More ESG news – Page 39
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FeaturesTfL considers a closer look at carbon exposure
The Transport for London Pension Fund plans to look into ways of analysing its carbon exposure following a member request, as experts stress that schemes need to understand exactly what they are measuring and what further steps they can take.
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Features
What changes are needed in the smart beta sector?
What risks still exist in smart beta investing, and how can pension funds spot them? Does the industry need to change to attract greater scheme interest? AQR’s Scott Richardson, Capital Cranfield’s Jonathan Reynolds, RPMI Railpen’s Steve Artingstall, SpenceJohnson’s Robert Holford and Xerox HR Services’ Simon Hill discuss.
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Features
HSBC pioneers ESG in DC with £1.85bn multi-factor fund
The HSBC Bank UK Pension Scheme has selected a multi-factor fund with a tilt towards low-carbon businesses as the equity component of its default offering, a switch that will see £1.85bn of defined contribution savers' money invested in line with green principles.
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OpinionEmpower DC savers to shape a better future
Last weekend, I watched National Geographic’s new documentary ‘Before the Flood’, in which Leonardo Di Caprio explores the topic of climate change: what is causing it, its impact on the planet, and what must be done to prevent it.
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OpinionWhere to look for value in real assets
Investment in renewable energy assets can offer predictable, low-risk returns, sometimes with a degree of government guarantee or linkage to inflation.
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OpinionAre we engaged enough?
Active ownership; shareholder engagement; shareholder activism; stewardship – the language varies, depending on which market you are in, but the fundamental logic is the same.
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NewsHow can you see through 'greenwashing'?
Any other business: Socially responsible investment has grown in popularity in recent years, filling up column inches in the industry press and sections of annual reports, where schemes and asset managers outline their philosophies and approaches.
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NewsLGPS guidance opens doors for both investment and intervention
Local government pension schemes will enjoy greater flexibility with their investment arrangements, guidance on forthcoming regulation indicates, but concerns remain about the scope for government intervention.
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OpinionJust an aside
This week's article about the Northern Ireland Local Government Officers' Superannuation Committee focuses on lowering risk, but also delves into the environmental, social and governance factors that played a role in Nilgosc's decision-making.
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OpinionEffective, responsible investment flows from clear objectives
It is generally accepted that trustees have a clear duty to address all of the issues that could affect members’ pots, for better or worse, but in practice what does that include?
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OpinionHow is climate change affecting scheme investments now?
The Paris agreement to limit the global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius marked a turning point in global efforts to tackle climate change. And while it is easy to be sceptical about the political will for implementation, this is not just all talk.
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News
MPs press government to incentivise ESG investment
Pension funds should do more to incorporate environmental, social and governance considerations into their investment decisions, a report by the House of Commons’ International Development Committee last week suggested.
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Features
Environment Agency Pension Fund shakes up investment monitoring
The Environment Agency has released information about its investment process, emphasising a move away from more traditional benchmarking and quarterly reporting in favour of monitoring fundamentals and ad-hoc reporting.
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Features
Strathclyde joins antibiotics campaign as investors up engagement
The Strathclyde Pension Fund is one of 54 institutional investors that have launched an engagement campaign aimed at stopping overuse of antibiotics in the supply chains of corporations in the UK and US.
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Features
Hubbub probes ESG ahead of provider appointment
A small charity is prioritising environmental, social and governance factors in the selection of its workplace pension provider, making use of recent analysis which ranks the UK’s nine largest providers according to their responsible investment practices.
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NewsSchemes think long term to tackle future risk
PLSA Investment Conference 2016: Panellists from both public and private sector defined benefit arrangements and defined contribution mastertrust Nest assessed the complex matrix of risks facing schemes across the UK.
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OpinionFossil fuels: To divest or not to divest?
In October 2015, the Financial Times reported that “nearly a billion dollars has been wiped off the value of coal investments by UK public pension funds over the past 18 months”.
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NewsIndustry concern over government's 'dangerous' ESG proposals
A proposal that would empower the government to intervene in local government pension investment decisions where they contradict British foreign policy has raised concern in the pensions industry.
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OpinionCOP21: Three sectors pension funds should worry about after Paris
From the blog: With a binding climate agreement likely to be signed at the COP21 summit in Paris this month, UK pension funds need to be aware of which companies and sectors are managing their climate risks, and which are not.
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NewsEnvironment Agency reduces carbon footprint by 44%
The Environment Agency Pension Fund has reduced its carbon footprint by 44 per cent since 2008, as it looks to avoid the long-term financial risk of climate change.