In the fall issue of the Rotman International Journal of Pension Management, Ed Waitzer, the Jarislowsky Dimma Mooney Chair in Corporate Governance at York University, Canada, argues the time has come for pension fund trustees and managers to lead rather than be dragged along. This article proposes a number of steps that can be taken to better align incentives and frame decision-making for longer-term perspectives.
Divesting from the oil sector has been a boon for La Caisse’s performance, as the Canadian pension giant says its energy investments have earned billions in value-add compared to the benchmark since the inception of its climate strategy. Head of sustainability Bertrand Millot unpacks the fund’s approach in an interview with Top1000funds.com.
Despite uncertainties, Fiona Reynolds argues that COP28 outcomes represent an opportunity for investors, including positioning investment beliefs and portfolio construction for the likely outcomes post 2025, 2028 and 2030.
COP28 in Dubai had all the ingredients for both decisive action and controversy, given the UAE's status as a significant fossil fuel producer. But importantly for this sector there was also financial innovation on display. FCLTGlobal’s Olivier Lebleu highlights some of the fund managers showing ingenuity at COP28.
With the right governance models pension funds can play a role in broader societal issues, such as mental health in the workplace, while still delivering financial security for members. A unique “democratic governance structure” at the Danish Velliv Association allows it to manage multiple objectives, chief executive Lars Wallberg said.
Private equity has the potential to play a strong role in decarbonising portfolios, but many funds are lagging both in transparency and in action towards net zero, investors from Harvard and Oxford endowments and the French fund Caisse de Depots said.
Global asset management firm Robeco has differentiated its ESG assessment methodology to give a more accurate picture of the impact investors have on sustainable development goals (SDGs), according to Rachel Whittaker, the firm’s head of sustainable investment research.
Investors can de-risk and increase the long-term returns of unlisted infrastructure assets by enacting forward-looking ESG transitions, investors say, but they need to ensure sufficient control at the board level.
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