People at radicant: Sasha

Want to know more about our Head of SDG Research & Experts Sasha?

We asked Sasha about his role at radicant bank , how he first got interested in the topic of #sustainability, and what people should know about his job.

Plus: There's a bonus at the end, so keep reading (and don't forget to let us know how you like this post).

1. What's your role at radicant? What do you do? 

I am the Head of SDG Research & Experts and as such part of the Sustainability Competence Center at radicant. Put simply, I am responsible for research on sustainability and sustainable finance at radicant. My team and I contribute to our sustainable investment process by providing content and insights into invested companies and more broadly to sustainability and sustainable finance. Furthermore, we are driving many sustainability-related initiatives at radicant, one of which is sustainability reporting. Together with my colleague Eve Morelli, I co-lead radicant's active ownership activities, which include voting on sustainability issues at our invested companies' annual general meetings or engaging in dialogue with them, either directly or in collaboration with other investors, such as the Nature Action 100 initiative, which we joined last year.

2. How did you first come into contact with the topic of sustainability? How did you get interested in it? Anyone who inspired you? 

I recall three significant moments from my high school years. First was when we read the book “The New Limits to Growth” by Dennis and Donnela Meadows in our geography class. The Club of Rome-commissioned research examined population and economic growth in the context of limited resources. We explored sustainable patterns for resource use and well-being using their World3 computer model. The second was when I discovered a book in high school that compared sustainable development in Germany and Brazil. The third was my very first online purchase, which I think I made in 1998. It was a very inspiring documentary about the Brazilian city of Curitiba, which is thought to be the most sustainable city in the southern hemisphere, and it was directed by a Californian filmmaker. The city elected the architect Jaime Lerner to become its mayor, who at the time implemented many groundbreaking urban public and social infrastructures.

3. One thing you wish more people knew about your job? 

I have a very multifaceted job and interact with a variety of stakeholders. As a result, my work is always very different, which I find intriguing and engaging. One of the issues I discovered, which is very much related to my profession, is that when you try to get someone, perhaps a decision maker, closer to sustainability and that person is unfamiliar with it, it can be extremely daunting. Because there are many different components and complexities to consider, and sustainable finance is rapidly evolving. Anything that was once held true may change overnight due to scientific or regulatory developments, so you must stay up to date on a variety of changes.

4. Why did you choose to work for radicant? 

My desire to start something from scratch at the forefront of sustainable finance drove me to join radicant. A company, where sustainability serves as a business purpose rather than an afterthought, where the Sustainable Development Goals are the basis of our actions, and we embed sustainability in all our products and services. I leaped at the chance to become a member of our fantastic team and because I wanted to make a positive impact and become part of the solution.

5. Name one (or more) fun fact(s) about you. 

Well, I don’t have a driver’s license, is that a fun fact? I am mostly using my bicycle or public transportation to get from A to B. 

Thanks Sasha for answering the questions and thank you for reading! Let us know in the comment section if you have any questions to Sasha or our team, we'll be happy to answer them.

#SustainableLifestyle #SustainableFinance #SustainableInvesting #Agenda2030