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ESG Performance Factors are important to a growing number of asset owners and managers. The ESG framework – considering environmental and energy issues and impacts, the company positioning and actions on social/societal issues, and effective corporate governance (or not) – is a style…an approach…an expanding set of guidelines….a framework…depending on the analyst and investor and their embrace of ESG factors in investment decision-making. ESG is not about intangibles or the non-financials – these factors are very tangible to investors and stakeholders. Yes, the financials are critical for all investors – but corporate performance on ESG factors is now a proxy for the quality of corporate management for many investors. And quality of management (and board) directly impacts the financials – determining access to capital markets, cost of capital, attractiveness to investors, buy-sell-hold decisions, and more. In these Highlights we offer the results of our continuous global scanning for news, commentary and research on ESG issues – for investors, and for the information of corporate boards, senior executives and managers. These are selections from the hundreds of public reports and original content contained in our Sustainability HQ™ platforms. We invite your comments, questions and inquiries. The Team at G&A Institute – your Sustainability Headquarters. New Profiles
ESG / Sustainability UK Climate Secretary: Threat of War to Increase from Climate Change (Source: Reuters) Some of the key threats currently facing society result from the schism in our mind between humans and nature. On some fundamental level, we, as a society, don't seem to realize that considerably altering the natural environment and atmosphere can create many concerning human and societal implications. Yes, we may have had some "environmental revolutions" over the past half century, but we still rank the environment and climate relatively low on our list of priorities or concerns. Associated Profiles : United Nations - All Programs Dodd-Frank Under Fire a Year Later (Source: NY Times) WASHINGTON — In the year since the passage of a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s financial regulatory system after the financial crisis, the stock market is up, banking profits have grown and institutions that invest on behalf of average Americans are praising the tougher stance in Washington. Timothy F. Geithner, the Treasury secretary, expressed the general good feeling among Obama administration officials on Monday, saying that the financial system was “on more solid ground” than at any time since before the crisis in 2008. Associated Profiles : CII Equity firms advance on solar energy sector (Source: Industrial Fuels and Power ) US-based Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) has teamed up with German insurance company Munich Re to acquire a stake in 42 solar power plants in Spain and Italy, underlining how some of the larger private equity groups are rushing into Europe’s renewable energy sector. KKR said it had sided with Munich Re to buy a 49 per cent share in southern European photovoltaic power plants owned by Grupo T-Solar, one of the world’s biggest producers of such power by installed capacity. The partners did not disclose a price, but people close to the situation said KKR and Munich Re paid in excess of €100m ($141m) in cash for the assets. Associated Profiles : Bloomberg New Energy Finance | 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! _______________________________ In-depth profiling and analysis of leaders in Corporate Sustainability. Learn from the Leaders to develop Your Winning Corporate Strategies _______________________________ Strategic Governance - Enabling Financial, Environmental, and Social Sustainability _______________________________
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Time to face facts on climate (Source: Brisbane Times) I SAT down intending to vent my frustrations with those who continue to deny the reality of climate change in the face of overwhelming evidence when I realized that they were not the cause of my aggravation but merely the effect. What really annoys and disappoints me is the lack of appreciation both in general society and in the media for the fundamental principles behind the scientific process, and why it's the closest we humans can get to any form of objective ''fact''. Associated Profiles : Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) How Effective is Corporate Governance in the EU? What are the Lessons for the Global Community? (Source: Sustainable Business Forum) The European Commission has published a ‘Green Paper’ that assesses the effectiveness of European corporate governance frameworks and includes a number of suggestions for improvement. The observations are interesting and have relevance beyond the EU. The paper is relatively short and includes an invitation for comment. Research/Reports TIAA-CREF Releases 2011 Socially Responsible Investing Annual Report (Source: Cision Wire) TIAA-CREF today announced the release of its 2011 Socially Responsible Investing Annual Report. The report describes the organization’s work to encourage portfolio companies to adopt practices that promote long-term shareholder value in three primary areas: environmental challenges; human rights and economic development and executive compensation and corporate accountability. Johnson & Johnson Launches "Healthy Future 2015," Its Citizenship and Sustainability Goals (Source: PR News Wire) As 2011 marks the 125th year of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), today the company