The coronavirus pandemic is hastening certain trends that institutional investors incorporating environmental, social and governance issues have been eyeing for some time. One trend is the democratization of technology, which Catherine Flockhart, a director at Baillie Gifford, says her firm has been positioned for in certain strategies. While many point to the sudden increase in […]
To stay on the cutting edge of environmental, social and governance integration, institutional investors have to expand their focus beyond the factors that are material to a company’s operations today and look ahead at what’s around the corner. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, this is becoming an integral part of investors’ analysis. “To […]
Corporate governance, climate change and human rights in the digital economy are primary focuses for Northwest & Ethical Investments in 2020. The Canadian firm’s annual corporate engagement focus list highlights five key themes and 26 investee companies it intends to engage with throughout the year. It’s planning to engage companies on governance issues including board diversity and board and […]
With the task force on climate-related financial disclosures becoming increasingly common in institutional investor circles, how can Canadian pension plans start to use its guidance effectively? During a webinar hosted by the Association of Canadian Pension Management on Tuesday, Maria Montero, climate change program head at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, said her organization […]
The University of Toronto Asset Management Corp. is teaming up with more than 120 institutional investors to call on the aviation sector to confront the issue of climate change-related risks and opportunities. The UTAM signed a statement from the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Investment, which lays out investors’ expectations on climate change for the sector. […]
In an unusual move for an index provider, MSCI Inc. is urging the investment industry as a whole to incorporate environmental, social and governance issues into their investment processes. “Really we think there’s an urgency,” says Remy Briand, head of ESG at MSCI. “We think there are still too many investors that are not realizing that, […]
The OPSEU Pension Trust, alongside Bruc Iberia Energy Investment Partners and Green Investment Group, are acquiring two solar photovoltaic power plants that are currently under construction in Spain for about €65 million. The plants, which are set to be operational by the third quarter of 2020, will have a combined capacity of 100 megawatts and are located in Alvarado-La Risca in […]
The Canada Pension Plan isn’t taking sufficient action to address climate change, according to a new report by the Corporate Mapping Project and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Specifically, the report said the CPPIB isn’t investing with the goal of limiting the global rise in temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius. “Within its public equities […]
The majority (70 per cent) of global institutional investors agree that sustainability will play a more important role in investments over the next five years, according to a new survey by Schroders. The survey, which polled 650 investors responsible for US$25.4 trillion under management, found this response was most prevalent in Europe (84 per cent) and Asia Pacific […]
The recent federal election highlighted interest in climate change, as well as the potential impacts on communities and the population, with the issue No. 1 or 2 in priority for most voters. Climate change is one of a broader set of environmental, social and governance issues percolating through the investment world right now. ESG, or […]