The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They were set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and intended to be achieved by the year 2030. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
The aim of the podcast series is to highlight the relevance of the SDG’s to actuarial work, demonstrate where actuaries can contribute to achieving the SDG’s and showcase real life examples of people centring their work on the SDG’s across a range of actuarial practice areas.
Episode 1 - How can actuaries contribute to achieving the SDG's?
In this episode, Sustainability board member, Lucy Saye speaks to Dr Beate Degen and Past President Marjorie Ngwenya to discuss how the SDG’s interact with actuarial practice and the roles actuaries can play in achieving the SDG’s.
Intro & Production: Lucy Saye
Host: Lucy Saye
Guests: Marjorie Ngwenya & Beate Degen
Episode 2 - Biodiversity
In this episode, Chair of the Sustainability Board Nick Spencer speaks to Aled Jones (Global Sustainability Institute, Anglia Ruskin) and Gillian Rutherford (Swiss Re) to discuss the impact of biodiversity on the insurance and finance industries.
Introduction: Melissa Leitner
Host: Nick Spencer
Guests: Gillian Rutherford & Aled Jones
Episode 3 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
In this episode, Sustainability Board member Lucy Saye speaks to Lisa Morgan from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) about SDG 8 decent work and economic growth and her work in the impact insurance team at the ILO.
Intro, Production & Host: Lucy Saye
Guest: Lisa Morgan
For more information about topics discussed in this episode please see the links below:
- https://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm
- http://www.impactinsurance.org
- https://www.unepfi.org/psi/
- https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/green-jobs/WCMS_213842/lang--en/index.htm
- Book recommendation: “Actuaries in Microinsurance: Managing Risk for the Underserved” Blacker J and Yang M, 2015
Episode 4 - Mental Health
In this episode, Melissa Leitner (Swiss Re, and Sustainability board volunteer) speaks to Sumit Misra (Bupa) and Kenneth McIvor (Willis Towers Watson) about how mental health is reflected in the SDGs, what the insurance industry is doing to better support people with mental health challenges, and the IFoA working party advancing this important work.
Intro & Production: Melissa Leitner
Host: Melissa Leitner
Guests: Sumit Misra & Kenneth McIvor
Episode 5 - Universal Ownership
In this episode Sustainability board member Lucy Saye speaks to Dr Ellen Quigley from the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at Cambridge University on the topic of Universal Ownership. We explore the relevance of Universal Ownership to actuarial practice and the achievement of the SDG’s, covering topics such as climate change, inequality, the Covid 19 pandemic and actions Universal Owners such as pension funds and Life insurers can take to mitigate systemic risks.
More information about Universal Ownership can be found in the following papers:
- Universal Ownership in the Anthropocene
- Universal Ownership in the Age of Covid-19: Social Norms, Feedback Loops, and the Double Hermeneutic
Episode 6 - Disaster Protection
This episode focuses on Disaster Protection with Daniel Clarke from the Centre for Disaster Protection (CDP). Shyam Gharial explores how Daniel’s work is linked to many of the SDGs, including climate change, inequality, decent work, partnership for goals, and how an actuarial skillset can be utilised in this area of work.
Daniel’s work aims to improve efficiencies in disaster risk financing. The CDP’s role in the Crisis Lookout Coalition is highlighted in their call for G7 leaders to better predict and prepare for crises, as well as to better protect people.This is a hugely topical theme given the Covid-19 pandemic and climate crisis.
Episode 7 - Sustainable development and the well-being of future generations
In this episode of the SDG podcast series, Sustainability Board member, Shyam Gharial speaks to Jane Davidson, a former Welsh Assembly member in government between 1999 and 2011. As Minister for the Environment, Sustainability & Housing, Jane proposed legislation to make sustainable development the central organising principle for the government in Wales through what became known as the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act, which passed into law in 2015. Many other nations have been looking at how to implement similar legislation, including for the UK. The discussion touches on topics of intergenerational fairness, intragenerational fairness and the role that financial services can play in moving towards a more sustainable society.
Host: Shyam Gharial
Guests: Jane Davidson
The links mentioned in this episode for further information are as follows:
- Today for Tomorrow – the cross-party campaign for a Well-being of Future Generations Bill for the UK
- Future Generations Commissioner for Wales – website covering the work of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and related resources
- #futuregen: Lessons from a Small Country – Jane’s book describing the inspiring story of how and why the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act came to be
Episode 8 – Impact Investing for Pensions
In this series, we explore the Sustainable Development Goals and the role that actuaries can play in achieving the 2030 agenda.
In this episode Sustainability Board member and pensions actuary, Neil Mitchell interviews Karen Shackleton about impact investing for pension funds. Karen is the founder of Pensions for Purpose, a non-executive director and Chair of the Board of Resonance Limited, a social impact investment company, Deputy Chair of the Strategic Investment Board at the Ministry of Justice, and she sits on the Advisory Council of the Impact Investing Institute. Neil and Karen discuss how the SDGs are relevant for impact investing, and the balancing of risk, return and impact in the context of the fiduciary responsibilities of pension fund trustees.
Further resources mentioned in the episode:
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