Event Details
UKSIF’s long-standing Spring Conference takes place in Edinburgh and welcomes top-tier delegates from our whole range of members. It covers diverse topics, from regulation and politics to investment strategies and sector breakdowns.
We will have a full day of content, covering the biggest issues in the sustainable finance sector, with an audience of asset managers, asset owners, banks, financial advisers and other UKSIF members. The conference wraps up with a drinks reception for all attendees.
Thank you to our sponsor Scottish Widows for their continued support of this event!
We will have a full day of content, covering the biggest issues in the sustainable finance sector, with an audience of asset managers, asset owners, banks, financial advisers and other UKSIF members. The conference wraps up with a drinks reception for all attendees.
Thank you to our sponsor Scottish Widows for their continued support of this event!
Location
National Museum of Scotland
Chambers St, Edinburgh EH1 1JF
Chambers St, Edinburgh EH1 1JF
Date & Time
May 6, 2026
8:30 AM - 7:00 PM
8:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Agenda
08:30 – 09:30
Breakfast and Registration
09:30 – 09:35
Opening remarks
09:35 – 10:00
Keynote: Dr Oliver Turner, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Edinburgh
Dr Oliver Turner is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Edinburgh. His research and teaching cover a number of areas, including US foreign policy and the international politics of the Asia Pacific. He also works on the UK’s post-Brexit global policies and positioning. His research has been published across numerous books, book chapters, and academic journal articles.
10:00 – 10:45
In conversation: Transition planning through the lens of an asset owner
Eva Cairns, Head of Responsible Investment, Scottish Widows
10:45 – 11:15
Coffee Break
11:15 – 11:45
Fireside chat: Lessons and opportunities from the UK Sustainable Disclosure Regime
Carlota Esguevillas, Head of Sustainable Investment, EdenTree
Aidan McEvoy, Head of Department - Asset Management & Funds, Financial Conduct Authority
Moderated by: Oscar Warwick Thompson, Head of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, UKSIF
11:45 – 12:30
Panel: AI Governance
AI is rapidly evolving, and almost every company in an investor’s portfolio is using it, but how can investors analyse their AI use? How can investors influence portfolio company behaviour, address gaps in oversight and accountability, and engage on standards and policy?
Peter Flynn, Responsible Investment Manager, Scottish Widows
Robyn Lockyer, Co-Head of Stewardship, Impax Asset Management
Stuart Riddick, Senior Investment Manager, Active Ownership, Aberdeen Investments
Moderated by: Sally Kramers, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Industry Development, UKSIF
Peter Flynn, Responsible Investment Manager, Scottish Widows
Robyn Lockyer, Co-Head of Stewardship, Impax Asset Management
Stuart Riddick, Senior Investment Manager, Active Ownership, Aberdeen Investments
Moderated by: Sally Kramers, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Industry Development, UKSIF
12:30 – 13:30
Lunch
13:30 – 14:00
In Conversation: Do we need to worry about diminishing shareholder rights?
Miranda Beacham, Head of UK Responsible Investment, Aegon Asset Management
Luke Hildyard, Head of UK Policy, Shareaction
Moderated by: Oscar Warwick Thompson, Head of Policy, UKSIF
14:00 – 14:45
Panel: Making energy systems fit for purpose
Current energy systems are not fit for purpose, with soaring energy costs and a long wait for projects to connect to the grid, but how can this be changed? How can we transition our system to one that can be considered resilient, clean, and efficient? What upgrades are needed? What are the regulations standing in the way? What are the policy incentives? How can investors move the dial?
Julian Parrott, Partner, Ethical Futures
Moderated by: Jack Graham, Deputy Editor, Responsible Investor
Julian Parrott, Partner, Ethical Futures
Moderated by: Jack Graham, Deputy Editor, Responsible Investor
14:45 – 15:15
Coffee Break
15:15 – 16:00
Panel: ESG Ratings
What are the challenges facing managers and other users when it comes to ESG ratings? What are some of the issues regarding transparency of the underlying methodologies? What can be done to make them more transparent and more easily understood in the market, and what does the industry think of the FCA proposals to build trust in ratings?
Jen Willetts, Head of Investment Sustainability Solutions, Franklin Templeton
Moderated by: Oscar Warwick Thompson, Head of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, UKSIF
Jen Willetts, Head of Investment Sustainability Solutions, Franklin Templeton
Moderated by: Oscar Warwick Thompson, Head of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, UKSIF
16:00 – 16:30
Fireside Chat: Adaptation and Physical Climate Risk
How is the shift in sustainability risk from regulatory to physical impacting managers? How are investors approaching physical climate risk? What is more effective: top-down portfolio assessment or bottom-up engagement? What does this look like on a local level? How does engagement on adaptation future proof your portfolio?
Craig Leslie, Investment Director, Greenbank
Moderated by: James Alexander, CEO, UKSIF
Craig Leslie, Investment Director, Greenbank
Moderated by: James Alexander, CEO, UKSIF
16:30 – 16:55
Keynote: David Ritchie
David Ritchie, CEO, Scottish National Investment Bank
16:55 – 17:00
Closing remarks
17:00 - 19:00
Drinks Reception
SPONSORS
Scottish Widows has been helping people plan for their financial futures for over 200 years. We look after the retirement savings of millions of hard-working people and our role is to help them plan for their long-term financial prosperity. To do this, it's important we continue to use our scale and influence, along with our fund manager relationships, to challenge the companies we invest in on our customers' behalf to be the sustainable businesses of the future.
Find out more here.
Clarity AI is an AI-native platform that brings impact and risk into decision-making across capital markets, companies, governments, and consumers. We transform complex extra-financial data into decision-grade intelligence that supports capital allocation, regulatory compliance, risk management, and long-term strategy.
Our clients — including leading global institutions such as BlackRock, Nordea, Santander, BNP Paribas, and PGIM — rely on Clarity AI to gain comprehensive visibility across the universe they operate in, with insights that are transparent, auditable, and ready for public disclosure. Through proprietary global datasets, research-backed methodologies, and artificial intelligence, Clarity AI delivers scalable solutions designed for high-stakes decisions. Our modular infrastructure integrates easily into existing workflows, enabling efficiency without adding operational complexity.
With global presence across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas, Clarity AI enables markets to support resilient, sustainable growth.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Showcase your expertise and promote your brand to an audience of senior financial service experts by partnering with one of the oldest sustainability organisations in finance.
We have a range of packages for Spring Conference so get in touch to find out more about the perfect sponsorship package for you!
The UKSIF Team is here to help!
