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Recommend positioning of new impact investing product

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Engagement Synopsis

At Ecofin, we believe we’re at the forefront of a sustainability revolution with an industry that is just  coming into play. Global challenges are in need of capital and investors are striving to make an impact without  sacrificing returns. Industry leaders are coupling ESG integration, SDG alignment and traditional investing to establish  long-term value for their clients through a myriad of sustainable investment offerings.   Ecofin is seeking to engage a project team to perform an in-depth review of the investment management industry focused on the sustainability space. Students will perform a gap analysis comparing Ecofin to other leading sustainable investment management  firms, highlighting any identified gaps, recommendations for change and areas for improvement.  

Company Information

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Company Overview

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Industry Mentors

There are currently no supervisors assigned.

Course Info & Engagement Details

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Relevant Topics

Academic Mentors

There are currently no supervisors assigned.

Students

There are currently no students assigned.

Program Timeline

Touchpoints & Assignments Due Date Submission

Key Project Milestones

  • March 22, 2021 - Deep dive into the investment management industry focused on the sustainability space

    • Industry outlook
    • Near term and long term industry drivers
    • Industry inflows, outflows and fees
    • Challenges and tailwinds for the industry
    • Top trends and highlight major sustainable investment themes

    Suggested Deliverable:

    Graphic/PowerPoint presentation (focus on substance over format)

  • March 23, 2021 - Deep dive into Ecofin's sustainable investments strategies and portfolio

    • Strategies employed by Ecofin with regard to sustainable investments
    • Summary of new products launched by Ecofin
    • Summary of how Ecofin distributes their products
    • Description of how Ecofin attracts talent
    • Ecofin’s profile with regard to:
      • Assets Under Management
      • Ownership
      • Firm history and growth
      • Strategy review
      • Successes and failures
      • Geographic presence
      • Inflow/outflows
      • Integration of corporate responsibility
      • Measurement & reporting
      • Coalition associations
    • Are there other sustainable themes to consider in addition to those listed above?
    • Are the currently offered themes supported?

    Suggested Deliverable:

    PowerPoint/other presentation (focus on substance over format)

  • March 24, 2021 - Analysis of key players with brands tied to sustainability and ESG

    • Research EcoFin’s competitors, building upon the list of current competitors provided by the client.
    • Comparison of strategies employed by dedicated sustainable investment firms versus the “ESG” reaction  from investment supermarkets
    • Summary of new product launches by dedicated firms
    • Analyze how dedicated firms distribute their products
    • Assess how dedicated firms attract talent
    • Profiles of key players with brands tied to sustainability and ESG, including:
      • Assets Under Management
      • Ownership
      • Firm history and growth
      • Strategy review
      • Successes and failures
      • Geographic presence
      • Inflow/outflows
      • Integration of corporate responsibility
      • Measurement & reporting
      • Coalition associations
      • Other sustainability themes (e.g. Gender Lens Investing)
    • What component of this space is occupied by firms with:
      • a dedicated focus/specialization on sustainability and ESG?
      • sustainability as a broader approach (e.g. Blackstone )

    Top 6 competitors:

    • Schroders
    • Impax
    • Generation
    • Mirova
    • Calvert
    • Federated Hermes

    Refer to additional information on competitors (attachments)


    Suggested Deliverable:

    • Competitor Profiles and Quartile Rankings

  • March 25, 2021 - Gap analysis comparing Ecofin to other leading sustainable investment management firms

    • Highlight identified gaps
    • Rank order/prioritize return-on-investments
    • Identify areas for improvement and make recommendations for targeting priorities based upon the analysis

    Suggested Deliverable:

    PowerPoint Presentation/Narrative (at the discretion of the group)

Project Resources