GIPF HOSTS RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT SYMPOSIUM

The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) is hosting a Responsible Investment Symposium (RIS) on 11 and 12 April 2024 in Windhoek.? This unique event is dedicated to challenging thinking, broadening horizons, and engaging in honest debate about the relevance and practical impacts of the Responsible Investment and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) landscape and the Fund’s shared mandates.

Leading partners, policymakers, investors, and expert specialists discuss pertinent issues on the latest local and global responsible investments and ESG strategies.? The RIS provides a platform for stakeholder engagement through building of lasting relationships and enables participants to share best practices with other Responsible Investment investors and Fund Managers to help shape our emerging future.

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The Symposium attracted over twenty (20) speakers from Namibia, and countries such as the United Kingdom, South Africa, the United States of America, and Senegal and close to two hundred (200) participants.

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Various topics are to be deliberated on and will provide insight into the value of responsible investments and investors on a nation’s economy and the brand value of responsible investment.? Participants exchanged ideas concerning market discussions on the changing role and expectations of responsible asset managers in the new era of Responsible Investments and ESG thinking.

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Speaking at the event, the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the GIPF, Mr. Penda Ithindi said “being responsible, sustainable and actionable, starts from the top, therefore solidifying GIPF’s strategic ambitions and performance expectations for Responsible Investments and ESG”.? He added that GIPF being the 1000th signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investing (UNPRI) in March 2012, the Fund has been at the forefront in pioneering responsible investment in all its asset classes, locally, in South Africa, Africa, and internationally.

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Speaking at the RIS, the Chief Executive Officer/Principal Officer of the GIPF stated that “Responsible Investment is integral to the GIPF’s business model. Through the lens of sustainability, the Fund aims to capture value, mitigate relevant risks, and remain forward-looking to be part of the Responsible Investment community, to the extent that it is attainable”.

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The GIPF has over the last few months, embarked on the journey to set up systems to ensure that the UNPRI and ESG analysis and interpretation become an important part of the Funds investment processes.

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As a result, the Fund requires all partners to adopt similar principles and frameworks to integrate ESG aspects in all their investment processes and decision making.? This approach shall enable the GIPF to meet its member-centric business objectives and ensure returns on investments that shall positively impact on the Namibian economy and ensure continued growth and guaranteed benefits for all its members.

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