.