Governance

Business, investors get certainty as carbon package passes

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 12 OCT 2011  |  NEWS
The passage of the government's Clean Energy Future Legislation by the lower house of Parliament on Wednesday means businesses and investors have certainty around the carbon pricing regime and can plan accordingly for launch on 1 July 2012.

Analysing the link between women directors and corporate returns

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 12 OCT 2011  |  NEWS
A recent report noted that ASX500 companies with women directors had a higher average return on equity over the past three and five year time horizons, but there is no clear answer as to why this incidence seems to exist.

Systemic fault jeopardises proxy vote integrity

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 30 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
A systemic fault in proxy vote registrations means that investors have no way of confirming that their votes have been received properly and accurately counted. The final step of the proxy voting process is completed manually by registrars and there ...

Nearly half of ASX100 companies exposed to human rights risks

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 30 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
Nearly half of ASX100 companies are exposed to human rights risks in their overseas operations, and almost all of those companies have inadequate management systems in place to mitigate those exposures, a study by Net Balance has found.

ACSI recommend against News Corp board re-election

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 30 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
The Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI) has recommended that superannuation funds invested in News Corporation vote against the re-election of six of the company's executive directors in the upcoming annual general meeting.

GRI release reporting standards for construction and real estate

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 23 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has released standards specific to the construction and real estate sectors, demonstrating how companies can report carbon emissions, management and remediation of contaminated land, and sub-contracted labour issues ...

ESG analysis now part of mainstream investment management

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 21 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
Environmental, social and governance risk considerations have evolved from a fringe area of investment management to become mainstream calculations. But asset owners and managers are seeking further integration into fixed income and cash asset allocations ...

Integrated reporting discussion paper released

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 21 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
Business reporting must evolve to account for the changed realities brought about by globalisation and its resulting interdependencies, and increased population growth and increasing global consumption, according to a discussion paper by the International ...

Investors integrating ESG into decisions have "an edge"

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
Because financial markets don't price environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk in an efficient manner, investors that do integrate ESG into their analysis and decision making have an advantage, according to Jane Goodland, a senior investment consultant ...

Investors urge adoption of carbon legislation

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 14 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
The Gillard government has introduced its Clean Energy Future Legislation into parliament and scheduled a vote in the House of Representatives for 12 October, a move welcomed by the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC).