Aviva Investors announces the winners at the sixth edition of its Sustainability Media Awards

9 November 2026

(London) – Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva plc, announces the winners of this year’s Aviva Investors Sustainability Media Awards with Lauren Mills, Private Markets Editor at IPE Real Assets, being recognised with the ‘Journalist of the year’ award and Responsible Investor being awarded ‘Publication of the year’.

The winners and highly-commended entries were announced at a ceremony at Aviva’s Hoxton offices on Thursday 5th November, hosted by Mark Versey, Chief Executive Officer at Aviva Investors, and lead judge Steve Waygood, Co-Founder and CEO of The Finance Transition Centre.

Now in their sixth year, the Awards seek to recognise excellence in reporting across the UK media that is shaping understanding and debate of sustainability-related themes and issues facing investors, acknowledging their influence on investment trends and contribution to investment outcomes.

This year's Awards attracted more than 120 entries, an increase from 2025, spanning national newspapers, institutional and wholesale investment trade media, and specialist sustainability publications. The submissions reflected the breadth of issues facing investors, and the important role of rigorous, independent journalism in bringing clarity and fresh perspectives to an increasingly complex sustainability landscape.

To ensure impartiality and objectivity, entries were anonymised and judged by an independent panel of sustainability and investment experts, including:

  • Steve Waygood, CEO, The Finance Transition Centre (Lead Judge)
  • Aleksandra Palinska, Executive Director, European Sustainable Investment Forum (Eurosif)
  • Tamsin Ballard, Chief Investor Initiatives Officer, Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
  • Pippa Morgan, Sustainability Strategy Senior Manager, Aviva Investors

Mark Versey, Chief Executive Officer at Aviva Investors, said:

"We would like to congratulate all of the winners of this year’s awards and all of those who submitted to them, bringing complex issues to light and holding investors, companies and policymakers to account. Each year we are humbled by the number of entries and the consistent quality of the writing, and each year the bar is raised higher. A big thank you also to our judging panel for their time, expertise and insight.”

“This year’s awards added a Natural Capital category, reflecting the huge value of the UK’s ecosystem services and the role investors can play in preserving that value through projects that can create jobs, lock up carbon, support sustainable timber production and generate carbon credits, whilst also having the potential to deliver long term investment outcomes. Reporting on these topics can play a vitally important role in telling the investment story of sustainability because when people can see what their money is doing they engage with it more, including whether sustainability really does pay."

List of winners, Aviva Investors Sustainability Media Awards 2026

Publication of the year

  • Responsible Investor (Winner)
  • The Ethical Corporation Magazine (Highly Commended)

Institutional publication of the year

  • Net Zero Investor (Winner)
  • Funds Europe (Highly Commended)

Retail/wholesale publication of the year

  • Professional Adviser (Winner)
  • Citywire Selector (Highly Commended)

Private markets publication of the year

  • IPE Real Assets (Winner)
  • New Private Markets (Highly Commended)

Multimedia publication of the year

  • FT Adviser (Winner)
  • Sustainable Views (Highly Commended)

Journalist of the year

  • Lauren Mills, IPE Real Assets (Winner)
  • Atharva Deshmukh, Net Zero Investor (Highly Commended)

Emerging Talent of the year

  • Ben Steel, Sustainable Views (Winner)
  • Lotte Edwards, Citywire Investment Trust Insider (Highly Commended)

Freelance Writer of the year

  • Catherine Early (Winner)
  • Lucy Tobin (Highly Commended)

Climate journalist of the year

  • Mike Scott (Winner)
  • Catherine Early (Highly Commended)

Social & People journalist of the year

  • Hannah Duncan (Winner)
  • Shruti Tripathi Chopra, Financial News (Highly Commended)

Natural Capital journalist of the year

  • Mike Scott (Winner)
  • Catherine Early (Highly Commended)

Policy & Regulation journalist of the year

  • Lizzie Meager, Sustainable Views (Winner)
  • Dominic Webb, Responsible Investor (Highly Commended)

For more information contact:

Steve Ainger

Head of Media Relations

Laura Cocker

Media Relations Manager

James Morgan

Media Relations Manager

Thomas Green

Media Relations Manager

Important Information

About Aviva Investors

Aviva Investors is the global asset management business of Aviva plc. The business delivers investment management solutions, services and client-driven performance to clients worldwide. Aviva Investors operates in 9 countries in Asia Pacific, Europe, North America and the United Kingdom with £273 billion in assets under management as at 30 June 2026.

