-Life as a Head of ESG Management-
Introducing
Kelly Hirsch is the Head of ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) with Vancity Investment Management Ltd (VCIM). She joined the firm in 2016 as an ESG Analyst and worked closely with senior members of the ESG team for 5 years, before taking on the Head of ESG position in 2021.
Duties and Responsibilities
Kelly oversees VCIM’s overall sustainability and ESG integration strategy including their net zero commitment and the adoption of the Finance for Biodiversity Pledge.
She is also responsible for leading a team of analysts in the assessment of the ESG practices of public traded companies, the evaluation of risks and opportunities associated with emerging ESG issues, and the creation and execution of shareholder engagement strategies.
Shareholder engagement is a key component of VCIM’s ESG process and is a major focus area of their responsible investing approach.
Experience and Education
Kelly has over 10 years of financial services experience and holds a Bachelor of Environmental Science from the University of Guelph and a diploma in accounting from the University of British Columbia.
She is a CFA charter holder, certified as a Responsible Investment Specialist (RIS) with the Responsible Investment Association and registered with the BC Securities Commission as an Associate Advising Representative.
Personal Activities and Beliefs
In her spare time, she gets out into nature as much as possible, whether hiking through the alpine or kayaking up an inlet to a marine campsite.
She is passionate about travelling the world and believes that the variety of perspectives gained from visiting different cultures and environments is valuable experience that directly translates into better leadership and decision making.
Reasons to Listen
This talk adds clarity and perspective to a still emerging sector of financial investment.
This will be a talk worth listening to for:
- those interested in knowing more about how the ESG movement came out and where it is headed
- those curious about the rewards and challenges of engaging within this line of work
- those who are looking for insights on what such a career could be like
Listeners will come away with insights on:
- the two biggest aspects of Kelly’s work
- what makes ESG financial analysis investment approaches unique
- misconceptions about ESG
- how Kelly personally paired up her care for the environment with the world of finance
- a breakdown on the ESG movement in finance which has seen it grow to represent $30 trillion in global assets under management in less than 20 years
- on the critique of ESG being a glorified greenwashing exercise
- the role technology currently plays as per the advancement and growth of more effective and quality driven ESG investment opportunities
- how many companies actually engage within ESG based investment decisions
- how feelings surrounding ESG related matters are influencing and affecting the retail consumer investment market
- Kelly’s views on ESG moving forward
- much more!
A Memorable Quote from the Episode:
“A lot of the money you invest ends up driving practices. Companies care about what their shareholders have to say. And I think more people are starting to recognize that.”
–Kelly Hirsch
Check out the Video Conversation:
For those who desire to view the full video conversation of this discussion, you can do so via Youtube.
Discover More
For those interested in learning more about Kelly and her work, be sure to check out her place of work or simply follow along on the following platform:
Keep Listening!
I hope you enjoyed the episode. For more, check out additional episodes here!
