PRI

I had an interview today. Only my second in four months. It was with the Principles for Responsible Investment, where I’ve applied for three jobs so far. It’s a very good fit for me. I’m not sure the interview was a great success. It’s funny how potential employers expect you to already be up to speed on your future responsibilities. What would be my first priority? How would I convince institutional investors to prioritise ESG factors in their allocations? I think I was more prepared to talk about my background and my skills than I was about how I was going to help them overcome obstacles, but that’s what they’re hiring me for. Sigh. I think I would get up to speed very quickly at PRI, but I don’t think I’m there yet and that may not be good enough.

I heard from a recruiter in London that career opportunities in responsible investing, sustainable markets, and NGOs in general are “incredibly competitive.” She also said that living in Belfast is hurting me, given that most of the jobs I’m looking at are in London. London is the world’s most expensive city because it has drawn huge investment from Russia, Brazil, and the Mideast, driving property prices into the stratosphere. Given that, I thought employers--especially NGOs and multi-stakeholder initiatives that don’t pay very well--would be OK with people who work remotely part of the time. However the recruiter said employers give preference to people who can easily commute into work every day. Another sigh.

For the record, here’s what PRI is about:
"The United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) Initiative is an international network of investors working together to put the six Principles for Responsible Investment into practice. Its goal is to understand the implications of sustainability for investors and support signatories to incorporate these issues into their investment decision making and ownership practices.

"The Principles are voluntary and aspirational. They offer a menu of possible actions for incorporating ESG issues into investment practices across asset classes. Responsible investment is a process that must be tailored to fit each organisation’s investment strategy, approach and resources. The Principles are designed to be compatible with the investment styles of large, diversified, institutional investors that operate within a traditional fiduciary framework.”
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