Australian Unity appoints head of responsible investment

Australian Unity has appointed Matthew Moore as its first head of responsible investment and stewardship, building on the company’s ongoing development of a best-in-class framework for responsible investment and corporate sustainability.

Moore would join with over 20 years’ experience, most recently he held the role of head of ethical investments at Uniting Financial Services.

In that role, Moore had oversight of over $1.7 billion in assets under management, and responsibility for building and managing the organisation’s responsible investment program across multiple asset classes and investment mandates.

He was also part of the team that issued the first Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) bond by an Australian not-for-profit.

Prior to his tenure at Uniting Financial Services, Moore held senior roles in Australia’s banking and financial services sector. He is a long-standing member of the Altius Asset Management Sustainability Advisory Committee.

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Joe Fernandes, chief investment officer at Australian Unity, said Moore’s appointment would enable Australian Unity to maximise positive social and environmental impact through its products and services.

“Rather than merely adopting current market practices in these areas, Australian Unity’s strategy will be to create a unique and compelling approach to responsible investment and stewardship across its many spheres of operation,” said Fernandes.

“For our investors, this means greater opportunity to drive positive social impact as well as superior long-term investment outcomes.

“Australian Unity’s responsible investment and environmental, social and governance (ESG) capabilities will benefit greatly from Matthew’s strong track record and credentials.

“With over 20 years of industry leadership experience, Matthew is the right person to lead this critical function.”

Esther Kerr-Smith, chief executive of Australian Unity Wealth and Capital Markets, said the appointment strategically aligned with Australian Unity’s commitment to responsible corporate citizenship and supporting Australians into the future.

“As Australia's first member-owned wellbeing company, responsible corporate citizenship is a fundamental part of our identity and offering,” said Kerr-Smith.

“Australian Unity’s vision is to lead the adoption of responsible practices across the industries we operate in, supporting a sustainable future where more Australians benefit.

“In this newly-created role, Matthew’s expertise will be instrumental in achieving this.”

Moore said he was excited to lead the delivery of responsible investment practices across Australian Unity’s Wealth and Capital Markets platform.

“In Australia, momentum continues to build for responsible investment practice, including a greater focus on long-term financial, environmental and social sustainability,” he said.

“It is exciting to be working with an organisation that is committed to the financial wellbeing of Australians, and recognises the critical role of responsible investment to achieve this.”