NextFrontier: Rethinking the ESG Investment Case

NextFrontier Podcast: ESG Reckoning - Episode 1

Helena Eaton from Bedrock, Aine Crossan from Inspired, and Andy Ford from St James’s Place 

---

 

NextFrontier Podcast: ESG Reckoning - Episode 2

Helena Eaton from Bedrock, Aine Crossan from Inspired, and Andy Ford from St James’s Place

---

 

In this episode of NextFrontier, host Alastair Greener examines the real value of ESG with three expert guests: Helena Eaton, Head of Advisory Investment Office at Bedrock Group; Aine Crossan, ESG Director at Inspired; and Andy Ford, Head of Responsible Investment at St James’s Place. 

 

Crossan clarifies that ESG is not merely about moral posturing; rather, it serves as a framework for long-term value and risk management. Eaton discusses the evolution of ESG from exclusion lists to a more rigorous, fundamentals-driven approach. She highlights a noteworthy trend: companies with strong ESG practices often outperform their peers, especially during turbulent times. Both experts caution against greenwashing and emphasise the importance of companies grounding their commitments in credible data, realistic targets and demonstrable progress. 

 

The panel also examines the uneven politics of ESG across global markets, the challenges of regulation and the growing importance of investor engagement in simple exclusion. Eaton predicts that ESG will increasingly become integrated into “good investing”, blending seamlessly into financial analysis instead of being treated as a separate category.

 

Greener concludes with a striking metaphor: the ancient Uffington White Horse, preserved not for profit but for posterity. This raises an important question: must every ESG decision be justified by financial returns, or is doing the right thing reason enough? Listen now to explore the evolving landscape of responsible investment.

 

NextFrontier: The business case for ESG - Episodes 3 & 4

 

NextFrontier: Why geospatial data is becoming the new bedrock of ESG intelligence - Episodes 5 & 6

---

NextFrontier is brought to you by Inspired