December 2021

Canada. CPPIB targeting high carbon emitters for long-term investments

The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is pursuing a new strategy that involves investing in businesses with high greenhouse gas emissions and a desire to reduce them. The strategy, which is published in a new report, aims to identify companies committed to creating value by lowering their emissions in a manner that’s consistent with the CPPIB’s own timeframe. The strategy was devised by Bill Rogers, managing director and head of sustainable energies; Mike Conrad, principal in sustainable energies; and Art Pithayachariyakul,...

México. Afores dan apertura a financiamiento más accesible en la BMV: Black Rock

México. Afores dan apertura a financiamiento más accesible en la BMV: Black Rock

La presión de las Administradoras de Fondos para el Retiro (Afores) sobre las empresas de la Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV) para mejorar sus criterios Ambientales, Sociales y de Gobernanza (ASG), permitirá hacer más accesible el financiamiento a través de bonos temáticos. Leer también México. Títulos de deuda que dejan los extranjeros son tomados por Afores De acuerdo con la Comisión Nacional de Sistema de Ahorro para el Retiro (Consar), a partir del 2022, las Afores deberán adoptar criterios ASG en...

US. Support builds for reversing Trump’s limits on ESG investing

A Department of Labor rule that would make it easier for retirement plan sponsors to account for social and environmental risks is garnering support from environmentalists and the financial services industry. The agency announced plans in October to roll back two rules adopted by the Trump administration that placed additional scrutiny on “sustainable investments.” The Trump-era rules did so by making it more complicated for 401(k) and pension plan managers to consider climate change and related issues when investing on...

Will everything be responsible investing?

Impact investing, responsible investing, environmental, social and governance investing – these are all different branches coming from the same tree and have been rising in popularity. As interest in climate-related issues has been growing for some time, more and more investors have been looking towards making their money work for the greater good. The consumer-facing campaign Make My Money Matter has played a key role in encouraging people to explore where their pensions are invested, as well as how they could...

Boston to Divest From Fossil Fuels, Tobacco, Private Prisons

US. Boston to Divest From Fossil Fuels, Tobacco, Private Prisons

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has signed into law an ordinance to divest the city from the fossil fuel, tobacco, and private prison industries by the end of 2025. The ordinance prohibits using public funds to invest in the stocks, securities, or other obligations of any company that derives more than 15% of its revenue from those industries. Under the new law, fossil fuel investments are defined as investments in any company that derives more than 15% of its revenue from...

Sustainable finance roundtable: EIOPA announces its sustainable finance activities for the coming three years

Sustainable finance roundtable: EIOPA announces its sustainable finance activities for the coming three years

The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions (EIOPA) is organising today its 5th Sustainable Finance Roundtable which gathers representatives from supervisors, industry, consumer organisations, and academia to discuss society's resilience to sustainability risks, the role of insurers and pensions and EIOPA's work in this area. On this occasion, EIOPA announced its three year plan which will help to integrate sustainable finance across all areas of its own work. From 2022-2024, EIOPA defined its key areas of activity: Integration of sustainability risks in...

Australia’s $3.3 trillion pension pot reaps dividends with ESG

Responsible investing is paying dividends for Australia's A$3.4 trillion (S$3.3 trillion) pension pot. Funds seen as sustainable leaders controlled 42 per cent of the assets in the nation's default savings plans last year, up from 28 per cent in 2019, according to the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia (RIAA). The 13 leading funds - which integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices, are transparent and demonstrate a commitment to good governance and accountability - also outperformed rivals over three, five and...

Socially responsible investing

By Charles Stanley Direct The human impact on the environment means changes to the way society and industry operates are necessary, while societal problems such as poverty and inequality need to be tackled. Choosing investments that take account of these issues is what we call “investing with conscience”, or socially responsible investing. Get the book here 648 views

UK. Trustees warn lack of member appetite for ESG investing is hindering progress

More than half (53 per cent) of professional defined benefit (DB) pension trustees have cited the lack of member appetite for environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing as a factor hindering the growth of sustainable investing. The study, conducted by Charles Stanley Fiduciary Management, found that 35 per cent felt a lack of understanding about the options available as a hindrance, while the suspicion that ESG investing was just a fad, fears that it could harm returns, and underwhelming investment...

November 2021

US. SEC guidance opens the door for more ESG proxy proposal

More shareholder proposals with a focus on environmental and social issues are likely to make it onto company proxy statements in 2022, thanks to new Securities and Exchange Commission guidance, sources said. In a legal bulletin published Nov. 3, the SEC's division of corporation finance rescinded its last three legal bulletins — promulgated under the Trump administration — related to Exchange Act Rule 14a-8, that concern shareholder proposals. The latest bulletin also outlined changes in the division's views on what...