In this Insurance Institute of London (IIL) financial services lecture Dr Melsom will talk about the negative financial, social, environmental and health impacts of tobacco, the rationale and various lenses, including ESG, through which to review investment in tobacco, and propose a framework for review.

Rachel will talk about tobacco being the single largest cause of preventable deaths globally, and how we are on track for 1 billion deaths this century. Rachel will also talk about how the negative financial, social, environmental and health impact of tobacco is being increasingly recognised by the finance sector, and that tobacco’s inclusion as an investment is increasingly under review as the importance of ESG factors (Environmental; Social; Governance) becomes clear. A framework is featured to enable this review.

She will provide clear examples of the impact of regulation, litigation, consumer pressure and global impact on share price performance and company behaviour, debunking the sustainability myth, the tobacco companies are keen to promote, and focus on the Sustainable Development Goals. In conclusion, Dr Melsom will provide examples of leading organisations in the finance sector – across insurance, asset management, pension funds and banks who have moved to tobacco-free finance.

By the end of this lecture members would have gained an insight into:

• The increasing financial risk associated with ongoing investment in tobacco companies
• Incorporating ESG – and the negative impact tobacco has on achieving 14 of the 17 UN Sustainable
• Development Goals
• A framework to initiate a review of investment