Investment

Perpetual to extend ESG dashboard to fixed income space

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 18 MAY 2012  |  NEWS
Investment manager Perpetual will continue to roll out its dashboard report approach to embedding environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into investment decisions, including further reports on its universe of equities and preparing ...

Calls for expedited reduction of SRES multiplier

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 16 MAY 2012  |  NEWS
A debate has emerged over whether the federal government should wind back the Small Scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) multiplier more quickly than the default timetable, with supporters saying that a potential oversupply in the number of SRES for ...

Skills shortage in oil and gas sector a material ESG risk

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 11 MAY 2012  |  NEWS
Oil and gas companies are exposed to skills shortages in their workforce, and that exposure and companies' strategic responses pose risks to health and safety, to the environment, and to capital expenditure projects for exploration and production, according ...

Climate change realities necessitate superannuation response

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 11 MAY 2012  |  NEWS
The scientific consensus around the potential impacts of climate change and the affirmative policy moves of governments around the world to mitigate their impacts means that Australia's renewable energy target and carbon pricing regime is not an outlier ...

Superannuation funds increasingly act, invest sustainably

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 11 MAY 2012  |  NEWS
While 80% of superannuation funds have told research firm SuperRatings that they believe they have a responsibility to operate sustainably, only 20-30% of those respondents measure and report energy, waste and water usage regularly.

NAB partners to launch Victorian microfinance retail hubs

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 4 MAY 2012  |  NEWS
NAB, Good Shepherd Microfinance and the Victorian state government have launched an AU$7.8m retail project to provide access to microfinance products, financial counselling and other services to financially excluded people in Victoria.

GBST, CAER to offer quantitative ESG data tool

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 4 MAY 2012  |  NEWS
Global financial services technology provider GBST and corporate ESG research firm CAER - Corporate Analysis. Enhanced Responsibility are partnering on a quantitative ESG risk management tool aimed at superannuation funds and fund managers.

bankmecu, Foresters Community Finance partner on loan scheme

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 4 MAY 2012  |  NEWS
bankmecu and Foresters Community Finance, in conjunction with the Victorian government, have entered into a partnership by which the bank will provide loans to help community based organisations buy their own property.

LGS audit finds ASX has higher carbon, lower ESG risk

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 2 MAY 2012  |  NEWS
Local Government Super (LGS) has conducted a carbon and ESG audit of its equity portfolios and found that while domestic Australian equities are more carbon intensive, they have a lower ESG risk than international peers.

ASIC details AFS licence process for carbon credit trade

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 2 MAY 2012  |  NEWS
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has published the details of how to register for the licensing process for those intending to provide financial services in carbon units under the federal pricing regime.