Business leaders and managers are being challenged by the rising expectations of stockholders and stakeholder with regard to the corporate performance in the areas of ESG (environmental, social issue and governance) performance. Peers and competitors are increasingly setting the pace for industries and sectors as they create and implement sustainability and corporate responsibility strategies and actions. Who cares about this? Asset owners and asset managers looking at investments through the ESG/Sustainability lens. And third party stakeholders who are setting the pace in ESG research, standard setting (for industries), media, issue advocates…and others watching the corporate sector. Our team is watching the watchers for you. We bring you news, commentary and research in key areas of interest for both investors and asset managers -- and for corporate boards, executives and managers. As Sustainability and ESG frameworks are adopted by more investors, the capital markets are determining winners, laggards and losers. Track the trends, the news, updates, the important developments – makeSustainability HQ™ your headquarters for ESG knowledge management. ESG / Sustainability New 'Say on Pay' Scorecard for the S&P 500
(Source: CSR Wire) NEW YORK - A new Executive Pay Scorecard has been introduced by GovernanceMetrics International, the independent global leader in corporate governance, provides an objective evaluation of executive pay plans to help shareholders prepare for mandated advisory votes on executive pay. The Scorecard is the first product launched by the newly-merged GovernanceMetrics, incorporating executive compensation expertise and data from its predecessor The Corporate Library, and offers shareholders a new tool for making critical "Say on Pay" voting decisions during the 2011 proxy season, now underway. Associated Profiles: Governance Metrics International (GMI) A growing thirst for water management
(Source: FT.com) For a professional who wants to specialise in water conservation and management, the traditional route – a course in natural resources management – throws up a healthy choice of programmes at universities and colleges. But for an executive hoping to apply water conservation techniques in a business context, the pickings are far thinner. Associated Profiles: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) EU “close” to making corporate ESG disclosure mandatory – Eurosif
(Source: Responsible Investor) The European Commission (EC), the executive arm of the European Union (EU), is edging closer to making environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures mandatory for companies, according to the head of the European Sustainable Investment Forum (Eurosif), the SRI lobby group. Associated Profiles : Responsible Investor, EU Social Investment Forum Kroll Bond Ratings Makes Official Debut With Multi-Media Marketing Campaign
(Source: PR NewsWire) With the goal of bringing increased accuracy, accountability and trust to the financial markets, Kroll Bond Ratings (www.krollbondratings.com) today officially launched its credit rating agency with a multi-media marketing campaign. A nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) that is more than 40-percent-owned by pension funds and foundations, the firm will emphasize ratings accuracy through high standards of due diligence and in-depth analysis – with direct accountability to the investment community. Associated Profiles: Kroll Bond Rating Agency Sovereign Wealth Funds Nigerian Wealth Fund to Save for Future Generations
(Source: BusinessWeek) Nigeria’s sovereign wealth fund, currently under debate in parliament, will set aside at least 20 percent of its assets accrued from crude oil exports for future generations. The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority will be split into the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund, the Future Generations Fund and the Stabilization Fund, according to a draft of the bill obtained by Bloomberg. Each component will represent at least 20 percent of the total fund. Associated Profiles: Excess Crude Account (Nigeria) European Rescue Bonds Represent an `Attractive' Buy, Norway Oil Fund Says
(Source: Bloomberg) Norway’s $545 billion oil fund said Europe’s rescue bonds, designed to help support its most indebted nations, represent an attractive buying opportunity as the securities are safer than regular sovereign debt. Associated Profiles: Norwegian Government Pension Fund (SPF |
Make SustainabilityHQ™ your daily headquarters for important news, commentary and research results – your HQs for Sustainability and ESG knowledge management. The key capital market players focused on Sustainability and ESG (environmental management, social issues and effective corporate governance) are profiled with an abundance of relevant information. Updates are continuous. The third party organizations helping to shape corporate valuations and corporate reputations are profiled and news about these players is updated every day. Log in and check it out!
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United States Pension Funds Costs of public pensions targeted in three states
(Source: Reuters) Efforts to tackle the costs of public pensions advanced on Tuesday in three Western U.S. states, led by a top Arizona lawmaker unveiling a plan to overhaul his state's pension system. At the same, a bipartisan group of Washington state officials presented a plan on funding state pension systems and a California activist said a statewide pension reform initiative would be in print in April or May, the first step to putting it to voters in June 2012. Associated Profiles: Washington State Department of Retirement Systems , Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), California State Teachers’ Retirement System Largest US pension plan sponsors see funded status improve for fifth straight month
(Source: Mercer) New York - The aggregate deficit in pension plans sponsored by S&P 1500 companies decreased by $45 billion during January, from a deficit of approximately $315 billion as of December 31, 2010, to $270 billion as of January 31, 2011, according to new figures from Mercer[1]. This deficit corresponds to an aggregate funded ratio of 84% as of January 31, compared to a funded ratio of 81% on December 31. Associated Profiles: Mercer CalPERS Sheds Big-Name Advisors After Losing $10 Billion+ in Last Two Years
(Source: Real Estate Channel) Big investment strategy changes coming at CalPERS this year.The $228 billion California Public Employees' Retirement System, the largest public pension fund in the U.S., lost more than $10 billion in its overall real estate program in the last two years.As a result, The Wall Street Journal reported the fund will begin to rely less on big-name international real estate advisors like Black Rock Inc., Hines Interests and Jones Lang LaSalle Inc., and focus on more conservative investments from advisors like CommonWealth Partners LLC, GI Partners and GID Investment Advisers LLC. Associated Profiles: California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Report: Connecticut lags in tackling retirement benefit costs
(Source: CT Mirror) Connecticut not only faces one of the largest funding shortfalls in its retirement benefit programs of any state in the nation, but has been one of the slowest to respond over the last two-and-a-half years, according to a new study from a nonprofit economic development group. The Connecticut Regional Institute for the 21st Century, a coalition of businesses and public institutions, also recommended a broad array of steps including increased government contributions toward retirement savings accounts, new restrictions on retiree benefits, an end to traditional retirement incentive plans that weaken pension funds. Associated Profiles:Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds – State Treasurer’s Office Watching the Watchers  Kroll Bond Rating Agency, Inc
Headquarters: New York, New York,
with an office in Mt. Airy, Maryland
Established: 2010 OVERVIEW/MISSION
Kroll Bond Rating Agency describes itself as “a Nationally Recognized
Statistical Rating Organization (NRSRO), [that] was established by Jules Kroll to restore trust in credit ratings by establishing new standards for assessing risk and by offering accurate, clear and transparent ratings…” KBRA writes that skepticism is at the core of its ratings methodology, adding: “We ask the tough questions, and demand accurate answers before our analysts assign a rating.” Kroll Bond Rating Agency, Inc News Sweeps
5 ironclad ways to spy on your bank
(Tuesday - February 08, 2011) Associated Profiles : Kroll Bond Rating Agency
- Private ratings services like Bankrate's Safe & Sound, BauerFinancial and LACE Financial (now part of Kroll Bond Ratings) are good resources for gauging a ...[more] Jules Kroll shakes up the ratings club
(Monday - February 07, 2011) Associated Profiles : Kroll Bond Rating Agency
- Kroll Bond Ratings also embraces the idea that its ratings represent more than simply opinions. In other words, it believes people should be able to sue the ... |
