HESTA

We are happy to have hosted Dru Mills as a guest speaker for our collaboration with Melbourne City Mission (MCM) on our annual Wishing Tree initiative, aimed at empowering and supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged community members facing homelessness. As the largest youth homelessness service provider in Victoria, MCM is well-known for addressing the underlying causes of homelessness and helping young people, particularly those who have undergone significant trauma, to move out of homelessness and achieve independence as adults. Dru provided valuable insights into the efforts of MCM in supporting young people facing challenges. With over 10 years of experience in purpose-driven work, she has led impactful initiatives across corporate, non-profit, and community sectors. Our Wishing Tree initiative encourages employees to donate a range of items to support young people facing hardship. This is one of the ways HESTA is committed to fostering a culture of giving back to the community and making an impact.

We recently caught up with Remeeka Lee, our Senior Manager - Brand and Acquisition, who has shared her inspiring career journey with us. "As a parent of young children, I understood the importance of finding an employer that prioritised both professional growth and work-life balance. From the outset, I was impressed by HESTA’s commitment to create a supportive culture that values employees as individuals.” Fast forward 9 years, she highlights her opportunity to grow significantly within HESTA. She has held 4 different roles within the Brand and Marketing team, each providing unique challenges and learning experiences that have enriched her professional development. Currently, she is in a secondment role that allows her to further expand her skill set and contribute to exciting new campaigns and projects. Remeeka shared that her favourite part about working at HESTA is the supportive culture, opportunities for growth, flexibility, and commitment to diversity. These aspects are complemented by the inspiring members, who are the centre of everything we do to ensure they are retirement ready. “Looking back, joining HESTA has been one of the best decisions of my career.” Discover more about the opportunities available at HESTA: hesta.co/HESTA-Careers #HESTASuper #CareersWithImpact #WomenInSuper

We welcome the government’s proposed policy changes aimed at enhancing access to government-subsidised childcare, which includes a 3-day guarantee for subsidised childcare, 5 days for First Nations families, and a $1 billion investment in building and maintaining early education facilities. This is a major step forward in supporting families and enhancing the accessibility of early childhood education in Australia. For our more than 1 million-members, many of whom are women providing unpaid care, this change removes barriers to families accessing early childhood education and care and can enhance women’s workforce participation. We believe this proposed policy represents a positive move towards a more equitable and inclusive early education and care system, offering substantial benefits to families and improved retirement outcomes for our members. #UniversalChildcare #SupportFamilies #GenderEquality #HESTASuper

It’s time to meet one of the team members helping to deliver investment excellence with impact for our amazing members at HESTA – Saksham Malhotra. Saksham is a senior responsible investment associate at HESTA and joined our team in 2021 after working in portfolio management for several years. “I get the opportunity to build on my previous experience by working across various asset classes and themes, as well as interacting with the different teams across investment management as we integrate responsible investment across the portfolio.” At HESTA, we believe that members' best financial interests are served by having a deep commitment to responsible investment. Our members hear us talk a lot about this approach to investing, but what does it look like day-to-day for our team? “In the pursuit of investment excellence with impact, I’ve had the privilege to work on capital allocation decisions that support HESTA’s climate solutions target. I’ve also engaged with senior leaders of major Australian companies on responsible investment issues and advocated for improved policy settings to Australian and global policy makers that address systemic challenges to the benefit of our members, and the world they live, work and retire in.” Working at HESTA is full of moments of impact, and for Saksham, one of his was the development of the HESTA Natural Capital and Biodiversity Roadmap. “The roadmap’s objective is to guide the actions HESTA can take to mitigate the systemic risk of nature decline on our members' retirement outcomes, as well as capture the opportunities that nature may present.” HESTA recently published its FY24 Responsible Investment Report which includes our first disclosure using The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures framework. “I’m excited for our members to see the progress we’ve made on such an important issue, in support of our Super with impact™ purpose.” Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/g4uQnqJS #HESTASuper #ResponsibleInvestment #CareersWithImpact HESTA ABN 64 971 749 321 is issued by H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd ABN 66 006 818 695 AFSL 235249. Consider whether this product is appropriate for you by reading the PDS and Target Market Determination at http://hesta.co/6047Qnj6F. See more about Super with impact™ at http://hesta.co/6040Qnj64.

