A group of more than 80 global investment managers with a combined $10 trillion in assets under management is calling on Alphabet Inc. to implement board-level oversight for human rights risks. The Investor Alliance for Human Rights, which includes co-filers Hermes Investment Management, Loring, Wolcott and Coolidge, Robeco and Canadian responsible investing firm NEI Investments, […]
With environmental, social and governance issues becoming more prominent among investors, it’s important to consider what sustainability means for DC plans. Plan sponsors are facing somewhat conflicting objectives, said Christine Girvan, senior managing director and head of Canadian distribution at MFS Investment Management, during a session at Benefits Canada‘s 2020 DC Plan Summit in Montreal […]
Corporate governance, climate change and human rights in the digital economy are primary focuses for Northwest & Ethical Investments in 2020. The Canadian firm’s annual corporate engagement focus list highlights five key themes and 26 investee companies it intends to engage with throughout the year. It’s planning to engage companies on governance issues including board diversity and board and […]
The debate surrounding how institutional investors use proxy voting is heating up. The contention hinges on guidance the Securities and Exchange Commission released earlier this year on the activities of proxy-advisory firms. It says that when proxy-advisory firms provide proxy-voting advice to their investor clients, it counts as proxy solicitations. That, in turn, means those […]
Proxy voting played a major role in the Alberta Investment Management Corp.’s responsible investment strategy during the past year, according to its newly released annual responsible investment report for 2018-19. During the 2018/19 proxy voting season the AIMCo reviewed and approved more than 30,000 ballot items and voted on 99 per cent of 3,324 meetings […]
As the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission moves to increase its oversight over proxy voting advisory firms, Horizons ETFs is evolving its proxy voting policies to take on a more socially responsible investing position. “We do have an obligation to our unit-holders to act in their best fiduciary interest, but we also have a socially responsible requirement as […]
The Coast Conservation Endowment Fund Foundation is implementing new shareholder proxy voting guidelines to advocate for the rights of Indigenous peoples, making it the first to its knowledge to do so in Canada. The new guidelines by Indigenous-led Coast Funds, which has $118 million assets under management, will apply the new guidelines to its Canadian […]
Institutional investors are focusing on board diversity and an increased clarity of communication with their portfolio companies, according to a new report by EY. The report, which examined investor activities during the 2019 proxy-voting season, found institutional investor pressure on companies to increase the gender diversity of their boards is beginning to take effect. As well, […]
The Pension Investment Association of Canada has written the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, noting there shouldn’t be increased regulations on proxy advisory firms as this could cost pension plans without having clear benefits. This comes in response to a roundtable the SEC held on the topic in November 2018. Topics on the agenda […]
As pension plans are engaging more often as active shareholders, some companies are beginning to chafe. One instance of pushback came after the the New York State Common Retirement Fund co-sponsored a proposal with the Church of England’s endowment fund requesting that Exxon Mobil Corp. include short-, medium- and long-term greenhouse gas reduction targets aligned with […]