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 […]
Globally, 10 per cent of mining companies’ tailings dams have experienced stability issues, according to an analysis by a group of global institutional investors representing US$13.5 trillion in assets. The investor group, which includes pension funds and other institutional investors led by the Church of England Pensions Board and the Council of Ethics of the […]
Canadian institutional investors want their portfolio companies to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics, according to a new opinion survey by the Responsible Investment Association. The majority (81 per cent) of respondents said they believe it’s important for their portfolio companies to reduce plastic waste, while 75 per cent said they’d like to invest in […]