ESG Special Reports – Page 24
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Special ReportFiduciary management
In the Netherlands, fiduciary management for pension funds has become common. According to a recent survey by the advisory firm KPMG, of the 80% of schemes with fully contracted out asset management, one third has a fiduciary manager. But funds that have already appointed a fiduciary manager may also appoint ...
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Special ReportOff the record: Bean counters called to account
Few issues have generated so much controversy among Europe’s corporate pension schemes as the application of international accounting standards (IAS). In Switzerland, the introduction of IAS19 has led pension lawyers to re-define Pensionskassen as defined contribution (DC) rather than defined benefit (DB) schemes in an effort to escape its provisions. In the Netherlands, industry-wide schemes have argued that the involvement of a large number of corporate sponsors has made the implementation of IAS19 impossible.
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Special ReportExtra-financial coverage broadens
Extra-financial issues (EFIs), especially environmental issues, are receiving broader and more sophisticated research coverage, according to the seventh semi-annual Enhanced Analytics Initiative (EAI) evaluation. EAI chairman Peter Scales (pictured above) puts this down to increasing external pressure and the recognition by a growing number of financial institutions of a link ...
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Special ReportInvestment consultants forum
Liam Kennedy spoke to senior figures from Hewitt, Mercer and Watson Wyatt about the new partnership-based relationships that they are forging with their clients
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Special Report
UniSuper develops new risk budgeting
Richard Newell talks to David St John, chief investment officer of UniSuper, about hedge fund transparency and the fund's plan for a new SRI option
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Special Report
Here comes the sun
Over the past couple of years, an increasing amount of attention has been paid to sustainability and alternative energy funds by media and investors alike. And typically, one of the components of alternative energy funds is solar power technology, also known as photovoltaics (PV). Many in the investment industry hold ...
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Special Report
Healthy investment
Michael Pederson, CIO of PKA, the Danish health and social services workers’ fund, tells Brendan Maton about the positive side to principled investment
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Special Report
Attention to detail needed in SE Asia
Mukul Asher recommends some specific changes to social policy and the level of governance within pension structures of the South East Asian nations
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Special Report
SRI mutual funds growth
SRI mutual funds across Europe continue to grow, both in terms of numbers and assets under management, according to corporate social responsibility ratings agency Vigeo Italia.
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Special Report
For better or for worse
One of the deterrents of environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies is the perception of missing out on returns when investing in them.
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Special Report
Enigmatic as ever
Japanese companies are rightly praised for their stance on many responsible investment issues. But there remain some deep-seated structural problems. Richard Newell reports
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Special Report
Advancing the cause of shareholders' rights
Abe De Ramos documents the rise of shareholder activism in Asia and the incremental progress being made
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Special Report
Consequences of a Dutch affair
Leading Dutch pension funds have found it hard to brush off televised allegations about some of their investments. Fair or not, the Zembla programme has certainly stimulated some re-examination of ESG policies, as Nina Röhrbein reports
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Special Report
ESG and sub-prime: any lessons to be learned?
Nina Röhrbein asks whether a wider application of ESG-type analysis would have helped mainstream investors in the sub-prime debacle
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Special Report
ESG soundbites
IPE put these questions to a selection of pension funds, asset managers and other groups: Q1. What does environment, social and governance investing (ESG)/socially responsible investment (SRI) mean to you? Q2. Do ESG/SRI strategies add value to portfolios? Q3. Is SRI/ESG part of a pension fund’s fiduciary duty?
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Special Report
Demand drives thematic indices
Indices that reflect investors’ ESG concerns are proliferating and becoming more specialised, reports Nina Röhrbein
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Special Report
Changing with the climate
As awareness of the reality of climate change grows among governments, businesses and consumers, asset managers too are warming to the subject. Christine Senior reports
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Special Report
On the sustainable growth path
A tried and tested path for asset managers on the expansion warpath is to buy up competitors or boutiques. But many over eager acquisitions have failed on the tricky side of the equation – the integration of people and processes into a larger unit.
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Special Report
Growing interest for active ownership
With environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment themes springing up around the world, the pressure is growing on institutional investors to become active and responsible owners.
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Special ReportShowing the way on governance
Roger Urwin advocates a greater focus on governance and internal investment resources for pension funds
