The Hodgepodge of ESG Investment Standards Sparks Controversy
MIT study underscores the confusion of ratings, then DOL cites that in proposing curbing sustainability factors in retirement portfolios.
Tag: ESG
Asset Management Culture
Pandemic Creates Watershed Moment for Sustainable Investing
Sustainalytics Founder Michael Jantzi says COVID-19 has been a catalyst for ESG investing.
Asset Management Culture
Investor-Led Climate Action 100+ to Judge Companies on Sustainable Benchmark
The standard developed by the global alliance of allocators and EY Consulting will be released next year to assess which businesses are leading the transition to net-zero carbon.
News
Oregon Integrates ESG Formally into Investment Policy
But the amended guidance specified that sustainable investing should not interfere with the system’s fiduciary duty to its beneficiaries.
Asset Allocation
Sustainable Water Fund Attracts $100 Million from Temasek, Microsoft
Clean technology firm Emerald Technology Ventures will invest in early- to expansion-stage businesses that address global water challenges.
Regulation
Sustainability Leaders to Work on Common Corporate Reporting Standard
The group of five firms is responding to criticism that inconsistent disclosures make ESG reporting confusing.
Alternatives
Increasing Body of Evidence Bolsters Case for ESG Investing
Harvard professor finds they outperform over the long haul, as well as during a market downturn.
Asset Management Culture
ESG Becoming the New Normal for European Pensions
The vast majority of pensions now consider the environmental, social, and governance risks to their investments.
Research
ESG High-Yield Bonds Don’t Hurt Returns … But They Don’t Boost Them Either
Research from CIO Martin Fridson finds no statistically significant difference attributable to ESG factors.
The Tricky Challenge of Measuring Governance
The often-overlooked part of ESG, how companies are managed, demands diligence and good sense, not easy to bring off.
Alternatives
Majority of REITs Will Experience Water Scarcity by 2030, BlackRock Says
Properties built in the Southwest, as well as abroad in places such as Australia, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, will have to compete more for water resources in the next decade, report finds.
Why Natural Gas Is the Energy Investment of the Future
Renewable sources like wind and solar may not be enough. Pension plan investors weigh the odds.
Risk
Racial Injustice Will Have Greater Weight in ESG Scores, S&P Global Says
About 217 businesses in the S&P 500 have publicly supported the Black Lives Matter movement to show solidarity and protect their reputations. Question: How sincere are they?
Will Climate Change’s Rising Seas Drown Real Estate, Insurance?
Investments in them could end up in Davy Jones’ locker if the ocean swallows the coastlines.
Market Moves
ESG-Friendly Stocks Have Done Better in Virus Downturn, BofA Says
‘A bear market necessity’: Higher employee satisfaction is critical factor, the study concludes.