Less than half of UK, US, and German companies have made significant changes to their daily operations to decarbonise, according to a survey. Only 41% of 300 corporates in those nations, whose operations managers were surveyed by ESG software and data company Sphera, had made any changes. A third (32%) said their firms do not … Read more
Redwheel, the specialist investment manager, has launched a sister arm to “challenge” its current processes for sustainability investing. Greenwheel will advise, support and provide independent challenge to Redwheel’s investment teams. It will produce research, sustainability strategy and client perspectives at each stage of the product life cycle for the firm’s Enhanced Integration, Transition and Sustainable … Read more
Article 9 funds saw the lowest inflows on record in the last quarter of 2023, due to the large number of downgrades from Article 9 to Article 8 ahead of new Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) requirements that came into force in January. In a report, SFDR Article 8 and Article 9 Funds: Q4 2022, … Read more
The head of global diversity, inclusion and belonging at abrdn, Lynne Connolly, has died following a battle with a long illness. Connolly was at abrdn and Standard Life Aberdeen since 2006. Her family confirmed her death via a LinkedIn post: “Lynne’s family share this message to let all her wide circle of friends, relatives and colleagues … Read more
The Department of Labor’s long-awaited rule that eases restrictions on ESG in 401(k) plans goes into effect this week, but a coalition of Republican state leaders and oil groups is trying to stop that. Last Thursday, 25 states filed a lawsuit in federal court in Texas seeking an injunction and a permanent ban on implementing … Read more
When it comes to ESG, Japan has a reputation as a bit of a laggard – though, on the ‘E’ part at least, this is not very fair. A 2021 report from McKinsey, Charting a path from the shuchu kiyaku to ESG (‘shuchu kiyaku’ meaning ‘code of ethics), actually rated large Japanese companies ahead of … Read more
Following a general easing of the Covid pandemic, the world markets entered a new pandemic of drastically high inflation. In the US, the average rate of inflation stayed well above 7% for the majority of 2022, at levels last experienced during the 1970s energy crisis. Global costs of oil, gasoline, electricity and natural gas all … Read more
Credit Suisse Asset Management has expanded its sustainable investing team with the appointment of a head of active ownership. Christine Chow will join the firm in that role on April 1, the company recently announced. Chow, who has extensive experience in sustainability, will join from HSBC Asset Management. In her new role Chow will focus … Read more
U.S. Bank has established a new head of sustainable finance role at the company, hiring former Jennison Associates head of ESG, Guillaume Mascotto, the company recently announced. In the role, Mascotto is tasked with assembling a team that will be focused on sustainable finance business for U.S. Bank broadly, the firm stated. Mascotto is based … Read more
Investment industry groups have welcomed the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Sustainability Disclosure Requirements as a “marked improvement on the EU’s SFDR” as the chance to respond to the regulator’s proposals closes this week. “We are very pleased to respond today to the FCA’s consultation on sustainability disclosures and investment labels,” said James Alexander, CEO … Read more