In this episode, Nathan Fabian, Chief Sustainable Systems Officer at the PRI, examines rising economic inequality and why it poses a material, systemic risk for long-term investors. He is joined by Delaney Greig (Director of Investor Stewardship, University Pension Plan Ontario), Emma Douglas (Sustainable Investment & Stewardship Lead, Brightwell; BT Pension Scheme), and David Wood (Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School).

Together, they explore how inequality affects economic stability, corporate performance, long-horizon portfolio returns, and what asset owners can do to respond.

Overview

Ten years after the adoption of the SDGs, inequality is increasing across major economies. The top 1% now holds over 40% of global wealth, and widening gaps in income, labour rights and access to opportunity are shaping economic and political outcomes.

The guests discuss:

Why inequality is a non-diversifiable, systemic risk
How it undermines growth, resilience and productivity
The implications for diversified investors
The interplay between inequality, climate, nature and social outcomes
How asset owners can use stewardship, integration and policy engagement to address key drivers

Detailed Coverage

1. Why inequality matters for investors

Delaney and Emma outline why rising inequality threatens long-term returns: weakening demand, increasing volatility, reducing workforce resilience, and fuelling political instability. Both highlight evidence linking excessive pay gaps and poor labour practices to weaker corporate performance.

2. What the research shows

David summarises major findings from the IMF, OECD and others showing that inequality constrains growth rather than accelerates it. He notes that investors have clearer data and frameworks today than ever before, and that social issues have become central to responsible investment.

3. Making inequality actionable

Emma discusses a new analysis tool developed with Cambri to map social risks across sectors, revealing under-examined areas such as technology, media and natural-resource-intensive industries.

Delaney explains UPP’s “top-and-bottom guardrails” approach, engaging on excessive executive pay at the top and fundamental labour rights at the bottom.

4. Stewardship, integration and policy

The panel discusses:

Embedding social risks into investment processes
Sector-level prioritisation
Collective action on labour rights
The emerging TISFD standard
How investors should (and should not) engage in political debates around taxation, labour markets and redistribution

5. Looking ahead

Guests reflect on:

Strengthening investor–manager dialogue
Integrating inequality into capital allocation decisions
Opportunities in areas such as affordable housing
Addressing market concentration and competition issues
The need for aligned, collective advocacy from asset owners

Chapters

(0:00) - Introduction: Economic Inequality and Investment Risk

(2:29) - Delaney Greg: Why Inequality Matters for Pension Plans

(4:50) - Emma Douglas: Systemic Risk and Investment Opportunities

(7:16) - David Wood: Research on Inequality and Growth

(9:21) - Understanding the Drivers of Economic Inequality

(11:51) - Emma's Approach: Using Data and AI for Social Risk Analysis

(15:01) - Delaney's Strategy: Top-End and Bottom-End Guardrails

(17:55) - Measuring Impact and Defining Success in Inequality Work

(20:16) - Communicating to Beneficiaries and Avoiding Backlash

(22:21) - The Financial Industry's Role in Addressing Inequality

(24:15) - Government Policy and Investor Responsibilities

(26:33) - Navigating Taxation and Political Considerations

(29:37) - Policy Advocacy and Transparency for Asset Owners

(30:57) - Looking Forward: Next Steps for Investors

(33:27) - David Wood: Where the Investment Community Goes Next

(36:08) - Panel Reflections: The Responsibility of Investing Today

(38:55) - Closing Remarks and Future Commitments

Disclaimer

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Economic Inequality: Impacts, Drivers, and Investor Responses