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 […]
Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives aren’t a new concept for employers — just ask any human resources professional. However, in a changing world marked by growing calls for social justice, many plan sponsors are extending these initiatives beyond workplace conduct and employee benefits into retirement planning, merging diversity with their pension plans’ designs and communications […]
Enhancements to the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce’s gender affirmation coverage is the latest way the bank is supporting LGBTQ2S+ employees during Pride Month and beyond. The expanded coverage was added to the organization’s benefits program last month and includes reimbursement for specific gender transition surgeries and procedures up to $10,000 per year, up to a […]
While official diversity, equity and inclusion policies have been widely adopted by U.S. institutional asset management organizations, these policies have made little difference to the makeup of executive ranks, according to a survey by Meketa Investment Group. The survey, which was based on responses provided by 420 U.S. institutional asset managers, found by the end of […]
The University Pension Plan is integrating diversity, equity and inclusion measures into its investment strategy. The pension plan sponsor’s responsible investing policy considers environmental, social and governance factors — including DEI — as essential to sound long-term investing, said Aaron Bennett, chief investment officer at the UPP, in an emailed statement to Benefits Canada. The approach […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusion issues is an increasingly key part of its long-term strategic vision. The pension fund is embedding DEI initiatives into its latest enterprise strategy and is guiding the plan’s global growth and expansion, says Beth Tyndall, its chief people officer. “For the first time ever in [our] […]
The Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan is increasing its focus on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in areas ranging from organizational culture to recruiting. The organization launched a five-year strategy last year, focusing on embedding DEI into its culture, work environment and business processes, while addressing systemic barriers faced by equity-seeking groups. Michael Regis, the […]
While 68 per cent of Black Canadians said their employers have made progress on promises to be more equitable and inclusive for Black employees, only 35 per cent believe their prospects for advancement have improved, according to a new survey by KPMG in Canada. The survey, which polled about 1,000 Black Canadians, found just 19 per cent were offered […]
While 72 per cent of institutional investors are currently integrating environmental, social and governance factors into their investment strategies, 29 per cent are placing greater emphasis on ESG considerations as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey by RBC Global Asset Management. The survey, which polled 800 global institutional investors, found […]
A third of investment organizations participating in the CFA Institute’s recent diversity, equity and inclusion program said they’ve trained between 81 and 99 per cent of their employees in detecting unconscious bias or practicing inclusive leadership, according to a new survey. The survey — conducted across 41 investment organizations that participated in the 2020 program […]