With gas and oil prices reaching new heights last week, panicking both politicians and consumers, we must ask ourselves if this behaviour is typical of commodity prices in every business cycle or if we’re at the threshold of a major economic disaster? In the 1930s, Nicholas Kaldor analyzed commodity prices and their behaviour over the […]
The Council of Parties to the United Nations’ climate convention, known as COP26, which is currently underway in Glasgow has put climate change on the global stage and top of mind for many employers and employees. There are many elements an employer can take into consideration when crafting a benefits strategy — competitiveness in the […]
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is appointing Deborah Orida as its first chief sustainability officer. In the role, Orida will lead the CPPIB’s efforts to address climate change. She’s mandated to maintain a global, cross-enterprise approach to sustainability. In a press release announcing her appointment, John Graham, the CPPIB’s president and chief executive officer, […]
The University of Toronto is the latest institution committing to the divestment movement, saying Wednesday it will sell off all fossil fuel investments in its $4 billion endowment fund by the end of 2030 to help fight climate change. The commitment by its investment manager, the University of Toronto Asset Management Corp., includes divesting from all direct investments […]
Despite the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the U.S. not-for-profit sector in 2020, employees participated in 403(b) retirement plans at the highest level since tracking began in 2008, according to a new survey by the Plan Sponsor Council of America. The survey, which polled roughly 400 not-for-profit retirement plan sponsors, found overall retirement plan participation rose to […]
In his first public statement on Alberta Investment Management Corp.’s investment strategy, the organization’s new chief executive officer says the AIMCo won’t have a policy to divest from hydrocarbon producers. “I want to be clear in stating that we believe that divesting hydrocarbons would miss an urgent opportunity to work with the companies who’ve the […]
While renovation shows on television tend to take a sledgehammer to every surface in a house for dramatic effect, there’s another way. Defined contribution pension plans don’t need to be completely gutted to stay current. Something akin to painting an accent wall, like tweaking contribution rates, can be just as impactful and way more cost-effective. […]
Canadian pension funds are among the institutional investors participating in Climate Engagement Canada, a new initiative to promote a net-zero economy. The initiative, which is coordinated by several investor networks, is launching with 27 institutional investors that collectively manage more than $3 trillion in assets, according to a press release. The participating pension funds include […]
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 […]
The vast majority (84 per cent) of asset managers are either implementing or evaluating the sustainability of their portfolios, according to a survey by FTSE Russell. The results indicate a significant increase in the percentage of asset managers concerned about sustainability issues. In a similar survey from 2018, just 53 per cent of respondents had […]