June 2023

U.K. pension funds slow to invest in biodiversity – report

U.K. pension funds are increasingly aware of biodiversity risks to their portfolios, but not many are investing in natural solutions, according to research from Pensions for Purpose released Monday. Commissioned by alternatives asset manager Gresham House, Pensions for Purpose asked 22 asset owners and investment consultants how much they incorporate biodiversity and natural capital in investment decisions. Participants included the £25 billion ($31 billion) National Employment Savings Trust, London, £35 billion Brunel Pension Partnership, Bristol, £15 billion London CIV, £35...

Green and sustainable investing: why asset managers need clear ESG definitions to aid fund sales, quash greenwashing

A lack of globally consistent and clear definitions of what “green” and “sustainable” actually mean when it comes to projects and investment products has imposed extra burdens on asset managers struggling to meet compliance requirements, according to Fidelity’s head of sustainable investing. Insufficient regulation of environment, social and governance (ESG) data and ratings providers also heightens concerns about greenwashing, the act of making unsubstantiated sustainability claims. “If you are selling a fund as a green fund, that means very different things...

May 2023

Asset owners, managers sign biodiversity pledge

Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP, Heerlen, Netherlands, joined 14 asset owners and managers signing the Finance for Biodiversity Pledge Monday to commemorate World Biodiversity Day. The pledge calls for signatories to commit to map their biodiversity impact, set goals and targets, and disclose the results before 2025, along with collaboration and engaging with companies to halt and reverse nature loss. The €480 billion ($528.9 billion) pension fund is now one of 140 signatories representing a collective €19.7 trillion in assets from 23 countries. Other...

US. Divesting fossil fuels looms larger for more funds

As the race toward renewable energy and away from fossil fuels to address climate change heats up, more pension funds may look at divestment, willingly or otherwise. According to a divestment commitment database maintained by Stand.earth, a climate action advocacy group, 1,591 organizations worldwide with a collective $40.51 trillion in assets have publicly committed to some level of fossil fuel divestment. Pension funds represent 11.7% of those commitments, compared with 35.8% from faith-based organizations, 15.7% from educational institutions and 11.9%...

UK. DC funds adoption of ESG investments accelerates

How defined contribution (DC) schemes invest has been a topic of much debate with various government consultations threatening change and offering opportunity in equal measure. The master trust sector clearly wishes to be seen to be driving forward the debate, aiming to set the investment agenda and also offer more sophisticated investments to members. With the news that there is a 66% chance we will pass the 1.5ºC global warming threshold between now and 2027 it is clear we need...

Impact investments meeting financial expectations, exit study finds

The majority of impact investments are meeting or exceeding financial performance expectations, according to a study released Wednesday by ICM Institute, a non-profit research arm of the Impact Capital Managers, an association of private capital funds, and global law firm Morrison Foerster. The report, "Alpha in Impact: Strengthening Outcomes: Impact and Financial Value at Exit," covers a sample of 230 exits from ICM members managing market-rate impact funds. It found that 65% of impact exits met or exceeded financial performance...

US. Senate passes bill banning state’s pension, investment funds from ESG considerations

The Ohio Senate sent to the House on Wednesday a bill that would prohibit managers of the state’s five pension systems and other investment funds from choosing investments based on their social, environmental and corporate governance goals. ESG principles consider companies’ and funds’ policies affecting the environment and climate. Social goals include how a company treats its employees, suppliers and customers. Governance policies require an examination of corporate leadership, executive pay, shareholder rights and internal controls. Recently, Republicans across the country...

Inversión Sostenible en Fondos de Pensión

Por ANAFAP La Inversión Sostenible consiste en crear valor económico a través del cuidado del medio ambiente, el respeto por los derechos humanos y la buena gobernanza de las empresas. Dado que al Integrar criterios ASG (ESG según sus siglas en inglés) en el proceso de inversión se busca promover una mejor toma de decisiones, logrando obtener un adecuado perfil riesgo-retorno en las inversiones. Estos temas son de gran relevancia a nivel mundial y las restricciones y acuerdos entre países son...

Inversión Responsable: Estudio Anual 2023

Por GOVERNART En 2017 realizamos la primera versión del Estudio de Inversión Responsable en Latinoamérica, en el cual anticipamos importantes oportunidades para que tanto empresas como inversionistas institucionales pudieran converger alrededor del enfoque ambiental, social y de gobierno corporativo (ASG), en la gestión de negocios sostenibles, y en los procesos de análisis y de inversión responsable. En 2020, publicamos la segunda versión de este Estudio, en el que evidenciamos el incipiente incremento inversionistas con interés en la inversión responsable, y anticipamos un incremento de interés...

México. ¿Afores deben cumplir con ESG?

En México existen más de 72 millones de cuentas de ahorro que administran más de 5.3 billones de pesos, de acuerdo con datos de la Consar, además las Afores son el mayor inversionista institucional de México, pero, ¿también deben cumplir con las prácticas y criterios ESG? La Consar lanzó un mensaje donde invitan a las Afores a tomar acción inmediata y forjar políticas que implementen los criterios ESG en sus operaciones y sigan los principios de inversión responsable de la...