HESTA is excited to have Shannon O'Shea MBA step into the role of General Manager, Retirement, to help look after our members’ retirement journeys and improve their financial confidence. With around 14% of our more than 1 million members expected to retire in the next 5 years, Shannon’s extensive experience in superannuation and finance will be crucial in advancing our retirement strategy and supporting our members’ retirement needs. In this strategic position, Shannon will lead our retirement function and continue to build on our shared understanding of members’ retirement needs, aligning HESTA’s offerings with these insights and ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulatory obligations. With approximately 80% of our members women, with many facing lower wages, financial and career challenges, we are acutely aware of how this impacts their superannuation outcomes, and this position is vital in helping to combat the inequities we know women face with their superannuation balance. “Retirement is different for everyone, and as we are seeing more and more members sharpen their focus on their retirement planning, my appointment further signals to our members our deep commitment to helping them face the future with confidence.” #HESTASuper #Retirement #Leadership

In recognition of International Volunteering Day, we’d like to acknowledge the incredible contribution of those volunteering to strengthen communities and create positive change. With millions of dedicated volunteers across Australia, today is a wonderful opportunity to distinguish their remarkable contributions and acknowledge the impact they have on our community. ️ At HESTA, we're proud to support this spirit of giving through our volunteering program, encouraging employees to dedicate their time to support their preferred community and non-profit organisations. It's just one of the ways we're committed to fostering a culture of giving back to the community. #HESTASuper #HESTAImpact #IVD2024

We had the privilege of welcoming Mike Rolls as a guest speaker, thanks to the HESTA Emerging Professionals Network (EPN). The EPN is an internal group of employees dedicated to supporting those at the early stages of their careers by providing opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with peers and leaders across the organisation. Mike shared his inspiring journey of overcoming severe Meningococcal Septicaemia, a life-threatening illness that led to the loss of his legs. He provided invaluable insights and practical strategies to enhance resilience through consistency, momentum and having clarity. His message of strength, perseverance, and positivity reminded us of the power of resilience and positivity in facing life's challenges. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn from such an extraordinary individual and look forward to applying his teachings to foster greater resilience within our personal and professional lives. #HESTASuper #Resilience

At HESTA, we believe that our members best financial interests are served by a deep commitment to responsible investment. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce that our FY24 Responsible Investment Report is live, and we’re proud to share the achievements HESTA has accomplished over the past financial year. The report outlines activity in support of our responsible investment program of work as part of our Super with impact™ purpose and includes progress on HESTA’s priority responsible investment thematics, supported by case studies, engagement and voting metrics. It also highlights the capital alignment of our portfolio with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)*, with approximately 14.9% of FUM identified as sustainable development investments as at 30 June 2024. Our commitment to responsible investment is further evidenced by HESTA's impressive score of 95/100 for each assessed module in the 2023 Principles for Responsible Investment survey, highlighting the strong integration of responsible investment into our investment decision-making. We believe this approach is both a core part of acting in members’ best financial interests and supports HESTA in its contribution to a more sustainable world. Access the 2024 Responsible Investment Report here: https://lnkd.in/geWNDkx9 #HESTASuper #SuperWithImpact #ResponsibleInvestment *As at 30 June 2024. Alignment measured using the SDI AOP Taxonomy. More information available at http://hesta.co/6048tbuE6 HESTA ABN 64 971 749 321 is issued by H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd ABN 66 006 818 695 AFSL 235249. Consider whether this product is appropriate for you by reading the PDS and Target Market Determination at http://hesta.co/6049tbuEB. For more information on HESTA's approach to responsible investment go to http://hesta.co/6040tbuE8

Speaking to an experienced Member Engagement Consultant is just one of the ways HESTA members can get individualised support for their super. Our Member Engagement Consultants give general advice to HESTA members to help them explore the options available to them and make informed decisions about their super, and Blake Beaumont is one of our dedicated team members delivering this service to our members. “Part of my role is to make things simple for our members and educate them in a way that will resonate with them. I get a lot of satisfaction from being able to help people make a real difference to their retirement.” Blake reveals the most common questions he’s asked by members, some of the HESTA tools he recommends, and one thing he wishes all HESTA members knew about super: https://lnkd.in/gcHF9ayR #HESTASuper #Retirement #FinancialAdvice HESTA ABN 64 971 749 321 is issued by H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd ABN 66 006 818 695 AFSL 235249. Consider whether this product is appropriate for you by reading the PDS and Target Market Determination at http://hesta.co/6044tb3Lk

We're pleased to see the Superannuation (Objective) Bill 2023 pass the Senate yesterday. This is an important milestone in the continued development of Australia’s world-leading retirement system. With our 1 million plus HESTA members in mind – around 80% of whom are women – we strongly support this legislation, and its recognition of the importance of preservation and equity as vital underpinnings to delivering a dignified retirement. Before compulsory super was introduced in 1992, many Australian workers retired with little to no savings. Today, a typical worker will retire with around $200,000, according to the Super Members Council. This is what makes Australia’s superannuation system a model for other modern economies and it’s why we believe it was so vital to enshrine in law for generations to come an objective that will be a north star to guide future policymakers. While we support the Bill, there is still much work to do to ensure that all Australians fully share in the benefits of our super system, particularly women, those earning lower wages and First Nations people. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gHmqivUy #SuperEquality #RetirementDignity #HESTASuper