‘You need to actually focus on the problem’: Trium’s Mares on improving high-emitters and sustainable shorting

Trium Capital’s ESG Emissions Improvers fund is targeting shorting opportunities in companies with corporate governance concerns. Joe Mares (pictured), portfolio manager of the Trium ESG Emissions Improvers fund, told ESG Clarity‘s sister title Portfolio Adviser: “From the short side, we think labour is a really interesting dynamic. Labour is a big part of the ‘S’ … Read more

Stafford Capital Q&A: We need to get to a point where companies pay for producing emissions

ESG Clarity talked to Angus Whiteley, chief executive of the investment advisory firm, Stafford Capital Partners, about the firm’s investment strategy and how the team are decarbonising portfolios. Whiteley talked about the opportunities and challenges for sustainable investment businesses, alongside two asset classes he believes are increasing in popularity. What are the opportunities for sustainable … Read more

Octopus Renewables Infrastructure proposes merger with AERI

Octopus Renewables Infrastructure (ORIT) is exploring a possible merger with the £257m Aquila European Renewables trust (AERI). In a stock exchange announcement last month (22 December), the Octopus board proposed a combination that would create a £1.6bn renewable energy portfolio. ORIT said the two trusts have “complementary” portfolios, which would offer increased geographic diversification and … Read more

Japan soars and Hong Kong falls in governance rankings

Japan has soared up the rankings in Asia Pacific for corporate governance, while Hong Kong has plummeted, according to the latest biennial report from the Asian Corporate Governance Association (ACGA). The ACGA’s report, which canvasses responses from 108 questions in seven different categories across 12 markets, saw Japan climb three places to second, while Hong … Read more

Basic environmental and social risks remain in central banks

New findings from the WWF Sustainable Financial Regulations and Central Bank Activities (SUSREG) Tracker show although some central banks and financial supervisors are attempting to “green” their financial regulation and supervision, significant gaps remain. More banks and supervisors focus on climate and neglect broader environmental and social impacts, such as biodiversity loss and its wider … Read more

Emerging green skills gap in financial services ‘jeopardises net-zero goals’

The UK financial services sector faces an emerging green skills gap and is not moving fast enough to close it, jeopardising the UK’s net-zero goals, according to the latest report by PwC in its Green Jobs Barometer series. In collaboration with Financial Services Skills Commission (FSSC) and the Aldersgate Group, the report explores the pivotal … Read more

Why and how should investors support the transition to safe and sustainable chemicals?

A sustainable economic future relies on sustainable investment practices. Delivering that future means investors must address not only ESG impacts and risks facing individual companies but also global systemic risks like climate change and nature loss. As systemic risks threaten whole portfolios and the stability and health of the financial system as a whole, this category … Read more

EdenTree reshuffles RI team as veteran Neville White retires

EdenTree has appointed a new head of responsible investment as Neville White (pictured) retires. Carlota Esguevillas, who was previously senior responsible investment analyst in the team, stepped into the role at the start of January 2024. Esguevillas has been with EdenTree’s responsible investment team for around three years, working closely with White, who will be … Read more

Nature: An invisible part of the economic equation

Climate change, as we know, has been a focal point for many investors over the last few years. But there’s another element which is coming more sharply into focus, and that’s nature, not least because climate change and nature loss are so closely interlinked. In a landmark analysis in 2021, British economist Sir Partha Dasgupta … Read more