A huge survey by the CFA Institute of more than 7,000 industry participants has found 85 per cent of CFA Institute members now consider ESG factors in their investing, but it also reveals a big gap in the required skills, data and culture around ESG. Rebecca Fender explains.
Academic research has underlined that ESG scores are not able to guide issuers or investors concerned with social welfare and environmental sustainability. Erik Christiansen discusses why ESG screening is a better alternative to ESG scores.
Brazil’s largest pension fund has been planning to invest more overseas for a while. Now economic travails in its home market due to the pandemic have stepped up the pressure to diversify.
Alecta’s head of real assets Axel Brändström took the helm a year ago. Charged with building out the real estate allocation in one of the most tumultuous years for the asset class on record, his eye is on e-commerce opportunities and allocations to assets not linked to GDP.
The siege on the US Capitol has revealed asset owners may be investing in companies that work with or fund extremist groups. To protect their organisations, their stakeholders, and their savers from such risks, asset owners should consider revising their ESG frameworks to include disclosure and accountability policies on corporate political spending.
Two of the world’s largest asset owners are putting pressure on Amazon to reveal exactly how it is protecting its workers from COVID-19. It’s a move indicative of the investor mood to focus attention on human and labour rights among investee companies, with a particular spotlight on the tech sector.
Top1000funds.com is the market leading news and analysis site for the world’s largest institutional investors. It focuses on leading the global investment industry to continuous improvement through case studies of best practice in governance and decision making, portfolio construction and efficient portfolio management, fees and costs, and sustainable investing.
The publication pushes the industry to question whether status quo processes and behaviours to tackle risks and opportunities will be sufficient in the future, and actively campaigns for diversity, sustainability, transparency, innovation and better alignment of fees in the investment industry.
Top1000funds.com is read by investment professionals in more than 40 countries.
