Investment

Miscommunication hampers institutional vote engagement

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 14 OCT 2011  |  NEWS
Although directors, institutional share owners and proxy advisers are eager to engage, particularly in the context of the share voting process, there is a failure to communicate at key junctures with all parties, particularly during the annual general ...

Jillian Broadbent to chair Clean Energy Finance Corp panel

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 14 OCT 2011  |  NEWS
The Gillard government has created an expert review panel to advise on the design of the AU$10bn Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), which is expected to commence operations from 2013-2014.

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.

Microfinance a source of financial and social return

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 7 OCT 2011  |  NEWS
Microfinance - the provision of provision of financial services such as loans to entrepreneurs in emerging market countries - has existed for at least 30 years. But in the past decade, microfinance has moved from being solely the remit of non-profits ...

Christian Super allocates $6m to social enterprise fund

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 7 OCT 2011  |  NEWS
The AU$450m Christian Super superannuation fund has made an AU$6m commitment to a social enterprise fund run by Brisbane-based Foresters Community Finance.

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 ...

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.

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 ...

Renewable energy poses opportunities, risks for investors

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 16 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
Renewable energy investments have appeal for institutional investors as infrastructure projects that provide a hedge against the anticipation of future costs on carbon emissions as well as meet sustainable investment targets. But while global bodies ...

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 ...