An altering macroeconomic environment means that cost management requires continual attention by pension plans and other institutional investors. Today, as inflation and higher-for-longer rates exert upward pressure on institutional investors’ costs in a variety of areas, from technology to team member salaries, it’s time once again to re-evaluate the fees being paid to external asset […]
An article announcing the finalists in the 2024 Workplace Benefits Awards was the most-read story on BenefitsCanada.com this past week. Here are the top five human resources, benefits, pension and investment stories of the last week: 1. Who are the finalists of the 2024 Workplace Benefits Awards? 2. Ford, Lowes among employers pulling back from DEI policies 3. 68% […]
The Alberta Investment Management Corp. says there has been declining support for shareholder proposals linked to environmental and social factors, while support has increased for governance proposals centred around shareholder rights, according to the investment organization’s latest stewardship report. It cited increased scrutiny of ESG issues as a factor in the decline and noted the AIMCO […]
The demand for artificial intelligence is leading to increased energy usage by data centres and creating a link between the two assets, says Matthew Mendes, managing director and head of infrastructure at the Investment Management Corp. of Ontario. “The growth is different than it was before — [there’s] more hyperscale companies coming into the mix. […]
After several years of development, two long-awaited national health-care initiatives are finally taking shape, raising questions about their impact to employer-sponsored benefits plans. In May, the Canadian Dental Care Plan was officially rolled out, providing dental coverage to Canadians who don’t have access to private dental insurance and whose annual net family income is less […]
Institutional investors are disclosing the environmental impact of their assets through increasingly sophisticated sustainability reports that use the latest disclosure metrics. While some of Canada’s largest pension funds are at the forefront of how to leverage responsible investment mandates and attempt to enact change through leadership in global organizations, the shortcomings of data reporting standards […]
Amid an increasingly volatile global economy, many institutional investors are employing innovative investment strategies to deliver returns, but Suncor Energy Inc. views a methodical adoption of new trends as key to plan stability. A conservative approach and a balanced portfolio has allowed Suncor to deliver sustainable contributions and growth to its pension plans. At the […]
On June 18, the Canadian Investment Review hosted a group of endowment and foundation investment executives, academics and money managers in Toronto for the 2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum. Non-profit decision-makers, treasurers from endowments and foundations and leading industry experts shared their views, practices and theories to address the challenges and issues they face in the current economy. […]
Sustainable investing materializes when institutional investors start adding intentionality to their strategies and actions, said Maxime Chevalier, alternative investments specialist at Desjardins Global Asset Management (pictured left), during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum in June. For instance, ESG integration strategies can range from protecting investments from material […]
Sustainable investing is entering a phase where a concrete focus on execution as well as real-world impact and metrics are becoming essential, said Kevin Quinlan, senior director of climate and client strategy at SLC Management, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Endowment & Foundation Investment Forum in June. “Going beyond just the […]