George Michael Gerstein, co-chair of Stradley Ronon’s fiduciary governance group and member of the ESG group, served as a panelist on the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) webinar, “Practical Guidance for ESG Incorporation in DC Plans,” on Dec. 15.
Gerstein’s panel discussed how plan sponsors approach ESG discussions with their investment committee and plan stakeholders, the steps plans are taking to formalize their ESG criteria and how this is monitored by both the plan sponsor and their consultant, what a plan sponsor and their investment consultant need to document to show they are methodical in their consideration of the basis of the material ESG factors within their investments, the range of implementation decisions that are made and recommendations to apply when integrating ESG, and how plan changes are communicated to participants.
Gerstein advises plan sponsors and financial services firms on the fiduciary and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA and the rules and regulations applicable to governmental plans. He’s also co-chair of the fiduciary governance and ESG groups. He’s authored numerous articles on the interplay of ERISA and ESG investing.