Important information

Key risks

Investment risk: The value of an investment and any income from it can go down as well as up and can fluctuate in response to changes in currency and exchange rates. Investors may not get back the original amount invested. Past performance is not a guide to future returns.

Market risk: Venture and Growth Capital investments are high-risk due to their limited operating histories and unproven technologies or business models. They face market risks from rapid changes in technology, consumer preferences, competition, and regulations. They often lack robust internal controls and are not financially self-sustaining at the time of investment, requiring multiple financing rounds. While they offer potential for significant gains, they also carry a high risk of substantial losses, with no guarantee of market success. These risks are generally higher than those of more mature public companies.

Financial Risk: Venture and Growth Capital investments are prone to financial difficulties such as cash flow issues, high debt, and insufficient revenue. They often have limited access to capital and revenue streams, making them vulnerable to market shocks. Poor financial viability can lead to losses, negatively affecting performance. 

Operational Risk: To achieve projected revenues, Venture and Growth Capital investments may be required to rapidly implement and improve operational, financial and management control systems, while maintaining effective cost controls. Success of growth plans depends on ability to execute business plans effectively and address scalability, production capacity, and supply chain management. Limited operating histories make it hard to predict a company's ability to sustain and grow revenues. Financial results depend on market identification, strategic alliances, R&D progress, proprietary rights protection, and competition. There's no guarantee these investments will achieve significant revenues or profitability.

Technology Risk: Investing in the technology sector carries risks related to intellectual property (IP) - obtaining, enforcing, or protecting rights.  Delays or challenges in patent production can hinder innovation. Loss or unauthorized disclosure of proprietary information can compromise strategic positions. High research and development costs, IT infrastructure disruptions, data breaches, and software issues can negatively affect operations and revenue. 

Exit opportunities: The availability of exit opportunities, such as IPOs or M&As, depends on economic conditions, company valuations, technology perceptions, and financial markets. Realising investments may take time or require a value discount. 

Valuation Risk: Illiquid, private assets are inherently difficult to value due to the individual nature of each asset, and as readily assessable market values are not available. Such valuations are subject to uncertainty, subjective and have increased risk that price models may be inaccurate or subject to other error. There is no assurance that the values determined will reflect the actual sales price even where a sale occurs shortly after the valuation date.

Illiquidity risk: The intended investment universe is inherently illiquid and more difficult to realise than public investments, and the Fund should not be considered suitable for investors with a short-term investment outlook. Assets may not be readily saleable and the Fund operates limited redemption arrangements. It may not be possible to realise investments in early-stage companies within a reasonable period of time or without a discount to NAV. 

ESG risk:  Investing on basis of ESG factors may limit the choice of investments and performance of the Fund may be impacted (either positively or negatively). 

Dealing arrangement risk: The Fund requires investors to sign up to a Subscription Agreement, committing to subscribe an amount which will only be drawn down at the discretion of the ACS Manager and Units will only be issued to the investors based on the prevailing net asset value at that point. 

Redemption arrangements: Specific redemption arrangements are in place for this Fund, meaning there will be a significant time lag between instructions being accepted and processed and investors will bear the risk of any unit price movements in these periods. These arrangements may not fully reflect the time typically needed to sell, liquidate or close out the assets, and in exceptional circumstances the Fund can suspend all dealing until the exceptional circumstances have ceased.

Investment in unregulated collective investment schemes: such schemes are generally considered higher risk than regulated schemes. There are limited if any, restrictions to how they are managed. They are also valued less frequently and there is a risk that any market movements will not be reflected in the daily price of the Fund and that investors may miss out on unrealised profits. Liquidity is not assured and cannot be relied upon to meet redemptions. Lack of liquidity may affect the value and lead to units being suspended. 

This summarises some of the key risks associated with the fund, this is not exhaustive. Appropriate due diligence should be undertaken prior to making any investment decisions. Prospective investors should consult the Prospectus for full information on all risks associated with this fund.

The information and opinions contained in this document are for use by the financial press and media only. No reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information or opinions contained in this document nor should they be seen as advice.

The press release is provided on the basis that Aviva Investors Global Services Limited is not causing the communication of a financial promotion under exemption of the Financial Promotion Order, as Aviva Investors Global Services Limited has no control over the way in which an article based on this press release is prepared and published by the financial press and media.

Except where stated as otherwise, the source of all information is Aviva Investors Global Services Limited (“Aviva Investors”). Unless stated otherwise any views, opinions expressed are those of Aviva Investors. They should not be viewed as indicating any guarantee of return from an investment managed by Aviva Investors nor as advice of any nature.

The value of an investment and any income from it may go down as well as up and the investor may not get back the original amount invested.

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