Key challenges

Many questions remain open and have no commonly accepted answers. Some of the questions the industry will have to answer are listed below.

Rationale for responsible investment in infrastructure

• How can infrastructure investors demonstrate that responsible investing preserves and adds value to their clients and stakeholders?

Implementing responsible investment

• How can infrastructure investors determine the most material ESG issues across regions, sectors, investment horizons and other variables?
• How can infrastructure investors apply a unique corporate ESG policy to the particularities of a given investment?
• How can infrastructure investors integrate ESG into their investment decisions in a meaningful way and avoid greenwashing?
• What are the best metrics to accurately measure ESG benefits across investments?
• How can infrastructure investors ensure responsible investment principles are upheld across the multiple layers of infrastructure project execution (operators, contractors, subcontractors, etc)?

Closing knowledge gaps

• What does best practice in responsible investment in infrastructure look like?
• What are the major knowledge gaps in ESG issues, investment practices, connections between ESG and performance?
• What are the major gaps in terms of industry tools and resources for investors?
• How can infrastructure investors best align with the World Bank Equator Principles positive impact financing guidelines adopted by most lending institutions?

Sustainable development

• What are the major barriers to private investment in emerging market (green) infrastructure and can they be overcome?
• How can infrastructure investors best contribute to the United Nations’ SDGs?