The vast majority (81 per cent) of global pension plan sponsors said they have allocations to some kind of climate change-related funds, according to a new survey from CREATE-Research. Specifically, when it comes to passive funds, 44 per cent of respondents said they allocated at least some of the passive segment of their portfolio to a climate change-related […]
The Principles for Responsible Investment has released a framework for investors to help focus on aligning their activities with the UN’s sustainable development goals. “Issues such as human rights abuses, climate change and inequitable social structures seriously threaten the longterm performance of economies, investors’ portfolios and the world in which beneficiaries live,” the report said. […]
Meeting a deadline in the midst of a pandemic seems like a good test of corporate resiliency and, according to a recent survey of Canadian Principles for Responsible Investment signatories that I conducted on behalf of my consulting firm Real Alts, the majority of respondents likely passed. The survey found that almost 80 per cent […]
The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan is joining a consortium of other institutional investors to invest in certain gas pipeline assets of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. The assets are valued at $20.7 billion and the other investors include Global Infrastructure Partners, Brookfield Asset Management Inc., Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, NH Investment & Securities Co Ltd. and Snam, an […]
Quebec-based pension fund Bâtirente reached $764.3 million in assets under management as of Dec. 31, 2019, an increase of 15.6 per cent on the previous year, according to its latest annual report. The fund also boasted 22,861 plan members in 2019 — a growth of 4.9 per cent over 2018 — from 318 organizations across […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has released its annual report, highlighting the results previously announced on Feb. 20, including a return of 10.4 per cent for 2019 and a growth in net assets of $30.6 billion for the year. “2019 was a good year for investors – markets experienced one of their […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board are investing in WSP Global Inc., an engineering and design services firm, through a private placement of common shares. The Caisse is set to buy about $44 million of common shares in aggregate, while a subsidiary of the CPPIB is purchasing about […]
The vast majority (96 per cent) of institutional investors feel they have an important role to play in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, social and economic inequality and the need for infrastructure development, according to a new survey by Natixis Investment Managers. About half (48 per cent) of survey respondents said institutional […]
With environmental, social and governance considerations hovering on the agendas of legislators, shareholders and consumers, it’s easy to overlook the fact that responsible investment can be fraught with legal risks for pension plan sponsors. However, plan sponsors can mitigate much of that risk with a proper understanding of the distinction between ESG factor integration and […]
At a time of uncertainty caused by the coronavirus crisis, active ownership is more important than ever, says Kevin Thomas, chief executive officer of the Shareholder Association for Research and Education. Many organizations are trying to influence companies and policy-makers, and those voices matter, he notes. “You don’t want to be sitting on the sidelines.” […]