Key Takeaways from the 2025 SHARE Investor Summit

Annually, the SHARE Investor Summit brings together asset managers, asset owners and service providers across Canada to discuss the most pressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. This year’s theme, The Power of Many, emphasized the need for collaboration, unity and coordinated investor action toward reconciliation, climate action, human rights, affordable housing and racial equity.

Here are our key takeaways from SHARE’s Investor Summit in Vancouver:

1. A Plan Beats No Plan

In a precarious economic and political landscape, asset owners and managers, like most organizations, are wondering how to best Navigate Sustainability in an Age of Uncertainty. A clear message from the Summit was that those with plans to manage ESG factors will be more prepared than those without. As Kevin Thomas, CEO of SHARE, stated at the conference opening, a Plan Beats No Plan. He emphasized that now more than ever, it is important to understand material ESG risks and opportunities, as these are specific to each organization and should remain flexible. Plans must be resilient and identify the policies, operational systems, oversight, actions and collaborations for institutions. 

Stakeholders — from beneficiaries to executives to communities — increasingly expect ESG to be embedded in investment and corporate decision-making. Market downturns should further emphasize the need for ESG integration.   

2. Indigenous Finance: Leadership + Innovation

Indigenous-led capital markets institutions are a foundational element of economic reconciliation and a growing area of innovation and leadership. Indigenous finance is needed to support Indigenous ownership of projects on Indigenous land and to address the CAD 350 bn infrastructure gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities^[1]. New sustainable finance innovations showcased at the Summit, such as an Indigenous sustainable bond framework being developed by Geordie Hungerford and Addenda Capital, aim to address this gap.

SHARE’s inaugural Catalyst Award was presented to Mark Sevestre, General Manager of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Community Trust. Mark was one of three founding members of the National Aboriginal Trust Officers Association (NATOA) and played a key role in creating the Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Initiative (RRII) in partnership with NATOA and SHARE. Responsible investors should be aware of and support this innovation and leadership.

3. LPs Hold Power

The institutional investment management environment is shifting in favour of limited partners (LPs) as more funds compete for a limited pool of capital, particularly in private equity. LPs should use their influence during due diligence and throughout the hold period to ensure general partners (GPs) effectively manage material risks and uphold core LP values, such as workers’ rights.

The Summit highlighted several examples of LP Power in action. For example, the North American Building Trade Unions (NABTU) developed Principles for Workforce Management in Private Equity to ensure prudent action, supporting fair wages, benefits and working conditions. Establishing common guidelines and asking GPs to commit to them can be a powerful tool, one that LPs can share with each other. Other common principles LPs can use include the Private Equity Labor Rights Platform, to support investors in assessing the working conditions of portfolio companies and the New York State Comptrollers Responsible Property Management Standards.

4. Asset Owners on the Path to Net Zero

In 2025, several large asset managers and banks have withdrawn from their respective commitments under the Glasglow Financial Alliance for Net-Zero (GFANZ). While there are various market and political drivers behind these decisions, asset owners are increasingly pushing back.

Spearheaded by The Trottier Foundation, 34 Canadian asset owners, representing approximately CAD 53 bn in assets, have signed the Canadian Asset Owner Statement on Net-Zero Aligned Finance Partnerships. This statement calls on banks and asset managers to advance their commitments, and targets and annualize disclosure. Initial feedback from asset managers and banks indicates that progress will continue.

As stewards of their beneficiaries’ capital, asset owners must often take the long-term view. It is abundantly clear that climate risk is financial, and asset owners have a responsibility to advocate for climate management and regulations.

5.  Human Rights in Focus for Investors

Global economic and political uncertainty increases the importance of understanding and managing material ESG risks, particularly human rights. Insufficient oversight of human rights risk can impact financial performance and present legal, financial, regulatory and reputational risks. For example, the Hartland Initiative identified a USD 85 bn financial impact from human rights risks across 12 case studies.

Fortunately, investors have better data and frameworks to assess these risks and translate analysis into decision-useful information. For example, Wespath Investments, Shroders and U.S.-based Heartland Initiative developed a Saliency-Materiality Nexus to help investors evaluate material risks in conflict-affected and high-risk areas (CAHRAs). Once risks are identified, investors can engage with companies or choose not to invest.

This example highlights the growing importance of value chains in managing ESG risks and opportunities. In the coming years, we expect investors and organizations to increasingly look deeper into value chains to manage business risk and identify sustainable value-creation opportunities.

At Quinn+Partners, we advise businesses and investors to embrace sustainability and the climate transition and excel in a changing world. If you are ready to take the next step on your journey, please get in touch.

[1] https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-canadas-new-indigenous-run-capital-markets-firms-are-hitting-their/