ESG

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Endowments fall
from grace

US college and university endowments have gone from pioneers in the adoption of socially responsible investing (SRI) to markedly trailing the rest of the investment industry in integrating environmental social and corporate governance (ESG), new research reveals. The Boston-based Tellus Institute, an independent not-for-profit think-tank, looked at 464 endowments and was damning in its findings,

A catalyst for change: PGGM owns ESG

Not content to sit back and wait for the market to move, PGGM decided to learn by doing and launched its own responsible-equity portfolio three years ago. In line with its belief that sustainability pays, PGGM’s portfolio has a long-term investment horizon that integrates financial and environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors with active ownership.

Exchanges support
better disclosure

A line in the sand has been drawn on the short-term behaviour of all participants in capital markets – including companies, brokers, funds managers and investors – with the formal commitment of five stock exchanges to promote long-term, sustainable investment and improved environmental, social, and governance disclosure and performance among listed companies. With a combined

ESG and alpha

Academics collide on the relationship between environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), and alpha. One view is there is a clear link that can be uncovered by a deep dive into the underlying factors using a sophisticated operating engine. The other perspective is that the market will price in environmental and social factors, the way

Behind CalPERS’
sustainability report

In its most simple form, CalPERS defines sustainability as the “ability to continue”. This year CalPERS turns 80 and clearly “continuing” is something it wants to do. The strategy paper, presented to and endorsed by the board, explains the fiduciary framework the fund has adopted to integrate sustainability across the entire fund and sets out

ESG alpha solution
in a labyrinth

More than 1000 asset owners and service providers have signed up to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment, and yet the question on everyone’s lips remains how to actually integrate sustainability into the investment process and ultimately add alpha. Bill Mills, managing partner of Highland Good Steward Management, has an idea and a platform