The CFA Institute is calling out the lack of clarity and standardization around environmental, social and governance investment products. In a consultation paper, the organization proposed its own set of standards, welcoming industry stakeholders to weigh in. As interest in ESG products continues to grow from both retail and institutional investors, confusion remains about the […]
Long-term engagement with companies on environmental, social and governance issues has been touted as a route to impact positive change, but a new paper from the Alternative Investment Management Association is arguing that short selling has a role to play in the realm of ESG. “Short selling can be an excellent tool for achieving two common […]
Canada’s green bond market has been growing, but investors would benefit from digging a little deeper to ensure what they’re buying is in fact green and not merely clever greenwashing. Green bonds are still in their infancy. The world’s first green bond was introduced in 2007 and the first Canadian one was issued in 2012. […]
During the coronavirus market crash, U.S. stocks with higher institutional ownership experienced worse performance, especially those held by active, short-term and domestic institutions, according to a recent paper. Institutional ownership of U.S. stocks has risen to massive levels, comprising 75 per cent of stock ownership overall, noted the paper by researchers at the University of […]
Over the last several years, a small group of faculty members at the University of British Columbia has been calling on its pension plan’s board of trustees to consider divesting from fossil fuels. As support for divestment grew, the board of the UBC faculty pension plan, which is defined contribution, agreed to assess whether there […]
Institutional investors looking to score potential investments on environmental, social and governance factors now have a new option. Bloomberg is launching its own set of ESG scores, available to its terminal users. Initially, 252 companies in the oil and gas sector will receive environmental and social scores and more than 4,300 companies across several industries will be scored on […]
The University of Toronto Asset Management Corp. has received its highest scores in the United Nations’ principles for responsible investing’s annual assessment of its approach to responsible investing. It received A+ marks in all six categories evaluated by the PRI, scoring above the median in each. The UTAM became a signatory to the PRI in […]
Cognitive bias exists in the very fabric of the business world and is a key element holding back its progress, according to Sudhir Roc-Sennett, head of thought leadership and environmental, social and governance for Vontobel Asset Management’s quality growth boutique. He says companies and the institutional investors analyzing their potential should be concerned with the myriad ways […]
North American institutional investors are catching up to other global regions in their interest in sustainable investing, according to a new survey by FTSE Russell. Nearly half (42 per cent) of North American asset owners surveyed before the coronavirus pandemic said they’re interested in sustainable investing, up from just 17 per cent in 2019. This remains a […]
The current market environment has the potential for long-term effects on the defined benefit pension investment industry, according to a new report by Cerulli Associates. Broadly, investment consultants said they’ve been preparing their DB pension plan sponsor clients for a potential downturn for up to two years, noted the report. And, as plans have begun […]