SRI conferences are organised for a number of reasons including: market development and policy influencing, networking, marketing, profit (for the organiser) and sustainability research. Many of these reasons fall outside SRI-CONNECT’s core purpose of supporting ‘sustainability research’.
However, SRI-CONNECT is interested in supporting those events and conferences that contribute to improved sustainability analysis of companies and the development of investment themes. We hope that our online research tools will enable research debate to flow from one conference to the next and to develop as it proceeds.
If you are in any doubt as to whether SRI-CONNECT is the right place to promote your conference, ask yourself:
- “Are equity (or credit) analysts likely to make different (better-informed) investment decisions as a result of your conference?"
If the answer is ‘No’, SRI-CONNECT is probably not the right place to promote your conference. If the answer is ‘Yes’, read on...
How conference organisers can use SRI-CONNECT
Identifying conference themes, topics and speakers
- Market Buzz allows conference organisers to track emerging themes in sustainable business and SRI markets - this will help them to develop and ideas that resonate with SRI analysts
- Equally, the SRI Dynamics discussion papers contain provocative, counter-consensus thinking on the SRI industry
- Directory can help conference organisers to identify experts on particular subjects (NB - this should only be used where sponsorship is not required for a speaking slot)
Posting and promoting the conference
- Posting: Subscribed members of SRI-CONNECT can post events on the site. (In addition, we require commercial conference providers to pay a listing fee – which is set at the price of a single full-price delegate fee to that event. There is no automated payment function for this and it should be arranged offline with the SRI-CONNECT Editor)
- Promoting: All contributions to SRI-CONNECT must be research-based (and not sales- or marketing-based). The same applies to conference promotion. Conference organisers can draw attention to their event by posting to the site research ideas and discussion points that will be covered but direct promotion, without this value-adding content, is prohibited.
- Networking: Conference organisers may set up a linked 'Discussion Group' that enables conference participants to network before and after the event and to raise issues for discussion at the event
Specific themes for discussion
SRI-CONNECT promotes research work in two areas:
- Sustainable business, investable themes and
- SRI research market improvements (where this will help deliver
With regard to the former, the state of SRI thinking on a wide range of issues can be found within Market Buzz & the Discussion Groups
With regard to the latter, whilst developing SRI-CONNECT, we have identified a large number of ways in which the information and money flows within SRI research create significant hindrances to best sustainability outcomes. We encourage widespread discussion of these both online (in SRI-CONNECT discussion groups) and in offline fora such as conferences. Themes that we suggest merit further consideration are set out in:
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Build profile, distribute research, share ideas
Conference providers can:
- Use Market Buzz to raise the profile of their research and share their opinions with investors and analysts (About Market Buzz | Post research & reports)
- Use the Directory to highlight their organisational and individual capabilities and interests (About Directory | Update your organisation's profile | Update your personal profile)
- Advertise events (About Events | All events)
- Monitor the developing profile of their firm and research with sustainable investment industry
- Response to requests for research made via the Research Marketplace
Learn & interact
Conference providers can:
- Receive research that matches their areas of focus (About Market Buzz | View the latest buzz)
- Learn about the dynamics of the sustainable investment industry (SRI Primer | Ecology of SRI | Trends & opinion)
- Join discussions (All Discussion Groups)
- Make connections & send messages
Other
... and like all members of the network, they can:
- Careers, skills & jobs: Employ others and develop their own skills & careers
- People & networks: Network with, follow and engage with others
