The unmet medical needs across Canada are substantial, with the number of Canadians using cannabis for medical needs — close to 15 per cent of individuals over age 16 — one of the best barometers, said Dr. Steven Grover, professor of medicine at McGill University, during Benefits Canada’s 2022 Mental Health Summit in November. “For […]
At the Alberta Investment Management Corp., diversity, equity and inclusion has catapulted up the priority list when it comes to investment strategy. While DEI has long played a role in the decisions of the AIMCo and other institutional investors, says Alison Schneider, the organization’s vice-president of responsible investing, she credits the coronavirus pandemic for catalyzing […]
The focus on environmental, social and governance factors is a train that’s leaving the station, but some pension plan sponsors and institutional investors remain hesitant to hop aboard. Over the past decade, interest in incorporating ESG factors into investment decisions has increased. Indeed, a 2020 survey by investment consulting firm Callan found 42 per cent […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is partnering with New York-based data encryption firm Inpher Inc. to create a private network of asset managers and data contributors. The network will allow the CPPIB to derive insight from distinctive data sources to enhance investment research and generate returns above industry benchmarks, according to a press release, […]
Yale University and some of its employees have settled a class-action lawsuit over the university’s employee wellness program for US$1.29 million net of lawyers’ fees. The Healthy Expectations Program required its 5,000 unionized staff and their spouses to pay US$25 for every week they declined to participate in the program, for a total penalty of […]
The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association is launching an industry initiative to pool claims data and use advanced artificial intelligence tools to enhance the detection and investigation of benefits fraud. While all Canadian insurance companies have their own internal analytics to detect fraud within their book of business, the new initiative — led by […]
While target-date funds have traditionally been a one-sized-fits-almost-all solution, innovation to integrate environmental, social and governance-oriented strategies into these funds is coming just as plan members are seeking more sustainable investing options. “The vast majority of Canadians say ESG integration is important in their investing,” said Wylie Tollette, executive vice-president and head of client investment […]
More than 100 global institutional investors and asset managers are committing to a project that seeks to standardize environmental, social and governance metrics to provide a mechanism for comparative reporting in the private equity industry. The ESG Data Convergence Project, which was launched in September 2021, now includes commitments from the British Columbia Investment Management […]
The research arm of the CFA Institute, a non-profit organization that aims to promote the standards in ethics, education and professional excellence in global investment industry, is entering a strategic partnership with a leading provider of market intelligence reports. According to the terms of the deal reached with MSCI Inc., the CFA Institute Research Foundation […]
About three-quarters (78 per cent) of U.S. employers said they’re more focused on the quality of health care over cost management when making decisions about their benefits plan amid the current war for talent acquisition and retention, according to a new survey by Artemis Health Inc. The survey, which polled more than 300 U.S. human […]