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Aon’s Craig Campbell Demands Detail From RISE Awards Entrants
- Daisy Moll
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
If there’s an upside to the so-called ESG backlash, it is in the greater scrutiny that investors are exercising over funds and companies that make claims about their sustainability credentials. As UK Head of Responsible Investment at Aon, Craig Campbell has seen intensifying demand among asset owners for granular information from fund managers about ‘green’ investment strategies. As a newly-appointed member of the judging panel for the RISE Awards - hosted by Sustainable Times on 9 November at London’s Grand Connaught Rooms - he expects scaleups and startups to handle similarly rigorous examination.
The RISE Awards will celebrate emerging startups and scaleups across a diverse range of sustainability-focused sectors. An expert judging panel has been assembled to bring depth, rigour and industry insight to the selection process.
Campbell brings two decades of experience at Aon and elsewhere to his role as a judge for the RISE Awards. With expertise in sustainable finance, risk analysis, and long-term impact investing, he is well positioned to evaluate the startups that will shape a low-carbon economy.
Aon is a global professional services firm that provides risk, retirement, and health solutions to help organisations make better decisions. It advises clients on areas such as insurance, reinsurance, human capital, and investment strategy.
A shifting landscape
The sustainable investment landscape is undergoing a major shift, according to Campbell. "We’re seeing growing scrutiny from stakeholders, especially when ESG-aligned strategies underperform in the short term,” he explains. “But the long-term conviction in sustainability remains strong.”
Campbell has spent his career working with institutional investors, including pension schemes, charities, endowments and universities, to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into their investment strategies. He helps clients define their sustainability beliefs, set objectives, and design portfolios aligned with those aims, while ensuring regulatory compliance and robust risk management.
In recent years, Campbell has seen the once broad umbrella of sustainability become more sharply defined. “Terms like ESG investing or ethical investing have been weaponised by politics. We’re being much more precise now, talking about climate resilience, nature dependency, and building portfolios that can withstand physical risks.”
Campbell is particularly focused on innovation in private markets, energy-transition infrastructure, and natural capital, identifying opportunities that deliver both financial returns and measurable impact. His work combines strategic asset allocation with proprietary analytics, climate scenario modelling and stewardship reporting, positioning clients to navigate the shifting risk landscape and capitalise on long-term sustainability trends.
Campbell’s nuanced view, balancing financial return with environmental impact and risk, makes him especially valuable as a judge of firms taking their first steps toward success and sustainability. He’s keen to see startups that can demonstrate both a vision for long-term transformation and a credible short- to medium-term plan. “I want to see clarity around 12, 18, and 24-month objectives, not just a 10-year vision,” he says.
“That includes how they plan to deliver impact, how investors will be rewarded, and how they've considered climate risks, nature impact, and social concerns like human rights or modern slavery across their supply chain.”
Aligning profit and purpose
What exactly is Campbell looking for?
In short, he is looking for “a clear long-term vision with realistic milestones, a strong ESG roadmap, and solutions that address climate adaptation or mitigation while considering the social impacts through their supply chains”. Founders should be explicit about their funding approach, whether philanthropic, commercial, or blended, and how investors will be rewarded both financially and through measurable impact. Aligning profit and purpose, rather than treating impact as an add-on, will be essential to winning Campbell’s vote.
He will also be drawn to applications that take a holistic approach to ESG, while demonstrating resilience to climate and nature-related risks. Precise, evidence-based language matters, as does positioning the business ahead of regulatory, technological and market shifts. Ultimately, Campbell wants to see scalable, innovative solutions that not only deliver returns but also play a meaningful role in climate adaptation.
For founders, having their work reviewed by someone who advises the stewards of billions in capital is an invaluable opportunity.
If you are a startup or scaleup looking for funding apply to the RISE Awards in the link below.