Let's Talk EU CFA Institute

Josina Kamerling has a discussion with Pauline van der Meer Mohr, Chair of the Supervisory Board of ASM International NV, and non-executive director on the Boards of AholdDelhaize, Nationale Nederlanden and Viatris Inc., about the future role for company boards on sustainability, and the way organisations should engage with shareholders.

Josina Kamerling and Rhodri Preece, Senior Head, Research, CFA Institute, discuss the findings of the 2022 CFA Institute Investor Trust Survey and talk about how retail and institutional investors are interacting with the factors impacting trust today.

The Taxonomy Regulation establishes an EU-wide classification framework to provide businesses and investors with a common language to identify environmentally sustainable economic activities. Companies will be required to disclose their impact in the environment and increase transparency in how they mitigate it. On this episode, Josina Kamerling interviews Sirpa Pietikäinen, Member of the European Parliament and former Minister of the Environment in Finland and a strong advocate for the transition to Sustainable Finance. What are the challenges to implement the regulation, and can the Taxonomy remain a neutral scientific method that benefits both companies and retail investors?

Josina introduces us to the recent developments in corporate governance and reporting to protect retail investors, and the need for a holistic approach in the recent CSRD proposal, the EU legislation that aims to widen the NFRD's scope and ESG disclosure requirements. She welcomes Olivier Boutellis-Taft, CEO of Accountancy Europe to the show and poses him the question: what is the role of auditors and company boards in the face of global shortages of natural resources, and other key sustainability risks? Investors, more than ever, are looking for succinct and transparent reporting of companies’ environmental impact and risks. 

CFA Institute and BETTER FINANCE address the recent boom of SPACs in a joint research report that brings a pragmatic view of the issues facing European retail investors and investment professionals that are considering a move into this rapidly evolving (and for many, unfamiliar) territory. Roberto Silvestri, Josina Kamerling and Edoardo Carlucci discuss the possible role of SPACs in the context of the Capital Markets Union (CMU) in the EU, and the main regulatory issues concerning transparency and information disclosure, investor protection, and supervision.

The investment industry is facing a cultural shift as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) become crucial elements in attracting and retaining talent, whoever it comes from. Josina introduces Sarah Maynard, Global Head, External Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at CFA Institute. She recognizes that an organization with an inclusive culture results in better investor outcomes, and is a better place to work. To lead the industry in this direction, CFA Institute has developed a voluntary code to guide DEI, beginning in the United States and Canada.