June 2024
05Jun

Expert panel: How transition investments can help institutional investors reach net zero

Driven by the net-zero pledge towards green investments, institutional investors are finding themselves uncomfortably wedged between a rock and a hard place. If they invest exclusively in green assets and earn lower returns than the broader stock market benchmark, as was the case in 2023 for environmental, social and governance funds, they’re criticized for underperforming. But if they invest a small portion of the portfolio in brown firms, investors face recrimination for greenwashing. Also rubbing salt into the wound is the...

June 5, 2024
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05Jun

Australia’s Active Super found guilty of making misleading environmental claims

Australia's Federal Court has found superannuation fund Active Super guilty of making misleading claims concerning its environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials, the country's securities regulator said on Wednesday. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) had sued Active Super last year, disputing the fund's claims that it no longer held investments in gambling, coal mining and oil tar sands, and that it had exited Russian investments. The court found that between February 2021 and June 2023, Active Super invested in...

June 5, 2024
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05Jun

EU. ESAs publish final greenwashing report calling for critical scrutiny

The European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) – the European Banking Authority (EBA), European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) – have called on financial institutions to deepen their critical scrutiny of sustainability related claims and improve product disclosures to combat greenwashing. Following two years of research, the trio today published their key findings and recommendations in tackling greenwashing. Key recommendations include an increase of human resources and expertise, along with increased use of tools for greater...

June 5, 2024
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May 2024
31May

Global top 300 pension funds. A Thinking Ahead Institute and Pensions & Investments joint study

By The Thinking Ahead Institute and Pensions & Investments The global top 300 pension funds is an annual study conducted by the Thinking Ahead Institute, in conjunction with Pensions and Investments. The research highlights high-level trends in the pension fund industry and provides information on how the characteristics of these top funds have changed. Get the report here

May 31, 2024
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23May

Dutch fund PGB ups ESG ante for a livable world

PGB Pensioendiensten, pension provider for Pensioenfonds PGB (PGB), the Netherlands €32 billion industry-wide pension fund, has rewritten its sustainable investment strategy. Backstopped by a new purpose to invest in a “liveable world” it has positioned investing sustainably at the centre of its strategy rather than as an “afterthought.” “For us, sustainability is an inseparable part of all our investments. We make an integrated assessment between return, risk, costs, and sustainability with every investment,” states the pension fund. The recently published strategy is rooted...

May 23, 2024
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17May

ESG and sustainable finance – issues for pension schemes and their sponsors

By Travers Smith As understanding develops, pension schemes are being prompted to consider how ESG and wider sustainability factors may affect the financial performance of their investments, as well as their relationship with sponsoring employers.  In some cases, stakeholders are starting to enquire about levels of activism from their pension schemes in this area, often highlighting the wider economic and social role of pension funds as major asset owners.  Diversity and governance considerations are also attracting increasing focus. Get the report...

May 17, 2024
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17May

Green Pensions Guide. A short guide for organisations greening their money

By Make My Money Matter  All organisations from businesses to charities, from SMEs to global brands can play an important role in tackling the climate crisis. Sustainability policies have become an expected standard across all sectors and industries, yet one of the ways organisations can have the most impact is often missing from the picture. Their money. How our pensions are invested now will shape the future we’ll retire into. The companies causing irreversible climate damage like companies at the...

May 17, 2024
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17May

US. Calpers moots $25bn green private market investment

US public pension Calpers plans to invest more than $25bn (£19.8bn) into climate-related private market investments. Calpers is the biggest public pension in the US and the proposed investment would be one of the largest commitments by a major fund to unlisted climate assets. The pension fund is reported to be considering deploying capital in the private equity, real estate and infrastructure markets, with a particular interest in Asia and Europe. “Those are the ones [private market assets] that have very evident...

May 17, 2024
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16May

U.K. needs more favorable policies to retain leading status in sustainable finance — UKSIF report

After years of being a trailblazer in sustainable finance, the U.K.’s position is under threat amid stalled policy and a lack of certainty over regulation. Research by the U.K. Sustainable Investment and Finance Association, known as UKSIF, showed that more favorable policies could see up to £100 billion ($125.5 billion) in assets shifting into U.K. sustainable finance. The U.K. remains the top market for sustainable finance activity among 83% of those surveyed — but a clear direction of travel away...

May 16, 2024
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13May

APG’s Singapore CEO: Sustainable investing is taking centre stage

Sustainability considerations are being increasingly integrated into APG Asset Management's investment approach, according to Eric Van der Maarel, chief executive officer of APG Asset Management's Singapore branch. Amid evolving market conditions and a shifting economic cycle, such integration will foster resilience and diversification, Van der Maarel said at a panel discussion at AsianInvestor’s Investment Strategy Summit on May 7 in Singapore. "What you've seen over the past two years is that our priority in terms of maximising returns, and having a real sustainability footprint as...

May 13, 2024
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