| From across the nation and around the world, INSIGHTS-edge brings you news, commentary and research in key areas of interest regarding ESG, Sovereign Wealth Funds and US Public Sector Pension Funds. We watch the watchers...who are watching you. ESG / Sustainability Coffee Rivals Join Forces to Fight for the Environment
(Source: Tonic.com) Yeah, that's right. These guys aren't green with envy over their competitors. They're just green. Fast food honchos Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts and Tim Horton's have decided to put aside their rivalry (which, as reported by Tonic has been focused on the breakfast wars with strategies like introducing drive-thru oatmeal!) and instead focus on building a better coffee cup — a sustainable one. ESG reporting in Eastern Europe reaching par with Western European peers
(Source: Responsible Investor) Sustainability reporting by Eastern European companies is rapidly catching up on that of Western European peers with Polish and Russian company information on average now nearly as good as that of Austrian, Greek and Irish companies, although still significantly lagging the top performers in Sweden and France, according to a study by Swedish research group, GES Investment Services. Will Money Talk? Banks Shy from “Dirty” Projects
(Source: Triple Pundit) One of the biggest breakthroughs in the area of corporate social responsibility came when major corporations looked at their social and environmental impact beyond their own doorstep and thought about their supply chains. Major brands with global networks such as Nike, Starbucks, Coca-Cola and Walmart made positive changes in where their goods were made or their resources harvested or how their finished products were packaged and delivered. The Real Say on Pay – Editorial
(Source: NY Times) The Financial Times reported this week that lawyers for corporate America are warning of a “logistical nightmare” from a provision in the new financial reform law that requires companies to disclose the ratio between a chief executive’s pay package and that of a typical employee. Sovereign Wealth Funds Norway Buys Greek Debt as Sovereign Wealth Fund Sees No Default
(Source: Bloomberg) Norway, which has amassed the world’s second-biggest sovereign wealth fund, says Greece won’t default on its debts. The Nordic nation’s $450 billion Government Pension Fund Global has stocked up on Greek debt, as well as bonds of Spain, Italy and Portugal. Finance Minister Sigbjoern Johnsen says he backs the strategy, which contributed to a 3.4 percent loss on European fixed income in the second quarter, compared with gains on bonds in Asia and the Americas. Abu Dhabi Wealth Fund Appoints Chu as Chief Economist
(Source: BusinessWeek) The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, appointed Ted Chu in the newly created position of chief economist. Four yardsticks for sovereign wealth funds
(Source: Reuters) Sovereign wealth funds, a $3 trillion industry managing windfall revenues for future generations, arguably need a set of benchmarks different from those used by other private investors as they are state-owned. Andrew Ang, an associate at U.S. National Bureau of Economics and a professor at Columbia Business School, proposes the following four benchmarks in a recent paper distributed to SWFs. | Coming Soon… 
We are in the process of upgrading INSIGHTS-edge, including the addition of many more profiles, identification of ESG critical issues of importance to corporations and investors, adding to the toolbox (twitter, customized email alerts and more). You will see the 2.0 version soon. And, we are rebranding the platform to better identify the focus of our efforts SustainabilityHQTM
will be here Fall,, 2010.
Turning Sustainability Into Opportunity Contents © 2009, 2010
All Rights Reserved Copyrights for other providers
are noted where appropriate.
Please credit the source if quoted. |
US Public Sector Pension Funds Calpers After Scandal Embraces Risk for Pensioners Facing $240 Billion Gap
(Source: Bloomberg) Joe Dear is giving a pep talk to more than two dozen colleagues at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. As Dear paces before his people on this July afternoon in Sacramento, he implores them to shake off the funk of the pension fund’s recent troubles.
DiNapoli issues 'red' alert on pension fund
(Source: NY Post) Albany -- Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli warned yesterday that the state's massive pension fund could soon slip into the red for the first time in seven years, despite a $1.3 billion hike in fees to local governments. DiNapoli revealed that the $125 billion fund may have on hand only 94 percent of the resources it needs to cover pension expenses for some 1 million current and retired state workers -- down from 107 percent two years ago.
US pension plan funding at a historic low
(Source: Mercer) US pension plan funded positions have fallen to historic lows during August due to simultaneously falling equity markets and interest rates. The August decline erased modest gains made in July and pushed the health of pension plans, as measured on a mark-to-market basis, to all-time lows. Watching the Watchers  Investor Environmental Health Network
Headquarters: Falls Church, Virginia
Established: Formal launch May 2006
KEY PARTNER
Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment
OVERVIEW/MISSION
Mission: “The Investor Environmental Health Network IEHN) is a collaborative partnership of investment managers, advised by non-governmental organizations, concerned about the financial and public health risks associated with corporate toxic chemicals policies. IEHN, through dialogue and shareholder resolutions, encourages companies to adopt policies to continually and systematically reduce and eliminate the toxic chemicals in their products.” RECENT NEWS Natural-Gas Pains
(Tuesday - July 06, 2010)
- The Investor Environmental Health Network, a partnership of investment managers and nongovernmental organizations concerned about financial and public ...[more] Fracas erupts over 'fracking'
(Monday - July 05, 2010)
- The Investor Environmental Health Network, a partnership of investment managers and nongovernmental organizations concerned about financial and public ...[more] Increase Expected in Shareholder Resolutions Urging Disclosure of ...
(Thursday - January 15, 2009)
- Nanotechnology and Development News, DC - Rich Liroff, executive director of the Investor Environmental Health Network, explained: "[I]t's really important that companies think long and hard about ... |
