May 2021
14May

Can green fintechs solve the polluting pension problem?

Fintechs have seen green, launching apps that help us track the carbon emissions of our shopping habits, play the stock market in a planet-friendly way and even fight plastic pollution with our debit cards. These offerings are nudging consumers towards better behaviours, but there is one far bigger and far less sexy financial problem this crop of startups now wants to tackle. Pensions. A new survey from YouGov and Money Matter found that 44% of people would switch over to a...

May 14, 2021
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06May

Germany hatches plan to attract green investment capital

The German government is planning a new green financing strategy to steer capital towards environmental projects and developing Germany into a leading hub for sustainable finance, plans seen by Reuters show. The so-called Sustainable Finance Strategy plan lists 26 individual measures and is due to be adopted by the cabinet on Wednesday with a view to mobilising investment for climate protection projects. "The federal government wants to develop Germany into a leading location for sustainable finance," states the plan, which is...

May 6, 2021
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05May

UK. Pension funds urged to help UK reach net zero climate goals

Pension funds must set a target of net zero emissions for their investments if the UK is to meet its climate goals, influential figures in climate activism have urged. Many people are unaware of whether their pensions funds are invested in fossil fuels or high-carbon activities, and even companies that have publicly committed to reaching net zero emissions may have pension fund investments that are still wedded to high-carbon businesses. As the UK prepares to host the UN climate talks Cop26...

May 5, 2021
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05May

Canadian pension officials hailed as climate champions

Two Canadian pension fund officials were hailed Tuesday by the British High Commission and the Canada Climate Law Initiative as Canadian climate champions for their efforts to move Canada to net-zero emissions. The list of 26 champions includes Barbara Zvan, the inaugural president and CEO of the University Pension Plan, Ontario, and Kim Thomassin, executive vice president and head of investments in Quebec and stewardship investing for the Caisse de Depot et de Placement du Quebec. Last July, Ms. Zvan was...

May 5, 2021
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03May

How One of Canada’s Largest Pension Funds Is Incorporating ESG in Its Portfolio

As allocators and fund managers alike scramble to incorporate diversity and climate change into their strategies, one of Canada’s largest asset owners has released its latest report on how, exactly, a C$365.5 billion pension fund does it. The Stewardship Report, released Wednesday by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (known colloquially as CPDQ), details the fund’s 2020 efforts toward sustainability and diversity. In the report, CPDQ said it is tying employees’ variable compensation to the achievement of certain climate targets...

May 3, 2021
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April 2021
29Apr

Rethinking Retirement Savings

By Jason Fernandes, Janelle Orsi In this Commentary, we demonstrate that the rules governing retirement savings have been funneling tens of trillions of dollars into a narrow class of return-maximizing investments, including industries that have been driving inequality and widespread ecological destruction. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), along with its state law analogs, directs trustees to seek the highest risk-adjusted return on plan assets, regardless of the consequences to workers, their communities, and the planet. American...

April 29, 2021
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27Apr

NY State Pension Commits to $400 Million in Sustainable Investments

The $247.7 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund has committed approximately $400 million to two funds as part of its Sustainable Investments and Climate Solutions (SICS) Program. The commitments are part of New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s climate action plan to lower investment risks from climate change and help shift the pension fund to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions within the next 20 years. “While climate change poses investment risks, it also creates opportunities for the state pension fund to...

April 27, 2021
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27Apr

Redington and Fidelity announce net zero pension plans

Redington has announced it will align all default client advice with the goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest, as outlined in the Paris Agreement. The investment consultant estimated that, as a result of the change most clients will achieve a 50 per cent reduction in their carbon emissions by 2030. The move sits alongside the firm's broader seven-point climate action plan to integrate sustainability considerations across its entire business, including commitments to reduce and offset its...

April 27, 2021
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27Apr

UK. MSP pension fund under fire for investing almost £1m in fossil fuels

Analysis of the Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme by Friends of the Earth Scotland based on a freedom of information request shows that the estimated fossil fuel investment is £923,585 - around £7,160 for each of the 129 MSPs. With Glasgow due to host the Cop26 UN climate conference later this year environmental campaigners are calling on local authorities to divest from fossil fuels. The Scottish Parliament’s pension fund was found to have an estimated £733,000 stake in BHP, a major coal,...

April 27, 2021
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23Apr

ESG, Green Growth and Employee Capitalism: G7 Roadmap for the Fifth Industrial Revolution

By M. Nicolas J. Firzli, David Weeks, Nick Sherry This paper co-authored & edited jointly by M. Nicolas J. Firzli, David Weeks and the Hon. Nicholas Sherry looks at the twin notions of asset ownership and EESG-driven investment in relation to the emerging financial policy agenda of the 47th G7 Summit (Carbis Bay Summit) from the perspective of G7 and Australian pension investors and board members (trustees), which were discussed notably at two recent global conferences organised by the Singapore...

April 23, 2021
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