announced the launch of Healthy Future 2015, a five-year strategic roadmap for its citizenship and sustainability priorities. Healthy Future 2015 encompasses the broadest and boldest goals to date for Johnson & Johnson in both environmental and non-environmental areas. Sovereign Wealth Funds China appeals to US for 'responsible' steps to reassure markets, protect debt holders (Source: AP) BEIJING — Beijing is appealing to Washington to take "responsible" steps to boost confidence in the dollar and protect holders of its debt. China's foreign currency regulator on Wednesday cited reports by rating agencies about possible risks to the U.S. sovereign credit rating amid conflict over increasing the amount the government can borrow. Associated Profiles : State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) Investment Company (China) Seeking to free funds, U.S. recognizes Libya rebels (Source: Reuters) The United States Friday recognized Libya's rebel National Transitional Council (TNC) as a legitimate government, a diplomatic boost which could unlock billions of dollars in frozen assets. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington would extend formal recognition to the Benghazi-based TNC until a fully representational interim government can be established. Associated Profiles : Kuwait Investment Authority China's sovereign wealth fund names new CIO (Source: Reuters) Li Keping, vice-chairman of China's national pension fund, has been named executive director and chief investment officer of the country's $300 billion sovereign wealth fund which directs investments from China's huge stockpile of foreign exchange reserves. Li replaces Gao Xiqing, who remains as president, a statement on the website of China Investment Corp (CIC) said. Sources told Reuters on June 17 of the impending personnel change. Associated Profiles : China Investment Corporation United States Pension Funds CalPERS Reports Preliminary 2010-11 Fiscal Year Gain of 20.7% (Source: AC Newsroom) The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) reported a 20.7 % return on investments in preliminary estimates for the one-year period that ended June 30, 2011. The net-of-fees performance was the strongest since 1997 and the highest since the 2007-09 recession. “This is our best annual performance in 14 years,” said Rob Feckner, CalPERS Board President. “For the second straight fiscal year, the Pension Fund exceeded its long-term annualized earnings target of 7.75 %.” Associated Profiles California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), California State Teachers’ Retirement System Public employees suing state over pension contributions (Source: Verde Independent) PHOENIX -- Three unions have filed suit challenging the decision by lawmakers to force more than 210,000 public employees to pay a bigger share of their pension costs. A provision in the budget adopted for the new fiscal year that begins July 1 requires employees of the state, public schools, counties, some cities, community colleges and universities to pay 53 percent of the annual cost of keeping the Arizona State Retirement System solvent. That is the first time since the system was formed four decades ago that there has not been an equal match. Associated Profiles : Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) Cuomo vetoes bill to allow schools to borrow against pension funds (Source: North Country Radio) Governor Cuomo has vetoed a bill that would have allowed school districts to borrow up to $1 billion dollars against the worth of their pension funds, saying the bill would be fiscally irresponsible and reckless, and would undo much of what Cuomo's tried to do with his 2% property tax cap. Karen DeWitt has the details. Associated Profiles : New York State Common Retirement Fund Research/ Reports Public pensions a "vested right", CalPERS report finds (Source: Global Pensions) Legal analysis carried out by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) has ruled that pension promises made to current and retired members are a “vested right” and protected under State and federal laws. The analysis, "Vested Rights of CalPERS Members," articulates provisions found in the contract clauses" of State and federal laws, concluding that the laws establish that public employee retirement benefits are a form of deferred compensation and part of the employment contract. Watching the Watchers
KEY PARTNERS OVERVIEW / MISSION “The Climate Group is working with its corporate partners, political decision makers, and international thought leaders to help identify and develop the global and national policy frameworks that will accelerate the low-carbon transition. n 2010 to 2012, our policy work will focus on the technology, financing and investment issues that business and political decision makers need to understand to make sure the revolution happens at the scale and speed we need." News Sweeps Speaker statement on rupert murdoch attack 'Pieman' Protester: Why I Attacked Murdoch Protester Launches Attack On Rupert Murdoch | ||
SustainabilityHQ Highlights is prepared by the Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. based on continuous monitoring of trends and developments in Sustainability and ESG. The SustainabilityHQ™ platform is available by subscription. Governance & Accountability Institute is a monitoring, research, intelligence-gathering and knowledge management organizations operating at the intersections of powerful forces reshaping relationship between stockholders and stakeholders, and the public corporation. For more information, contact us at 646.430.8230 or info@ga-institute.com. G&A Institute manages SustainabilityHQ. |