As a new age of finance dawns, so, too, does a new brand of financial ethics. Reading Time: 2 minutes Financial ethics describe of an acceptable code of conduct that ensures a level playing field for all stakeholders as a basis for fair treatment in the financial system. But these ethics are evolving … Read more
Nominations are open for the annual Black Women in Asset Management (BWAM) 40 under 40 awards, recognising talent in the asset management industry. BWAM is a diversity, inclusion, and development organisation launched in 2019, which has a mission to provide Black women working in asset management with the tools and resources to thrive. This year’s … Read more
“Invisible diversity characteristics” such as sexual orientation can be a challenge to engage companies on, but small signs of progress are appearing, ESG Clarity research has found. Last year, ESG Clarity took the top 10 asset management groups that appeared in the Responsible Ratings Index at the time, and looked at each group’s annual review, … Read more
ESG Clarity speaks to Justin Onuekwusi, co-founder of #TalkAboutBlack and founder of #TalkAboutBlack’s Encircle programme, about how the conversation of racial equality has changed over the past few years and where barriers remain. Onuekwusi, who is also head of retail investments, EMEA and head of retail multi-asset funds at Legal & General Investment Management, also … Read more
The number of women on boards has increased by 8% since 2021, according to a study of thousands of companies by BNP Paribas Asset Management. Women hold on average 27% of board seats at companies in which BNP Paribas AM invests, up from 25% in 2021. This is higher than the average of 20% female … Read more
More than 100 finance firms in the US and Canada representing $11.2trn in assets under management have signed up to the CFA Institute’s diversity and inclusion code a year after it launched. The voluntary diversity, equity and inclusion code for the investment profession in the United States and Canada (DEI Code) commits firms to furthering DEI across … Read more
Attracting investors to biodiversity causes has become one of the critical steps following the passing of the Global Biodiversity Framework at COP15 late last year. In the wake of that groundbreaking agreement, 196 countries that are signatories must develop their own biodiversity plans ahead of the Conference of Parties 16 event next year in Turkey, … Read more
AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is now including ESG targets in the pay of its senior executives. The deferred compensation of around 400 people that will start to be paid in 2024 will be affected. AXA IM’s action comes after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced last week it had begun consulting the investment industry … Read more
CEO pay has reached levels hundreds of times what median workers earn — a trend unaccompanied by financial outperformance, and one that many shareholders have rejected but the biggest fund companies have supported. Last year, average pay among CEOs at S&P 500 companies was $18.8m, an increase of nearly 21% over the $15.6m average in … Read more
I’m willing to bet most retail investors don’t understand enough about proxy voting to know if they should even care about the myriad boardroom decisions at the companies they own through mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. That’s actually part of the beauty of owning funds instead of individual securities. As a regular investor just trying … Read more