All Opinion Pieces articles – Page 18
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: Long-term lenders ideally placed to drive ESG conversations
With the world facing considerable and pressing environmental and social problems, the investment world has a critical role to play in addressing issues such as climate change, inequality and discrimination
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: Blended finance and impact
Delivering the 2030 Agenda in the COVID-19 era and beyond
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Opinion PiecesGuest viewpoint: Jesper Kirstein
In recent months, the asset management industry has been dominated by adjustments inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article will try to look beyond this and address the question of where the asset management industry is moving in the medium to long term.
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Opinion PiecesThe real meaning of engagement
Empirical evidence suggests that individuals are unengaged with DC pensions. This is demonstrated by the vast majority of DC members remaining in default funds and reluctant to increase contributions.
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Opinion PiecesSocial purpose: the new dimension
Investors’ attention turned to human capital issues in 2020 as COVID-19 took hold – including the treatment of staff and other stakeholders, as well as dividend policy and executive pay in cases where companies have received taxpayer support.upport.
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Opinion PiecesJapan is not that different
One of the abiding myths about Japan is that it is different from everywhere else. Not just distinctive in the sense that all countries have peculiarities but uniquely different.
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Opinion PiecesUncertain conditions call for a steady course
The impact of COVID-19 has made long-term strategies that embrace resilience a high priority for pension funds to ensure there is a smoother ride during turbulent times.
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Opinion PiecesLetter from US: Don’t anticipate radical reform
The new Joe Biden administration is unlikely to revolutionise US pension plans, but it could broaden the base of workers able to join defined contribution plans such as 401(k)s. It may also cancel recent rules and return to the previous regulations set under Barack Obama.
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: How trustees can create practical carbon journey plans
Dealing with climate change is a responsibility we all share – but trustees may be wondering how they get from their starting point to the required end-goal. This ‘carbon journey’ needs a plan.
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: The Norwegian Government Pension Fund is plain wrong!
The UN PRI is right to get real and dismiss those who sign up under false pretences – good riddance to hypocrisy
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Opinion PiecesImprovement required
Climate change will continue to be one of the most economically impactful events as it affects us all. It requires immediate and ambitious action to prevent the worst effects on people and biodiversity and it signals a message that nations need to build a more resilient and sustainable global financial system.
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Opinion PiecesResilience: how investors can secure it
Back in March 2020 as the extent of the coronavirus in western Europe was becoming clear, Risto Murto, president and CEO of the €49bn Finnish pension insurer Varma, called for the creation of “healthcare buffers” to mitigate the effects of future pandemics.
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Opinion PiecesDeleveraging is no free lunch
After temporarily shutting down the global economy, governments are pursuing a massive fiscal expansion in order to support struggling businesses and consumers.
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Opinion PiecesJobs crisis threatens pension provision
Hopefully one of the few benefits of the COVID-19 crisis will be to show that the impact of an ageing population is exaggerated. There are other key elements informing the ability of a society to provide decent pensions by whatever means.
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Opinion PiecesGuest viewpoint: Sir Ronald Cohen
We are on the threshold of another major shift in institutional portfolios. Impact transparency is changing the rules for both investors and businesses.
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Opinion PiecesLetter from Australia: Reforms not super for default funds
A string of government reforms due to come into effect from July 2021 has caught the superannuation sector off-guard.
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Opinion PiecesLetter from US: COVID-19 places new demands on university endowments
COVID-19 has hit a special category of institutional investors in the US hard – college and university endowments. In fact, higher education institutions are facing a decline in revenues because of fewer students enrolling and paying tuition, as well as current students asking for more financial aid. Colleges and universities are withdrawing substantial amounts from their endowments to cover these extra expenses. How is this affecting endowments’ investment strategies?
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Opinion PiecesThere is such thing as a (fossil) free lunch
A major historical fear has been that very strict exclusion or integration policies can lead to significant changes in the risk-return profile of portfolios
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: The tipping point for UK pension schemes
Schemes need to consider how to get to a secure level of funding, but also, the assets they will need to hold when they reach peak cashflows in order to remain fully funded
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Opinion PiecesViewpoint: Why Europe needs a real pan-European occupational vehicle
The revision to the Directive, known as IORP II, did not really facilitate cross-border activities. On the contrary, it seems that some EU member states have taken the implementation of the Directive as an opportunity to further complicate cross-border activities.
