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 CSR – the Ultimate Test is How Boards and Management Respect Concept of Managing Other People’s Money
(Source: Hank Boerner, CSRWire) What are we to make of the comprehensive report by the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission? This detailed post-mortem of one of the worst financial markets debacle in the modern era contains characteristics that jump off the page (or screen). Reckless risk-taking by corporate management at many levels and a hands-off board that often did not have a clue as to what was going on led to disaster and outright failure at too many firms. The intense focus was short-term reward – “immediate,” if that qualifies – without regard to the consequences for shareholders and stakeholders. Who provided the capital for our capitalistic democracy? The future of CSR and ESG Reporting - An Interview with Mike Wallace, Director of Focal Point USA, Global Reporting Initiative about CSR and Sustainability Reporting - video
(Source: 3BL Media) Interview with Mike Wallace, Director of Focal Point USA, Global Reporting Initiative, discussing the latest trends in sustainability reporting and ESG disclosure in the USA and internationally. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) launched their new office in New York to help US companies to tell the world about their sustainability by providing support to those who produce sustainability reports. GRI’s new ‘Focal Point USA’ aims to boost the number of US companies reporting on sustainability in a consistent manner, to improve the quality of those reports, and to increase US organizations’ input into developing new guidelines for sustainability reporting. Associated Profiles: : UN - Global Reporting Initiative GRI Mercer advocates massive institutional shift to climate sensitive assets
(Source: Responsible Investor) A major new study by consulting firm Mercer in collaboration with a group of 14 leading global investors with around $2trn (€1.37trn) in assets has recommended that institutional investors shift up to 40% of their assets into “climate sensitive” assets in order to mitigate environmental costs, which it says could increase portfolio risk by 10% over the next 20 years. Associated Profiles: Mercer Water and carbon continue to rise as investment issues
(Source: Carbon Disclosure Project) Water and carbon management are of rising importance to institutional investors, with a record number supporting the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) 2011 requests for climate change and water information sent this week to the world’s largest companies. This comes as external research* from the US and New Zealand shows that, all other factors being equal, the greater a company’s greenhouse gas emissions the lower its stock value. Associated Profiles: Carbon Disclosure Project Sovereign Wealth Funds Chinese Economist Warns Of Risks In Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae Bonds
(Source: Fox Business) A popular Chinese economist on Thursday said China should be aware of risks in its holdings of debt issued by U.S. government-controlled mortgage giants Fannie Mae (FNMA: 0.55, +0.03, +6.02%) and Freddie Mac (FMCC: 0.57, +0.03, +5.13%), and suggested that China sell the securities soon. The report by Lu Zhengwei, a senior economist at China's Industrial Bank Co., doesn't represent the views of China's leadership, but it does highlight persistent concerns about the security of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac securities among Chinese civilians and some influential thinkers. Associated Profiles: State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) Investment Company (China) Temasek pays $1.7 mln Indonesia telecom fine
(Source: AFP) SINGAPORE —Singapore state investment firm Temasek Holdings said it had paid a 15 billion rupiah ($1.7 million) fine imposed for breaching anti-competition laws in Indonesia's telecoms sector. In Friday's statement, Temasek confirmed paying the fine imposed by Indonesia's Business Competition Supervisory Commission, or KPPU. Associated Profiles: Temasek Holdings Abu Dhabi ups refining drive with Cepsa takeover
(Source: Reuters Africa) Abu Dhabi increased its refining exposure by taking over Cepsa (CEP.MC: Quote) with the 3.7 billion euro ($5 billion) acquisition of the remaining half of the Spanish oil company from France's Total (TOTF.PA: Quote). Wednesday's deal allows oil-rich Abu Dhabi to extend its refining capacity, while giving Total, the world's fifth-biggest oil and gas producer, cash to invest in upstream developments . Associated Profiles: Abu Dhabi Investment Authority |
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 CalPERS acknowledges federal probe of bribe allegations
(Source: Fresno Bee) CalPERS officials acknowledged Monday that federal prosecutors are investigating the bribery scandal at the California pension fund. The scandal, which involves CalPERS investment activities, has so far produced a state lawsuit and several pieces of legislation, but no criminal charges. In a report to the CalPERS board, senior staff members wrote that "federal prosecutors in California" have sought millions of pages of documents and other information from the pension fund and the outside lawyer investigating the matter. Associated Profiles: California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS Good pension policy requires transparency
(Source: The Hill) In 2010, alarm bells started going off around the country about the huge costs and liabilities associated with public employee pensions. Lawmakers in 18 states enacted pension reforms intended to cut costs, with more considering the issue in 2011. Unfortunately, many of these reforms have not gone far enough to produce the necessary savings, in part because lawmakers lack the information they need to understand how unaffordable pensions are. If we want to see better reforms in 2011 that make retirement benefits sustainable and provide real relief to taxpayers, we will first have to make public pension systems more financially transparent. Associated Profiles: : New York State Common Retirement Fund Analysis: Forex fraud claims draw skeptical review
(Source: Reuters) Recently unsealed lawsuits against Bank of New York Mellon(BK.N) contend it overcharges customers about $500 million a year for foreign currency trades, showing the high stakes facing banks in ongoing probes. The figure is disclosed in lawsuits filed on behalf of pension funds in Florida and Virginia. It follows claims of an annual $400 million national fraud contained in a lawsuit against State Street Corp (STT.N) in California. Associated Profiles: Virginia Retirement System , Florida Retirement System Pension Plan Watching the Watchers  INAISE (International Association of Investors in the Social Economy)
Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
Established: 1989
KEY PARTNERS: None overtly mentioned, though it appears that member organizations – which include board members’ regular work places – take an active role in INAISE. Network members are listed online. OVERVIEW / MISSION
From INAISE: “INAISE (the International Association of Investors in the Social Economy) is a global network of socially and environmentally oriented financial institutions. Created in 1989, INAISE has grown rapidly as the movement of social investors gained importance, volume and visibility in a number of European and non-European countries.”
INAISE is a nonprofit organization with members from over 20 diverse countries, including Bangladesh, Canada, South Africa, and Luxemburg. To become full members of INAISE, organizations should be finance organizations or networks of finance organizations that “carry on investment activity in the social economy and which subscribe to the articles of association.” Nonfinancial organizations are eligible for associate membership.
News Sweeps
Alternative Banken kennen keine Finanzkrise
(Monday - December 15, 2008) Associated Profiles : INAISE
- Deutsche Welle, Germany - Alternative Banken kennen keine Finanzkrise ...[more] Ta kontroll over pengene!
(Wednesday - December 10, 2008) Associated Profiles : INAISE
- Dagbladet.no, Oslo - Ta kontroll over pengene! ... [more] |
