Three ways investors can manage transition risk in portfolios

For investors, transition risk management has notably shifted. It is no longer enough for an investor to know if a company has made a net-zero commitment and whether the target has been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. Investors are now applying sophisticated evaluation frameworks to help them better understand the actions companies are … Read more

Companies not accounting for climate change adaptation

Companies are not doing enough to take climate change adaptation into account, French regulator the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) has found. The AMF has published a report, Le reporting taxonomie des sociétés cotées non financières, analysing 31 companies on their alignment to the EU taxonomy. The taxonomy and its delegated acts set out an … Read more

Schroders Reit changes objective to be more green as it reports NAV dip

Schroders Reit has published a circular outlining changes in its strategy to improve sustainability and implement decarbonisation measures. The £466m trust, which owns 40 properties, said it is proposing amendments to the investment objective and the investment management agreement. The changes are focused on adapting existing buildings to make them ‘both modern and fit for … Read more

BlueOrchard launches EM impact credit fund

Impact investment manager BlueOrchard, a member of the Schroders Group, has launched an impact credit fund, which aims to improve financial inclusion on a global basis. BlueOrchard Impact Credit (Boic) will invest in the debt of small- and medium-sized financial institutions, in particular those across the faster-growing emerging market regions and areas which are financially … Read more

CCLA reveals companies leading on modern slavery

CCLA Investment Management has named Kingfisher, Marks & Spencer, Next, Reckitt Benckiser, Tesco and Unilever as leaders on human rights innovation in its latest annual modern slavery benchmark, but found financial companies are lagging. The measure, based on assessing companies’ public disclosures, shows which of the UK’s largest listed companies are doing most to end modern … Read more

‘SRI product environment becoming more challenging and uncertain’

There is little doubt that sustainable and responsible investment (SRI) remains a dominant theme for the investment management industry and that the energy transition, in particular, is a long-term concern (and opportunity) for investment managers and investors and savers around the world.   However, we must also recognise that in the near term, the environment … Read more

Nikko AM Q&A: There are always trade-offs for higher green bond standards

Nikko Asset Management launched a green bond fund last month, but the team say it’s not just in specialist products where they are looking for credible and effective issuers. Here, Vincent Latour, sustainable investment specialist; Steve Williams, head portfolio manager for global core strategies; and Holger Mertens, manager director; at the firm discuss higher standards … Read more

US Solar Fund shareholders approve new manager and policy changes

US Solar Fund has named Amber Infrastructure Investment Advisor as its investment manager after shareholders approved changes to the trust’s investment policy. In a stock exchange announcement on 17 November, the £136.3m trust’s board announced the amendments to the investment policy had been passed by 89.6% of votes. In October, the trust outlined amendments to … Read more