PRI in Person 2013 hosted in Cape Town

PRI in Person 2013, the signatory investor event of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on 1-2 October 2013. It is an annual opportunity that PRI signatories - and potential signatories - have to meet, collaborate and learn from local and international peers and engage in debate with experts and thought leaders.

Keynote speakers include Elias Masilela, CEO, Public Investment Corporation (PIC), who will discuss how to bring about long termism in the financial markets as well as Tshepo Mahloele, CEO, Harith General Partners, who will reflect on his experiences of investing in African infrastructure projects. Harith is the fund manager of the US$625-million Pan African Infrastructure Fund (PAIDF).

Other speakers include Sharan Burrow, general secretary, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), who will discuss the need for pension fund investment to shift towards "patient capital"-debt or equity investments for up to 15 years in entrepreneurs and businesses that embrace environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues - and GEPF's principal executive officer, John Oliphant who will moderate a number of sessions during the two-day event.

Apart from the two full days packed with solution-seeking roundtables, thought-provoking sessions, and peer-to-peer dialogues and with plenty of time to network, there will be a number of additional events that delegates should consider attending.

Visit to the mining operations of Lonmin and Impala Platinum

STANLIB Asset Management, GEPF and PRI, are offering a limited number of investor delegates a chance to visit the mining operations of Lonmin and Impala Platinum, in Rustenburg. The visit will be preceded by a STANLIB-hosted investor forum in which to debate issues surrounding mining in South Africa, including regulation, governance and labour followed by site visits to Lonmin and Implats operations on the second day. On 30 September, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and GEPF in collaboration with the PRI will be holding an ESG investor briefing showcasing constituents of the JSE's Socially Responsible Investment Index. JSE SRI Index companies will share their company prospects, with reference to how they integrate sustainability considerations into their strategy and operations.

In 2005, the United Nations secretary general invited a multi-stakeholder group of experts to be part of a process to develop a set of principles to assist investors address long-term sustainability risks. What emerged were thePrinciples for Responsible Investment (PRI), launched in 2006 at the New York Stock Exchange, and where GEPF was present.

GEPF currently represents Africa and the Middle East on PRI's International Advisory Council and chairs the PRI South Africa Network, which it was instrumental in launching five years ago. The PRI SA Network helped initiate and develop the Code for Responsible Investing in SA (CRISA), which was launched in 2011.

PRI in Person 2013 provides an excellent forum to showcase investment opportunities in South Africa and on the African continent and is an opportunity for both local Southern African, African and international institutional investors to actively engage on material issues that impact on their long-term sustainability.

More information about PRI and PRI in Person may be accessed via the PRI website.