Robert Walker
For almost 30 years, Bob has been a global leader in sustainable investment. He joined the Social Investment Organization as Director of Research in 1992, where he led the early development of community lending vehicles, ESG evaluations for resource sectors, and corporate engagement. Bob joined Ethical Funds (later NEI Investments) in 1999, where he built Canada’s first comprehensive Sustainable Investing Program blazing the trail for defining how sustainable investing could be done in Canada. NEI’s program played salient roles in encouraging key sectors to acknowledge the reality of climate change, accept government policies to enact a price on carbon and embrace a just energy transition. NEI also helped advance human rights due diligence and the rights of Indigenous People including the concept of free, prior and informed consent. With the 2016 launch of the Environmental Leaders Fund, Bob led efforts to expand NEI’s product range to allow retail investors to invest in cutting-edge environmental technologies.
He currently serves as Chair of the International Corporate Governance Network. During his tenure as Chair, the ICGN has expanded its work to advance climate risk governance, human capital management, and reduce gender, racial, and income inequality.
