Investment

Q&A with James Gifford, executive director of the UNPRI

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 16 MAR 2012  |  NEWS
James Gifford is the executive director of the UNPRI. He is currently in Australia and met with The Sustainability Report to talk about PRI's progress, its future plans, the challenges to implementing responsible investment (RI,) and how PRI can assist ...

Clean Energy Council sees CEFC as catalyst to unlock capital

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 16 MAR 2012  |  NEWS
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) could act as a catalyst to "unlock" capital from institutional investors, banks and international markets, according to a Clean Energy Council (CEC) report.

Japanese pension plan selects MSCI ESG index as benchmark

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 16 MAR 2012  |  NEWS
One of Japan's largest public pension plans will use the MSCI Japan ESG Index as the benchmark for a passive mandate, according to MSCI.

Women only 19% of superannuation fund trustee boards

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 9 MAR 2012  |  NEWS
Women are a minority on superannuation trustee boards, comprising only 19% of trustees at not-for-profit funds and an estimated 10% of retail funds, according to research from Rainmaker Information.

CEFC moves to Sydney as industry prepares for its launch

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 9 MAR 2012  |  NEWS
As the federal government announced that the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) will be located in Sydney, financial and investment institutions look to the CEFC's form and function as much as its location.

Working group to develop Sharia-compliant green securities

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 7 MAR 2012  |  NEWS
The Climate Bonds Initiative, the Clean Energy Business Council of the Middle East and North Africa and The Gulf Bond and Sukuk Association have formed a working group to develop best practices and promote the issuance of "green" sukuks, Sharia-compliant ...

Strong overseas interest in EUA structure, opportunities

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 2 MAR 2012  |  NEWS
There is strong overseas interest the structure of environmental upgrade agreements (EUAs) and the opportunities they present for commercial building owners and suppliers of waste, water and energy efficiency solutions, said Scott Bocskay, chief executive ...

AMP Capital, VFMC publish 2011 proxy voting record

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 29 FEB 2012  |  NEWS
Concerns over executive remuneration and incentive plans led institutional investors AMP Capital and the Victorian Funds Management Corporation (VMFC) to cast proxy votes against resolutions during 2011.

FTSE launch carbon risk indices for Australia, Europe and Japan

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 29 FEB 2012  |  NEWS
FTSE Group have launched four new indices within the FTSE CDP Carbon Strategy Index Series that weight listed equities in Australia, Europe and Japan based on their exposure to future carbon risks.

Mercer ratings demonstrate challenge of integrating ESG

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 22 FEB 2012  |  NEWS
Mercer only gave 9% of more than 5,000 environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment strategies in their database their highest ratings because their evaluation is based on how strategies integrate ESG into the active construction of portfolio ...