Since publicly listed equities usually make up the largest portion of institutional investor portfolios, it’s critical they aren’t left out of impact investing, said Deirdre Cooper, portfolio manager for global environment at Investec Asset Management Ltd. With the energy transition away from carbon-intensive sources already underway, a massive amount of capital still needs to be deployed to fully address […]
While Canada’s public and private pension plans are a vital player in the transition to a lower carbon economy, they’re only one component, with other financial market participants, such as banks, insurers and asset managers, must also play a role, according to the Pension Investment Association of Canada. In a letter commenting on a report by an […]
“Climate change is a weapon of mass destruction,” said Sandra Carlisle, head of responsible investment at HSBC Global Asset Management, at a panel hosted by the Responsible Investment Association on Thursday. It’s critical that investors, who are thinking about how the impacts of climate change present a genuine risk, broaden their perspective to include the multifaceted […]
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and the government of Quebec are adding to their previous investment in electric vehicle charging company AddEnergie Technologies Inc. The Quebec-based company manufactures charging stations and develops network management software for other organizations. The Caisse and the provincial government initially invested in the business in 2016 to help it expand across Canada. […]
While there aren’t consistent definitions around the inclusion of environmental, social and governance issues in investing, factoring them into the investment process is now mainstream, which is increasing the demand for ESG data, according to a report by capital markets consultancy firm Opimas. Institutional investors, such as pension funds, insurers and asset managers, have been at the forefront of that […]
The vast majority (91 per cent) of Canadian institutional investors have adjusted their voting and engagement policies to focus more on environmental, social and governance risks, according to a report by marketing agency Edelman. The report, which surveyed 500 Canadian institutional investors, found 65 per cent have made policy adjustments within the past year. As well, […]
While many companies are aware of the United Nation’s sustainable development goals, with some mentioning them directly in their disclosure reporting, only 12 per cent of those referencing the goals actually set quantitative targets for meeting them, according to new research by PIMCO. The research, which analyzed how 246 companies interact with the framework of the sustainable development goals, […]
In advance of the climate change conference in Katowice, Poland this month, 415 global institutional investors signed a statement reiterating their support for the Paris climate agreement, noting the actions that various global governments must urgently take. Among the investors, which represent US$32 trillion in assets under management, the Canadian signatories include the Caisse de dépôt et […]
A coalition of investors is asking North American fossil fuel producers to up their disclosure on water risks. The Shareholder Association for Research and Education is teaming up with the U.S.-based Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility to send a letter to 30 companies requesting they participate in a water questionnaire from the Carbon Disclosure Project, a […]
Capital allocated to sustainable, responsible and impact investing now accounts for around a quarter of total assets under professional management in the U.S., according to a new survey by the US SIF Foundation. In 2018, that represented US$12 trillion, a 38 per cent increase on US$8.7 trillion in 2016, which has been largely driven by asset managers. […]