A Q&A with Lynn Forester de Rothschild about Pensions, ESG and the Future of Capitalism
By Gregg Gethard
August 04, 2022
Lynn Forester de Rothschild, or lady Rothschild, as she’s referred to in the UK, has had an incredible career, perhaps best known as the former chief executive of EL Rothschild family office, which includes The Economist as one of its holdings.
In recent years, she has been leading a voice for the ESG movement. Putting her money where her beliefs are, she founded Inclusive Capital Partners, an investment firm focused on generating long-term returns while making a positive impact on the environment and society.
She also founded the Council for Inclusive Capitalism, which comprises CEOs who want to do business in ways that lead to a more inclusive and sustainable economy. The list of members includes the CEOs of CalPERS, Merck, Visa, EY, and Salesforce.
In addition, she started the Coalition for Inclusive Capital which partners with various leaders across private, public, and civic sectors. One of the Coalition’s initiatives is the Pension Fund Coalition for Inclusive Capitalism which empowers pension system managers to invest in sustainable businesses. It has developed a framework and language for the managers to use in side-letter agreements and other agreements that outline ESG and similar objectives. Buyouts Insider chatted with Forester de Rothschild about her work and ESG in general.
Q: Many people ask why ESG issues are important for pension systems. How do you answer this?
A: The pension system globally is worth $23 trillion. And the goal of pension systems is to provide returns for their beneficiaries.
Thinking of pension systems only in terms of the stock price return may have worked in 1945 but in 2025, it might not be that simple. our climate has become more fragile and endangered. our societies have become more divided.
