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Institutional investors emphasizing ESG factors amid pandemic, finds survey

bwolfe — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 13:00:42 +0000

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 […]

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ESG investing and human rights: “Ignorance is no longer an excuse”

Gideon Scanlon — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 13:00:36 +0000

It’s a welcome development that so many pension fund managers are increasingly preoccupied with the ethical implications of their investments and incorporating data to ensure that funds adhere to the environmental, social and governance criteria. Described by Mirza Baig, global head of ESG research and stewardship at Aviva Investors, as the “year ESG came of age,” 2020 saw record sustainable […]

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RESTing the case on climate change

mschmit — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 04:24:39 +0000

A lawsuit settlement on the other side of the world is reverberating around the globe as it increases the environmental, social and governance standards for a US$41 billion pension fund and potentially encourages similar legal action elsewhere. The lawsuit, filed against the Australian Retail Employees Superannuation Trust, known as REST, by one of its members, […]

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How institutional investors can determine material ESG factors

mschmit — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 08:48:28 +0000

Environmental, social and governance factors are an important dimension of fundamental analysis, said Jenn-Hui Tan, global head of stewardship and sustainable investing at Fidelity International, when speaking at the Canadian Investment Review’s Investment Innovation Conference in November. Traditional fundamental analysis captures topics including financial performance, the pricing power of a company, its competitive advantages, the […]

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Sustainability in a post-coronavirus world

mschmit — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 08:43:59 +0000

People are increasingly viewing the world with a lens that incorporates environmental, social and governance factors, said Andrew Parry, head of sustainable investment at Newton Investment Management, when speaking at the Canadian Investment Review’s Investment Innovation Conference in November. Climate change is a prominent issue with extreme weather events becoming the normal, he said, noting […]

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Learn more about the Sustainable Investing Award finalists

mschmit — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 09:23:19 +0000

The Canadian Investment Review’s Sustainable Investing Award will be presented to a pension plan that has shown leadership and/or significant progress when it comes to incorporating sustainability into the investment process. This will consider sound practices related to environmental, social and governance matters across asset classes and can include considerations related to people management within […]

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Institutional investors share experiences with ESG investing

mschmit — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 04:42:35 +0000

Demand for defined benefit pension plan sponsors to focus on environmental, social and governance factors through their investments is growing. Both plan sponsors and members have been increasingly vocal about keeping ESG issues top of mind. For example, the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan has worked on balancing this increased appetite for ethical investing with […]

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Operationalizing the “S” in ESG

mschmit — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 04:57:29 +0000

In the world of investing that incorporates environmental, social and governance factors, environment and governance have been very prominent parts of the conversation to date. And now, the pandemic is shining a new light on the importance of considering social factors in investment decision-making. At the Canadian Investment Review’s 2020 Global Investment Conference, Catherine Jackson, […]

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What does coronavirus mean for the future of sustainable investing?

mschmit — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 04:24:05 +0000

Before the pandemic hit, momentum was building to fight climate change, said Eli Angen, a principal in responsible investing, strategy and risk at the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. At the Canadian Investment Review’s 2020 Global Investment Conference in September, Angen pointed to the decreasing cost of the energy transition and greater societal and business awareness […]

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OPTrust’s sustainable investing evolution

mschmit — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 04:19:53 +0000

The interest in environmental, social and governance investing has risen exponentially over the past 20 years, but ESG investing is still in its early stages, said Peter Lindley, president and chief executive officer of the OPSEU Pension Trust, when speaking at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2020 Global Investment Conference in September. “As a long-term investor, […]

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