The Public Sector Pension Investment Board is committing to using its capital and influence to support a transition to net-zero emissions by 2050, according to its inaugural climate strategy report. The strategy also includes commitments to curbing the intensity of its portfolio’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 per cent, increase its investments in green assets […]
The focus on environmental, social and governance factors is a train that’s leaving the station, but some pension plan sponsors and institutional investors remain hesitant to hop aboard. Over the past decade, interest in incorporating ESG factors into investment decisions has increased. Indeed, a 2020 survey by investment consulting firm Callan found 42 per cent […]
Jesus had a fractious relationship with the financial sector of his day. For those who work at the intersection of religion and finance, the reverberations of his courtyard scuffle with a group of moneylenders remain the source of controversy. Fortunately for Derek Hurst, manager of the Pension Plan of the United Church of Canada, he […]
Idaho lawmakers are calling for a ban on investments in environmental, social and governance compliant companies by its state pension funds. Proposed by Republican State Senator Steve Vick, the bill would bar the state’s public sector pension plans from investing in companies that have made any ESG commitments. In its second reading, the bill received […]
Zillennial employees’ needs are going beyond traditional benefits to include a greater interest in an employer’s stance on environmental and ethical issues (45 per cent), as well as diversity, equity and inclusion (40 per cent), according to a new survey by MetLife Inc. The survey, which defined zillennials as a micro-generation born between 1993 and […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is expanding the number of countries in which it will apply its most stringent board gender diversity proxy voting rules. “We have enhanced our gender diversity voting practice by expanding the countries where our 30 per threshold for female representation applies to include South Africa and New Zealand,” said […]
Canada’s pension plans are weathering the coronavirus pandemic, with many plans currently in their best financial shape in several years. The early days of the pandemic painted a bleak picture for institutional investors. Between Feb. 19 and March 23, 2020, the S&P/TSX composite index dropped by 37 per cent — the latter date marking the index’s lowest point […]
Almost half (46 per cent) of employers say their organizations currently lack clear benefits, recognition and rewards strategies, according to a new survey by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. The survey — which polled more than 1,300 employers globally, including almost 600 in North America and around 100 in Canada — found, while 54 per cent said they […]
The University Pension Plan is integrating diversity, equity and inclusion measures into its investment strategy. The pension plan sponsor’s responsible investing policy considers environmental, social and governance factors — including DEI — as essential to sound long-term investing, said Aaron Bennett, chief investment officer at the UPP, in an emailed statement to Benefits Canada. The approach […]
Nearly two years after the declaration of the global coronavirus pandemic and its subsequent impact on the worldwide economy, institutional investors are looking to the future with cautious optimism. Amid a recovering economy and rising inflation, pension plan sponsors are taking a long-term investment view and staying the course in the year ahead, while incorporating […]