Energy matters. The record increase in global gas prices has meant that IFA Magazine readers and the rest of the population are all now feeling the impact as we put the heating on or fill up our cars – and with worse to come. And all this with inflation at a thirty-year high means that the cost of living crisis is set to bite even harder. Of course, as the catastrophic invasion of Ukraine dominates our thinking as well as the news headlines, our energy concerns here in the UK simply cannot compare to the unthinkable conditions which Ukrainian people are experiencing as their lives and livelihoods are threatened. Our thoughts go out to them as we all hope for an end to the war which is causing such suffering.
Meanwhile, the focus on net zero and the Paris aligned goals which were front and centre at COP 26 just a few short months ago, have since been refocused towards matters of energy security and sources. As the world attempts to wean itself off Russian oil and gas, governments are urgently reviewing their energy security policies in the light of soaring commodity prices. Also, alternative sources of energy such as renewables and even nuclear are now getting serious attention as the scramble to match demand with supply from an acceptable source becomes a priority.
Putting ESG in the spotlight
All this has implications for sustainable investing of course. It’s always a subject close to our hearts here at IFA Magazine and this month is no exception, with plenty of coverage on the following pages. We were delighted to speak to M&G’s Randeep Somel recently about decarbonisation and energy strategy; you can read our interview with him on pages 8. How close are we to net-zero, Paris-aligned investment portfolios? We’re grateful to Worthstone’s Gavin Francis for sharing his ideas on this with us on page 20. If you missed our ESG webinar earlier, check out the highlights on page 22 and follow the link to hear the full discussion. Last but definitely not least, ESG Accord’s Lee Coates OBE shares details of an interesting offer on ESG and sustainable MPS due diligence on page 6.
Talking of offers, we’ve got a great offer for you on page 26 which we’ve agreed with Newspage to help you get the benefits of PR but without the premium price tag, take a look and try it for yourself.
A celebration of Women in Finance
During March and in celebration of International Women’s Day, IFA Magazine featured a special series with dozens of great articles and blogs from leaders across the financial advice spectrum to reflect and celebrate the growing role and importance of women in finance.
In this edition, we’ve selected just a few of the highlights of our coverage from page 40 to 47 however, you can catch up with all our coverage here: https://ifamagazine.com/category/international-womens-day/
But there’s so much more on the following pages to help shape your thinking about the business of advice including managed portfolio services and a conversation with Dentists’ Provident about income protection. Our thanks as always to all our contributors. We hope you find useful ideas to help shape your thinking.
Sue Whitbread
Editor, IFA Magazine
