The How and Now of Climate-Positive Finance

A webinar sponsored by CDP and Metrus Energy

March 25, 1pm ET

Recognizing the urgency of the climate crisis, companies worldwide have set ambitious targets for carbon reduction. Investment in ESG is off the charts, more than doubling in one year to hit $51.2 billion in 2020. But amidst the rush toward sustainability, many challenges and questions lurk: How do we ensure that this ESG investment gold rush actually delivers on carbon reductions? What role can financing play in driving climate-positive investment? How do companies move at the speed and scale necessary to reach net-zero?

In this CDP webinar, Bob Hinkle, CEO of Metrus Energy; Jennifer Layke, Global Director at World Resources Institute; and Bruce Schlein, a Director of the Citi Impact Fund, will explore these questions and discuss how third-party financing solutions are accelerating decarbonization efforts. The conversation will be moderated by Mark Buckley, a corporate sustainability expert who built and ran global sustainability programs for Staples, Inc.

Attendees will gain an understanding of:

The key trends in the growing market for ESG-related investing and what it means for companies
The importance of prioritizing carbon-abatement strategies involving on-site energy efficiency and renewable energy
The economic and physical risks to property that will be incurred by failing to make climate-related investments
The nuts and bolts associated with utilizing emerging sustainability financing solutions (as demonstrated through a review of several operational projects)
The elements critical to a successful programmatic rollout of energy efficiency projects across a portfolio of buildings and sites

FEATURED GUESTS:

Bob Hinkle, CEO and President, Metrus Energy

Bob is a leader in energy efficiency financing who established Metrus in 2009. He created the Efficiency Services Agreement that the company has utilized to finance large-scale efficiency retrofit projects. Previously, Bob was vice president of energy efficiency (EE) at MMA Renewable Ventures where he directed the company’s overall EE financing business and investment opportunities. Bob has more than 20 years of experience in the energy field and worked for 10 years at Nexant (formerly part of Bechtel Corporation). He has developed and implemented over $500 million in energy efficiency projects and programs in the U.S. and in emerging overseas markets. Bob has an MA degree from the Fletcher School, Tufts University and a BA degree from Middlebury College.

Jennifer Layke, Global Director, Energy, World Resources Institute

Jennifer Layke is Global Director, Energy at World Resources Institute, where she leads a team of over 60 energy specialists around the world deploying energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy access solutions. From 2010-2014 Jennifer led an innovative “Institute for Building Efficiency” at Johnson Controls that provided information and analyses on the technologies, policies, and practices to deliver high performance buildings. She brought that work to the WRI Cities Program in 2014, launching the Building Efficiency Accelerator (BEA) with Johnson Controls as a public private collaboration of over 45 partners supporting nearly 60 cities implementing efficiency policies and projects. Jennifer established the Green Power Market Development Group in 2000, a partnership with 10 leading US corporate buyers that laid the foundation for nearly two decades of corporate renewable energy procurement efforts around the world. Jennifer is on the Board of Directors at the World Green Building Council and the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance

Bruce Schlein, Director, Citi Impact Fund

Bruce Schlein is a Director in the Citi Impact Fund which invests equity in companies with missions aligned with the bank’s ESG priorities. Bruce also works for the Asset Finance Group in Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory (BCMA) Capital Markets, where he finances resource efficiency as a service for corporate clients. Prior to his current roles Bruce served consecutively as Director of Corporate Sustainability and as a Director in the Alternative Energy Finance group in BCMA. Previously he worked as a sustainability specialist for Bechtel on petrochemical and civil projects in China and Romania, and for a variety of international development agencies. Bruce serves on the Board of the New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation (NYCEEC).

Mark Buckley, Founder, One Boat Collaborative

Mark Buckley is the founder of One Boat Collaborative, a sustainability consultancy that helps a wide range of clients, from startups to long-established organizations, unlock and maximize economic, social and environmental potential value. Mark worked for Staples for 28 years where, as VP Sustainability, he directed global environmental commitment and sustainable business practices. He was responsible for driving the company’s sustainability efforts, including the development of more sustainable products, packaging, and services; customer recycling solutions; internal waste reduction; the development of global carbon mitigation and renewable energy strategies; sustainable supply chain and transportation, and environmental education for customers and associates focused on sustainable and regenerative business solutions. Prior to that role, Mark directed company-wide green building, recycling, and energy conservation programs as VP of Facilities Management and Purchasing.