Director of Church Ethics wins Eco Personality of the Year

The award was announced online and will feature in the summer edition of the magazine.

In addition to Adam’s role at the Pensions Board, Adam is Co-Chair of the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) and a Board Member of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, (IIGCC).

The magazine cited Adam’s engagement efforts as having helped major players such as Shell consider their impact and make industry-leading commitments about their emissions and future targets.

Since becoming Director of Ethics and Engagement for the Pensions Board, Adam has been instrumental in raising the Pensions Board’s engagement with companies and co-founded the Mining and Tailings Safety Initiative with John Howchin of the Council of Ethics of the Swedish National Pension Funds, following the disaster in Brumadinho, Brazil.

The Initiative has brought together community representatives, investors, global experts and mining companies to ensure future disasters do not occur.

The ESG Assessment Tool of the Year Award is a recognition of the groundbreaking work of research partners at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, data partner FTSE Russell, and of the success of supporters in using TPI data to drive real-world impacts.

Speaking following the announcement of this award, Adam Matthews said:

“As an asset owner (let alone as an individual) we know we can achieve little by ourselves but through collaborations and partnerships real systemic change is possible. I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of all my colleagues.

“We are now entering a time when innovative partnerships between asset owners, progressive fund managers and companies, based upon common ambitious objectives, will drive the change our beneficiaries and society demand of us. I remain enormously grateful to the many funds that share common cause with us.”