The majority (86 per cent) of Imperial Oil Ltd. investors voted to defeat a shareholder resolution that the organization adopt a target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. However, the vote held during the Calgary-based company’s virtual annual meeting exposes a rift between its parent U.S. giant Exxon Mobil Corp. — which owns 69.6 […]
Quebec-based pension fund Bâtirente is applauding CIBC for joining the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials. Through the industry initiative, the bank will publish the greenhouse-gas emissions associated with its loans and investments and consider the adoption of reduction targets aligned with the Paris Agreement, according to a press release. A shareholder proposal submitted by the […]
Pension plans in Canada now factor environmental, social and governance monitoring in their investment process, and in the absence of national guidance, plan managers are using various tools and methods to analyze ESG risk, noted panelists of a roundtable recently hosted by The Association of Canadian Pension Management. “Considering ESG requires a balance of the investment […]
TC Energy Corp. is suspending work on the Keystone XL pipeline as a growing movement to divest from fossil fuels gains momentum. Just hours after his inauguration, U.S. President Joe Biden revoked the pipeline’s presidential permit, issued by his predecessor former President Donald Trump. The energy company had recently announced plans to decarbonize the pipeline and achieve net […]
Defined benefit plan sponsors are undoubtedly familiar with scenario risk analysis, but applying that concept to their portfolio’s climate risk is a whole new ballgame. Plan sponsors will need to use these risk analyses to get a handle on how exposed they are to climate change risks and opportunities decades into the future, said Alyson […]
Quebec-based pension fund Bâtirente has reduced the carbon footprint of its equities by more than 22 per cent of its benchmark portfolios, according to the fund’s latest analysis. It also found that as of Dec. 31, 2019, the fund’s carbon footprint was down 12 per cent from the previous year, due to improved equity selections […]
Investments that incorporate environmental, social and governance factors are growing rapidly in Canada, according to a new survey by the Responsible Investment Association. It found these investments grew from $2.1 trillion at the end of 2017 to $3.2 trillion as of Dec. 31, 2019, a 48 per cent increase in responsible investment assets under management. In […]
A group of Canadian pension plan investment managers is calling on companies to standardize their environmental, social and governance disclosure to help them in their investment decision-making and better assess and manage their risks. Together, the eight fund managers oversee a total of about $1.6 trillion in assets and are committing to strengthening ESG disclosure within […]
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 an overall […]
The coronavirus pandemic is highlighting many trends in group retirement and investment programs, pushing the industry to be flexible and quick with some of the newer offerings. As plan sponsors review their group retirement plans in the coming months, they may want to consider some, or all, of these four trends. 1. Financial wellness becoming a must. […]