The third edition of the Investment Challenge – the second challenge on the sustainability theme – created by Banca Generali and Reply in collaboration with MIP Politecnico di Milano, MainStreet Partners and CFA Society Italy, has officially ended.

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The online competition saw record numbers, with over 13,750 participants from 95 countries generating a total traded value of over $8.2 billion by trading in companies with the best ESG rating, as the aim was to achieve the best impact for future generations.

From the outset, participants demonstrated an ability to identify and invest in products with a positive ESG rating, in line with the competition's sustainable investing objective. From day one, 67% of the transactions were carried out on instruments with a positive ESG rating, i.e. an ESG rating of 3 or more 3 (on a 1-5 scale). A further evolution in investment strategies was noted during the competition: participants came to identify virtuous stocks more effectively, increasing the percentage of traded products with ESG scores above 3 – a testament to the skill of the participants.

To better prepare for the challenge participants were able to deepen their knowledge of ESG ratings and broaden their general finance and investment skills through exclusive e-learning content specially created by Reply, Banca Generali, MIP Politecnico di Milano and MSP.

On the podium of the 2022 edition of the Reply Sustainable Investment Challenge stood:

Nigel Cledwyn Motinius, 22, a law student at the University of the West of England (Bristol), who took the first place with a ranking value of 98,852.47;

Antonio Villano, 23 years old, an Economics and Finance MA student at the University of Milano-Bicocca, with a ranking value of 75,002.96 achieved by investing exclusively in securities with a positive ESG rating, took the second place;

Giacomo Gazzo, 23, a Management Engineering student at the Politecnico di Milano, who took the third place with a ranking value of 81,507.37.

"The participants’ ability to change their strategy during the course of the competition in order to find more sustainable stocks highlights their level of knowledge and skill,” explained Roberto Tognoni, a Reply Executive Partner. “We are extremely satisfied with the huge success of this new edition of the Reply Investment Challenge and with the Reply Challenges programme in general, which shows how essential is to engage with the new generations of talent through new and innovative training dynamics".

We are happy with the extraordinary success of the Sustainable Investment Challenge 2022. The high level of participation in the event is a sign of strong interest from young people in savings and investments, with a particular focus on sustainable investments. The results achieved and the building of many of the portfolios in the competition are a sign of maturity from younger generations, which opens an interesting opportunity for reflection within our sector," commented Carmelo Reale, General Counsel and Head of Sustainability at Banca Generali.

The Reply Sustainable Investment Challenge is part of the Reply Challenges programme, which, in conjunction with the Reply Code For Kids programme and the Master's Degree course in AI & Cloud offered at the Polytechnic of Turin, is one of the examples of Reply's commitment to the development of innovative training models, capable of engaging new generations. Reply Challenges now have a community of over 140,000 players.

Reply

Reply [MTA, STAR: REY, ISIN: IT0005282865] specialises in the design and implementation of solutions based on new communication channels and digital media. As a network of highly specialised companies, Reply defines and develops business models enabled by the new models of AI, big data, cloud computing, digital media and the internet of things. Reply delivers consulting, system integration and digital services to organisations across the telecom and media; industry and services; banking and insurance; and public sectors. www.reply.com

Banca Generali

Banca Generali is one of Italy's leading private banks in financial planning and customer wealth protection, with a network of private bankers and consultants whose skill and professionalism places them at the top of the industry. The company's strategy is based on four key elements: the qualified advice of professionals specialising in protecting the wealth of families and supporting their future planning; a cutting-edge product portfolio with solutions tailored to personal needs; innovative wealth management services for the care of financial and other assets, and innovative tools that use technology to enhance the relationship of trust between advisors and clients. The bank's mission highlights its role as a group of trusted professionals who are constantly by their clients’ side, helping them build and take care of their life plans. Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange since November 2006, it manages over 85.7 billion euros in assets from Assicurazioni Generali on behalf of its clients (as at 31 December 2021). It has an extensive presence throughout Italy, with 45 bank branches and 137 offices available to over 2150 financial consultants, as well as an advanced digital contact service for its operations. In addition, its a digital banking platform, www.bancageneraliprivate.it, enables clients to access banking services independently.

MainStreet Partners

We are the trusted ESG partner of many investors for one simple reason: we provide a single platform for their portfolio-level sustainability requirements. Our clients include some of the most sophisticated wealth managers, investment banks, insurance companies and institutional investors in the financial sector.

MainStreet Partners is based in London, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and consists of two main divisions:

1. ESG Advisory – for over 10 years we have worked alongside our partners to create multi-asset and multi-manager ESG portfolios with mutual funds, stocks and bonds. We develop solutions for thematic products or products aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
2. Portfolio Analytics – we offer a holistic approach to ESG data analysis, including: transparent and detailed ESG ratings on a broad universe of funds or the assessment of client portfolios to improve their sustainability profile and align them with green regulations.

Our proprietary models and databases are available on a pragmatic and intuitive ESG platform. Our clients can create sustainable portfolios and/or analyse their portfolios through:

• ESG ratings at issuer level (stocks, credit, government bond, green and social bond);
• ESG ratings for funds with the addition of extra-financial results and SDG alignment;
• Exclusion lists and analysis of activities and behaviours.

MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business

MIP is the Graduate School of Business of the Politecnico di Milano. For more than 40 years, it has been offering management training programmes for graduates, professionals, companies and institutions. In 2014, it launched the first Executive MBA in digital learning in Italy. Today, digital training is an integral part of its entire training offering. The School pays particular attention to sustainability issues: it is the only European Business School among the B Corp certified companies, an award given to companies that stand out for their commitment to sustainable development and to building a more inclusive society. MIP constantly works alongside internationally renowned national and international companies, building partnerships that allow it to devise training programmes aimed at providing useful tools to meet the challenges of contemporary markets. Its educational offer consists of more than 40 yearly Master's degree programmes (including MBAs and Executive MBAs), a catalogue of more than 200 Open programmes dedicated to executive profiles, and several training courses tailored to different businesses. www.som.polimi.it/

CFA Society Italy

CFA Society Italy is Italy’s top association for professionals who have obtained the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA) qualification, the most important certification in the finance world. Founded in 1999 as an affiliate of CFA Institute, the association is the point of reference for CFA Charterholders in Italy. It promotes professional ethics and the value of the training and certification in our country, providing a range of services for professionals and for those following the demanding exam process. The entire activity of CFA Society Italy, as well as other affiliated associations around the world, is largely based on the voluntary commitment of its members. CFA Society Italy has approximately 600 members.

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