Though the term ‘corporate social responsibility’ varies across companies and countries, it’s generally considered to be a form of organizational self-regulation focusing on an employer’s approach to sustainability across a variety of topics, such as environmental efforts, human rights, corporate governance, health and safety and economic development. Unilever’s sustainable living plan sets out ambitious targets […]
The world was caught off guard when the U.K. voted to leave the European Union on June 23, 2016, since the majority of polls had predicted the opposite outcome. In the wake of the vote, the British pound fell in value relative to other currencies to levels not seen since 1985. It’s a real-time example […]
Following years of steady, globally synchronized growth, volatility is back. In the final weeks of 2018, North American stock markets were especially hectic, posting losses in December to round out a relatively challenging year. Virtually every asset class, with the notable exception of commodities, has done well over the past decade, says Bert Clark, president […]
The vast majority (97 per cent) of institutional investors said they conduct an evaluation of their target companies’ non-financial disclosures, representing close to a 20 per cent increase since 2017, according to a global survey by EY. “Investors have a more sophisticated understanding of the positive link between a business’ environmental, social and governance impact and […]
No risk, no reward. Like many things in life, investing inertia and fear are common, but they come with a cost. In the investment world, risk has a specific meaning: the probability of losses relative to the expected return on an investment. The key in this definition are the words ‘expected return.’ When it comes […]
There are major differences between what defined contribution plan sponsors are trying to communicate to members and what members hear, according to a new study by Invesco. “We believe a disconnect remains between what plan sponsors say and what participants hear,” said John Galateria, managing director and head of North America institutionals at Invesco, in a press […]
On Dec. 10 in Toronto, the Defined Benefit Investment Forum looked at the top challenges plan sponsors face in managing DB plans, and the investment tools and solutions that can help. Here are some of the highlights of the sessions: Economist doesn’t think recession is looming In a world of volatility, with markets driven by […]
While active managers outperform in some situations and not in others, when using active management, what characteristics can pension plans look for to stay on the outperforming side of the equation? Using an “active investing triad” — be patient, be different and be aligned — can help find managers that outperform, said Douglas Schein, managing […]
Just six per cent of Canadians cited saving for retirement as a financial priority in 2019, according to a new survey by CIBC. Paying down debt was the top financial priority for survey respondents, followed by keeping up with bills and getting by (14 per cent), growing wealth (12 per cent) and saving for a […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is adopting a new global policy to improve gender equality and increase the representation of women on corporate boards. Under the policy, the CPPIB will vote against committee chairs responsible for director nominations at investee public companies if the boards don’t have women directors. Read: CPPIB highlights efforts to encourage women on […]