Assessing climate and social risk in securitised debt

Assessing climate and social risk in securitised debt

February 11, 2026 · 34 min · Season 2 · Episode 18

About this episode

The episode discusses the application of responsible investment principles in securitised debt markets, focusing on climate and social risks.

In this episode, Kate Webber , Chief Solutions & Technology Officer at the PRI, is joined by Malea Figgins , Vice President at TCW, and David Klausner , ESG Specialist at PGIM Public & Private Fixed Income, to explore how responsible investment is being applied in securitised debt markets. Focusing on residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities (RMBS and CMBS), as well as emerging asset classes such as data centres, the discussion draws on insights from the PRI’s Technical guide to Responsible Investment in securitised debt . Together, the guests unpack how environmental, social and governance risks and impacts are assessed in practice, where data gaps remain, and why securitised assets are central to financing the real economy. Overview Securitised debt is a core component of global fixed income markets, representing around US$14 trillion in outstanding issuance. By pooling underlying loans, such as home mortgages, commercial property loans or consumer credit, securitisation channels capital into housing, infrastructure and other real-economy assets. Despite its scale and relevance, securitised debt has historically been underrepresented in responsible…

People in this episode

Host: Kate Webber

Guests: Malea Figgins, David Klausner

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Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: PRI, TCW, PGIM Public & Private Fixed Income

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