Governance

Institutional investors back carbon tax scheme

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  MONDAY, 11 JUL 2011  |  NEWS
Institutional investors have expressed broad support for the government's proposed carbon mitigation scheme. Under legislation outlined by Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the scheme will start from 1 July 2012. For the first three years, it will run as ...

PUMA's environmental P&L reporting: a model for Australia?

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 8 JUL 2011  |  NEWS
PUMA announced the initial results of its developing Environmental Profit & Loss (EP&L) Account to great global interest. The sporting and apparel manufacturer has committed to establishing an economic valuation of the company's environmental, social ...

Report: 100 South African companies used GRI in 2010

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 6 JUL 2011  |  NEWS
An analysis of South African companies has found that 100 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) have written sustainability reports based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidances for the 2010/2011 financial year, up from 86 ...

Colonial First State Global Asset Management reports on responsible investment

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 1 JUL 2011  |  NEWS
Colonial First State Global Asset Management (CFSGAM) has urged the financial services industry to put greater emphasis on pricing ESG issues into investment decisions while releasing a report into their own 2010 responsible investment decisions.

Benchmarking superannuation funds' sustainability performance

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 1 JUL 2011  |  NEWS
Much work is being performed around the world and in Australia by investors, collaborate bodies and financial services firms to seek frameworks with commonly accepted metrics to benchmark companies' sustainability performances with the ultimate goal ...

ASIC urges additional executive remuneration disclosures

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 1 JUL 2011  |  NEWS
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has highlighted four areas where ASX listed companies can provide more clarity on remuneration arrangements for their directors and executives.

Ten corporate sponsors for GRI's G4 development

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 1 JUL 2011  |  NEWS
The Global Reporting Initiative has announced ten companies that will sponsor and support the two-year process to develop the next version of sustainability reporting guidelines.

IGCC: carbon price delay could cost electricity sector $2.5bn

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 24 JUN 2011  |  NEWS
A four-year delay to the start of a carbon pricing regime in Australia would cause an additional AU$2.5bn of additional costs to the electricity sector for both investors and energy users, according to a study commissioned by the Investor Group on Climate ...

Deloitte, GRI to develop new program

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 24 JUN 2011  |  NEWS
A new program between the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Deloitte will see the GRI's G3 and G3.1 guidelines given a new Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) taxonomy, meaning sustainability data can be communicated more easily to investors ...

"Two Strikes" for directors legislation passes Parliament

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 22 JUN 2011  |  NEWS
Shareholders in Australian companies have vastly increased power to over executive remuneration under legislation that will take effect in July.