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In episode 78 the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with Gavin Smith PhD, Managing Director, Head of Equity Research and Sustainable Investing for PGIM Quantitative Solutions, on his journey into sustainable investing and the evolution of ESG and SDGs.

Gavin Smith, PhD, is the Managing Director and Head of Equity Research and Sustainable Investing at PGIM Quantitative Solutions. In this role, he leads the integration of ESG factors into the firm’s investment platform and oversees research and analysis for Quantitative Equity portfolios.

Prior to this, Gavin was a portfolio manager and a key member of PGIM’s Research team, focusing on alpha and implementation strategies. Before joining PGIM, he led the North American Quantitative Research team at Macquarie Capital and held research roles at Barclays Capital and Plato Investment Management in Sydney, Australia.

Gavin holds a BComm (Honors) in finance from the University of Wollongong and a PhD in finance from the University of New South Wales, Australia.

Takeaways

• Gavin's dual role combines quantitative equity research with sustainable investing.
• The evolution of ESG has been significant since the Paris Climate Accord.
• Data quality is crucial for effective ESG and SDG investing.
• Key metrics for evaluating companies include carbon emissions, water usage, and diversity.
• Engagement with companies is essential for improving data transparency.
• SDGs provide a framework for assessing the impact of investments.
• Greenwashing poses a challenge in identifying truly sustainable companies.
• The future of sustainable investing relies on better data and education.
• Investors are increasingly interested in the financial performance of sustainable companies.
• The integration of ESG and SDGs can lead to more impactful investment strategies.

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