The Ethical Funds Company has wrapped up its annual Portfolio Managers Symposium, which brought together portfolio managers with combined assets under management of more than $100 billion.

The two-day event was held in Vancouver and featured a keynote address from the Canadian Boreal Initiative, which was created to educate on the effects of climate change and to save approximately 58% of Canada’s land mass. Other presentations came from Suncor and Domtar.

“There is a growing consensus that a comprehensive understanding of environmental, social, and governance practices is important to long-term corporate performance,” said Elaine McHarg, senior vp, marketing and chief marketing officer at The Ethical Funds Company. “This session provides portfolio managers the opportunity to build a deeper understanding of some of the current issues and topics.”

The Ethical Funds’s team of experts also gave presentations highlighting the company’s leadership role in Canada’s sustainable investing industry, placing the emphasis on forging change through shareholder action and corporate engagement. Portfolio managers attended from QVGD Investors Inc., Guardian Capital LP, Manning & Napier Advisors, Inc., Highstreet Asset Management, and William Blair & Company.

“This symposium really shed light on the fact that progressive companies which focus not only on profits but also sustainable practices are typically leaders in their industry,” said Darren Dansereau, research Analyst at QVGD Investors Inc. — the portfolio manager for the Ethical Special Equity Fund. “We, as investment managers, evaluate the quality of companies’ management set-ups, and those with an ability to create sustainable value in both their products and practices will benefit shareholders most in the long-term.”