You have just returned from the Reset Connect London 2022 event as a speaker, exhibitor, and a sponsor – how would you sum up the experience?
Rewarding, educational, and ultimately positive. I think many of us who attended found it very uplifting to see so many exceptional people and businesses so committed to sustainability.
As the first live event, what drew you in and gave you the confidence to become a sponsor?
The event is an important one with an even more important message. As a financial adviser support group, we are striving to help advisers and consumers make better sense of the ESG market. We believe ESG investment can make a very real and positive contribution to environmental issues and are therefore very proud to be associated with this great event.
Why do you think this kind of event is so important for business, in particular the financial sector?
The event helped bring together people from different sectors who might not otherwise know what is going on outside of their specific field. For those in finance, it particularly helps to fill in knowledge gaps in what is still a developing sector. For ESG investment, access to information is everything, and events like this provide invaluable opportunities for financial advisers to learn more about what is happening in their sector and other sectors and ultimately help them to better serve their clients.
What do you think the business community will take from this event?
I am sure they will take a lot from the event. Perhaps the biggest thing that many will take away is the realisation that ESG investment is not a fad, that it is here to stay and in fact has the potential to make a real social impact. Consumer demand for ESG investment is growing and the business community needs to adapt and embrace this.
Three of you took part in network/Q&A/speaker sessions at the event, Mike Dowsett, Joanne Rigby and you, so Tenet Group Ltd got some decent airtime - What was your core message to the industry during the event?
I hope that through it all, the core message was that Tenet is here to help. ESG investment is still a fairly challenging and unsettled sector, and yet demand for such products has never been higher.
The potential for ESG investment to do good is enormous, yet financial advisers and consumers still need better access to clear, in-depth ESG research. This is what Tenet strives to do, and we are confident our new ESG Compass online portal will empower advisers to more easily and accurately recommend ESG products that match their clients’ values.
Do you think events like Reset Connect London are now part of the future for business?
The importance of bringing together people and ideas from different sectors can’t be overstressed. I think in an increasingly remote-working environment, we will see in-person events like Reset Connect London play a more important role.
Will you be back next year?
I would certainly hope so, yes.
Mark Scanlon is CEO of Tenet Group Ltd