Sasja Beslik
Head of Group Sustainable Finance, Group Sustainable Finance, Nordea

Representing UNEP FI member: Nordea AB (Sweden)

Connect with Sasja Beslik on LinkedIn and Twitter

MOTIVATION STATEMENT

My own strong drive in combination with Nordea’s determination to being a sustainable financial institution will be a powerful combination. Nordea is committed to sustainable business and development by combining financial performance with environmental and social responsibility as well as sound governance practises. I am leading the teams which are driving and assuring we take ESG principles into consideration when evaluating business risks and opportunities in connection to advice, investing and financing.

Nordea is a founding partner to SASB Investor Advisory Group and an active member of a number of organizations working on standard setting and policy change within the area of sustainable financial markets. Examples are the Sustainable Stock Exchange initiative, the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change and EFAMA Responsible Investment Working Group. In 2017 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark was launched, with Nordea as one of seven founding partners.

I want to take an active role in the development of sustainable financial markets and focus our investment, banking and stewardship on better alignment between finance and ESG factors. Being part of the public policy debate on financial sustainability is an essential element in developing sustainable financial markets and I believe that Nordea, through me, can make an important contribution towards this goal. Through Twitter, with >120000 followers and several interviews and publications in media I have a global reach, spreading the message of sustainable finance.

Given my professional experience and Nordea’s clear focus on sustainable finance I believe I can make a valuable contribution in UNEP FI Global Steering Committee.

BACKGROUND

I am an experienced executive investment professional, specialized in Sustainable Finance and Responsible Investments, with extensive international experience of advising and working with financial companies and in policy debates on financial aspects and sustainability issues.

During the past fifteen years I have lead and developed Responsible Investments and Sustainable Finance efforts within the financial industry, in roles as Head of Responsible Investment at Nordea Asset Management, CEO of Nordea Funds AB, Global Head of Responsible Investment & Engagement at Banco/ABN AMRO and as a consultant for the World Bank. I also serve on various boards and expert groups, such as Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and UNEP Finance Initiative’s Water Work Group.

Awards and nominations

  • 2017 appointed as specialist in the areas of Insurance, Asset Management and Sustainable Development in World Economic Forum Expert Network.
  • 2017 Sustainability Leader of the Year 2017 for finance by The New Economy
  • 2017 Banking Profile of the Year, Sweden, by Privata Affarer (leading business magazine)
  • 2013 The Order of the Seraphim by H.R.H King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, for extraordinary efforts in the field of finance and sustainability.
  • 2011 Selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum

Videos

Selection of films talking about sustainable finance