 |
The Responsibility of InvestingAuthor: The PRI Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
Listen Now...
Economic Inequality: Impacts, Drivers, and Investor Responses
Episode 15
Tuesday, 16 December, 2025
In this episode, Nathan Fabian, Chief Sustainable Systems Officer at the PRI, examines rising economic inequality and why it poses a material, systemic risk for long-term investors. He is joined by Delaney Greig (Director of Investor Stewardship, University Pension Plan Ontario), Emma Douglas (Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Lead, Brightwell; BT Pension Scheme), and David Wood (Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School).Together, they explore how inequality affects economic stability, corporate performance, long-horizon portfolio returns, and what asset owners can do to respond.OverviewTen years after the adoption of the SDGs, inequality is increasing across major economies. The top 1% now holds over 40% of global wealth, and widening gaps in income, labour rights and access to opportunity are shaping economic and political outcomes.The guests discuss:Why inequality is a non-diversifiable, systemic riskHow it undermines growth, resilience and productivityThe implications for diversified investorsThe interplay between inequality, climate, nature and social outcomesHow asset owners can use stewardship, integration and policy engagement to address key driversDetailed Coverage1. Why inequality matters for investorsDelaney and Emma outline why rising inequality threatens long-term returns: weakening demand, increasing volatility, reducing workforce resilience, and fuelling political instability. Both highlight evidence linking excessive pay gaps and poor labour practices to weaker corporate performance.2. What the research showsDavid summarises major findings from the IMF, OECD and others showing that inequality constrains growth rather than accelerates it. He notes that investors have clearer data and frameworks today than ever before, and that social issues have become central to responsible investment.3. Making inequality actionableEmma discusses a new analysis tool developed with Cambri to map social risks across sectors, revealing under-examined areas such as technology, media and natural-resource-intensive industries.Delaney explains UPP’s “top-and-bottom guardrails” approach, engaging on excessive executive pay at the top and fundamental labour rights at the bottom.4. Stewardship, integration and policyThe panel discusses:Embedding social risks into investment processesSector-level prioritisationCollective action on labour rightsThe emerging TISFD standardHow investors should (and should not) engage in political debates around taxation, labour markets and redistribution5. Looking aheadGuests reflect on:Strengthening investor–manager dialogueIntegrating inequality into capital allocation decisionsOpportunities in areas such as affordable housingAddressing market concentration and competition issuesThe need for aligned, collective advocacy from asset ownersChapters(0:00) - Introduction: Economic Inequality and Investment Risk (2:29) - Delaney Greg: Why Inequality Matters for Pension Plans (4:50) - Emma Douglas: Systemic Risk and Investment Opportunities (7:16) - David Wood: Research on Inequality and Growth (9:21) - Understanding the Drivers of Economic Inequality (11:51) - Emma's Approach: Using Data and AI for Social Risk Analysis (15:01) - Delaney's Strategy: Top-End and Bottom-End Guardrails (17:55) - Measuring Impact and Defining Success in Inequality Work (20:16) -...
