CGI Women in Banking is a roundtable series that brings together female executives from across CGI with expertise on key banking topics. In this particular roundtable interview, we explore the topic of sustainable finance, which is growing in importance for companies across the globe. CGI banking experts Nancy Amert, Nathalie Conné, Frances Ferguson, Christina Fung, and Dora Jonah share their perspectives.
What does sustainable finance (i.e., “green” finance) mean to you, and what are the future implications for clients?
Nathalie:
Sustainable finance is a global response to the impact of climate change within the financial sphere that proposes new sustainable and profitable business models. It has become a differentiator within international financial markets.
Frances:
Sustainable finance is a catalyst for transformative change based on a shared awareness of and mutual accountability for in-country climate policies.
Nancy:
“Green finance,” as defined by the United Nations, is a way of “increasing the level of financial flows from banking, micro-credit, insurance and investment from the public, private and not-for-profit sectors to sustainable development priorities,” and it should be a priority.
Christina:
To me, sustainable finance means having a financial and business framework that can assimilate social and environmental factors to promote the long term sustainable growth of business and finance communities.
Dora:
I look at this more broadly and believe we all play a role in sustainable finance based on our everyday choices— the clothes we buy, the cars we drive, the food we eat, and the investments we make.
