December 2022

Vanguard defends strategy as critics pile on after net-zero exit

Vanguard Group is under pressure to reassure stakeholders that it still cares about the climate, after becoming the target of fierce criticism from high-profile environmental advocates including Al Gore. The former U.S. vice president, who now chairs Generation Investment Management, called Vanguard's decision to quit the world's biggest climate-finance alliance "irresponsible and shortsighted." Mr. Gore also suggested the asset manager, which oversees $7.1 trillion in client funds, was out of step with the zeitgeist. It's a sentiment that was echoed by...

Financial institutions call on world leaders to adopt Global Biodiversity Framework

World leaders have been urged by 150 financial institutions representing more than US $24trn in assets to adopt a post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework at the UN Biodiversity Conference COP15. As reported by our sister publication, European Pensions, the statement is led by the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative and the Finance for Biodiversity Foundation, and calls on governments from around the world to adopt the framework for economic players, including financial institutions. The framework aims...

Gabon: Employers to take charge of National Social Security Fund

Henri Claude Oyima, head of Gabon’s private bosses has indicated that the President of the republic Ali Bongo has nodded to the demand of the Federation of private companies of the central African country to take control of the struggling National Social Security Fund, CNSS. “We were pleased with the Head of State’s announcements on the issue of social security. That is, from now on, the National Social Security Fund and the National Health Insurance Fund will be managed, as...

España. Escrivá propone mejorar las pensiones de las mujeres con las carreras laborales dañadas

El Gobierno quiere subir también el complemento por brecha de género en 2024 y 2025 pero elude abordar hoy las cuestiones más espinosas aún pendientes. La mesa de negociación entre el Gobierno, la patronal y los sindicatos para la segunda parte de la reforma de pensiones se ha vuelto a reunir hoy pero no han abordado ninguna novedad sobre las cuestiones espinosas que propuso la Seguridad Social en su anterior reunión hace dos semanas. Concretamente, los responsables de la Seguridad Social...

Colombia. ¿Qué mínimo le conviene al país?

Este jueves, 15 de diciembre, vence el primer plazo para que se tome una de las decisiones más importantes para millones de trabajadores colombianos, que tendrá un gran impacto en el comportamiento de la inflación y en la economía del 2023. Se trata de la definición del incremento en el salario mínimo que hoy está en un millón de pesos, sin incluir subsidio de transporte. La negociación, todos los años, es un tire y afloje pero este año será especialmente...

US. Political fight against ESG continues in 3 states

Politicians in Kentucky, Florida and North Carolina have continued a crusade by Republican leaders for pension funds to break with ESG and BlackRock. While several state treasury funds have dropped BlackRock from investments, pension plans have been less willing to follow. In Florida, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis terminated BlackRock from the management of $2 billion in the state's long-duration portfolio and called on the Florida State Board of Administration, Tallahassee, to drop BlackRock from more than $13 billion in...

Macron postpones French pension overhaul to January

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that he was pushing back his presentation of a major pensions overhaul denounced by labour unions, citing recent leadership changes at two opposition parties. Both the Greens and the right-wing Republicans have elected new chiefs, and Macron said he would consult with them before unveiling details of the major reform on January 10, instead of Thursday as planned. “This will give a few more weeks for those… who have taken over to discuss some of...

UK. Three reasons to get excited about pensions dashboards

Pensions dashboards have been a long time in the making, but the Department for Work and Pensions is now driving this project through to fruition. Over recent months there has been significant steps forward. The official timetable has been set and large occupational schemes and all types of personal pensions have to connect by next summer. A year of testing follows that and once more than 90 per cent of schemes are connected, dashboards will be launched onto an unsuspecting public. Well,...

Lagos approves N707m pension bailout for parastatals

The Commissioner for Establishments, Training And Pensions, Mrs Ajibola Ponnle, has said Lagos State government approved a bailout of N707.62m for some parastatals to pay the pensions of their retirees. She disclosed the bailout of the parastatals that could not raise the funds at the 98th batch retirement bond certificate presentation ceremony in Lagos on Friday. “In line with his administration’s vision to cater to its employees even in retirement, Mr Governor also recently approved the appeal for a bailout by...

EEUU. Joe Biden destina $36,000 millones a jubilados sindicalizados, ¿a quiénes beneficia?

El presidente Joe Biden otorgó casi 36.000 millones para ayudar a las pensiones de los empleados sindicalizados, según un anunció de este jueves. La infusión ayudará a un plan de pensión sindical con problemas financieros, evitando recortes severos de Rescate Americano, y es la mayor cantidad de ayuda federal proporcionada para un plan de pensiones, dijo el gobierno de Biden; además equivale a más de un tercio del recurso del Plan de Rescate. Muchos planes de jubilación sindicales han estado...