The OPSEU Pension Trust is making an additional purchase of $100 million in Ontario government green bonds, bringing its allocation in the asset to about one per cent of its total holdings. The bonds are a tool the provincial government uses to finance transit and energy efficiency projects, according to the press release. “As a […]
Investment management firm Circulate Capital is adding to the diverse sets of guidelines emerging in recent years for institutional investors looking to deepen their considerations on impact investing. As an impact-focused firm specializing in infrastructure, Circulate Capital has taken on the mission of leveraging capital to stem the flow of plastic into the oceans. “We’ve […]
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 […]
From the end of 2015 to the end of 2017, impact investing in Canada has grown by 81 per cent, representing $14.75 billion, according to a new report by the Responsible Investment Association. “Like any pre-teen, impact investing currently sits on the edge of youthful maturity,” said Kelly Gauthier, RIA board member and managing director of impact advisory at […]
Though the term ‘corporate social responsibility’ varies across companies and countries, it’s generally considered to be a form of organizational self-regulation focusing on an employer’s approach to sustainability across a variety of topics, such as environmental efforts, human rights, corporate governance, health and safety and economic development. Unilever’s sustainable living plan sets out ambitious targets […]
The vast majority (97 per cent) of institutional investors said they conduct an evaluation of their target companies’ non-financial disclosures, representing close to a 20 per cent increase since 2017, according to a global survey by EY. “Investors have a more sophisticated understanding of the positive link between a business’ environmental, social and governance impact and […]
Institutional investors are driving efforts to improve gender diversity within the alternative investments space, but there are still major challenges in recruiting, retaining and advancing women within such organizations, according to a report by KPMG. From a pool of nearly 900 participants in the alternative investments sector, most men (76 per cent) and women (84 per […]
If institutional investors are looking to divest completely from an industry, tobacco would be ripe to pluck out of their portfolio, according to a new report by Genus Capital Management Inc. The report found that divesting entirely from tobacco wouldn’t have had a significant negative impact on returns over the past 20 years. “Though individual investors may […]
The name of the game is engagement, according to a new report by NEI Investments. In 2018, engagement with investee companies on environmental, social and governance factors was a major undertaking for the firm. It actively engaged with 118 companies on these topics, comprising 40 per cent of its overall equity holdings. “We are committed to helping […]
As 2019 kicks off, what themes around environment, social and governance factors should investors be watching? According to a new MSCI Inc. report, plastic waste is one issue to keep an eye on. Plastic, one of the most produced manmade products in the world, is accumulating in landfills or other natural environments, the report noted, […]