CSP Newsletter: Winter 2023
Dear friends,
Season’s greetings from CSP! Our stalwart team is sending you our warmest winter wishes.
As the year draws to a close, it’s encouraging to see all we’ve accomplished in 2023. From publishing our first-ever official Impact Report and connecting with our global community across many events and trainings, to sharpening our focus on research insights and strengthening our team culture, it’s been a big year for us. And with the 10th anniversary of the Impact Investing for the Next Generation program fast approaching–and other exciting developments to be announced soon–next year promises to be a significant one as well.
We look forward to continuing our journey with you, and wish you all the best for 2024.
Towards Impact,
The University of Zurich’s Department of Banking and Finance hosts the world’s largest cluster for sustainable finance science. And now we’re making it official. We will soon launch a new platform for systematically communicating cutting edge insights to you and the world: the Initiative in Sustainable Finance!
Join us for the launch event in Zurich on March 5th at the University of Zurich. We’d love to see you there!
Research News
Outstanding Research Awards for CSP Papers!
We’re thrilled that our research has been resonating with distinguished peers in the sustainable finance community. “Do Investors Care About Impact?” was dubbed the “Best Research Article of 2023” by the Forum pour l’Investissement Durable and the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), while “The Divergence of ESG Ratings”, co-authored by former Head of Research and now CSP Collaborator Julian Kölbel, was awarded the 2023 Pagano and Zechner Prize from the European Finance Association.
Florian Heeb Interview featured on Illuminem
What makes an investment “sustainable”? Is it just a trend? Could sustainable investing save the world? Former CSP PhD candidate and now Collaborator Florian Heeb spoke with Illuminem to reflect on his story, answer frequently asked questions about sustainable finance, and speculate as to what might be coming next.
Sophia Jungk: First PhD Paper Published!
Congratulations to CSP Collaborator Sophia Jungk on publishing her first paper! The study shares insights from 41 interviews with family firms across the European manufacturing industry, shedding light on how they prioritize between “grand environmental challenges” and short-term crises. Sophia’s PhD project with Falko at EBS University focuses on how families can have impact both through their investments and through their businesses. We look forward to sharing more from her in the future!
Be part of the transition, lead your clients towards impact
Are you serving your clients’ needs when it comes to having a positive impact? Do you feel the drive to stay competitive and better understand what you can offer them?
From March 6–8th, 2024, professionals from across private banking, wealth management, and family offices will convene online to strengthen their understandings of sustainable finance.
The Sustainable Investing in Wealth Management course draws on both the latest research findings from our network as well as CSP’s own insights from nearly a decade of helping ultra-high-net-wealth individuals develop and implement sophisticated sustainable investment strategies with impact at their core. Sound like your next step?
CSP Out & About
CSP mentioned in Forbes’ Family Impact Investing Roundup
“The education of larger institutions is also critical, something the Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth provides through its application of academic research that helps align private banking professionals and wealth owners in their efforts to maximize impact,” remarks Francois Botha in this article for Forbes.
Andrew at Prestel & Partners
In November, our Institutional Programs Manager Andrew Douglas moderated a panel at the Prestel & Partner’s Family Office Forum in Zurich. The panelists discussed how family offices can set their sustainable investment strategies and their crucial role in achieving sustainable development outcomes.
Insights from the Toniic T100
The high- and ultra-high-net-wealth communities have long been under-researched. We work to address such gaps. In October, we supported our partners Toniic in launching a report summarizing recent research insights from their T100 impact investing community, a group of investors committed to deeper positive net impact in every asset class. The report and webinar recording are available on the Toniic website.
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