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One of the world’s largest asset managers, Vanguard, is withdrawing from membership in the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative, or NZAM, the firm announced today. That development follows a year of pressure from conservative groups and prominent Republicans on financial services firms to disavow ESG-related objectives. Notably, Vanguard’s decision comes a day after Senate Banking … Read more
If you’re looking for an investment fund, it won’t be long before you encounter one that is categorised as an “ESG integration” fund. The mere existence of the category implies that ESG integration funds are different from other sorts of funds. But how exactly are they different, and do the differences warrant a distinct product … Read more
All eyes are on the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), the host of two major climate conferences this year and next: the recently finished COP27 in Egypt and COP28 in the UAE, which takes place in November 2023. Although they have shared history, language, culture and religions, the countries in MENA are far … Read more
The list of US mutual funds and ETFs with an ESG focus grew by 23% over a year as of the second quarter, reaching 813 products. That trend is coupled with a greater market share for passively managed funds which, as of the end of June, accounted for 23%, up from 20% a year prior, … Read more
Franklin Templeton has launched a global impact fund focused on engaging fixed income issuers and investing in improvers. The Brandywine Global Multi-Sector Impact Fund is a sub-fund of the Legg Mason Global Funds, an Irish-domiciled fund range. This new impact fund is registered for distribution in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Italy. It will also … Read more
Screening, as an ESG strategy, means too many things to too many people, and the confusion is leading to claims of greenwashing, a Principles for Responsible Investment conference in Barcelona heard last week. According to Simon O’Connor, CEO of the Responsible Investment Association Australasia and chair of the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance, many screened products … Read more
Voting against poor governance can prove fruitful, according to Neuberger Berman’s head of ESG investing Jonathan Bailey, who has shared how proxy voting – and giving indication of how the firm will vote – has resulted in positive change at some portfolio holdings. In his Green Dream video interview, Bailey discusses progress with Netflix and Berkshire Hathaway … Read more
Amid the expressions of both hope and frustration that followed the end of COP27, it’s worth considering the progress made at last year’s global climate summit before judging the talks at Sharm El Sheikh – and deciding what needs to happen next. COP26, held in Glasgow in 2021, marked an important step forward in global … Read more
Cathrine De Coninck-Lopez, global head of ESG at Invesco. Reflecting on what has been a tumultuous year for ESG and markets in general, what has been your biggest challenge and how have you overcome it? 2022 has highlighted the broader complexities of ESG investing and brought the role of ESG investing into global discourse. The … Read more
Recent critiques of environmental, social and governance investing tend to seek emotive rather than rational appeal, with critics using words like “delusional,” “incoherent,” “scam,” “cabal” or “idiots.” Such rhetoric may fuel clickbait, but it distracts from valuable and informed discussion on how ESG can evolve. In navigating anti-ESG media, it’s valuable to separate well-founded criticisms … Read more