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Nikko Asset Management launched a green bond fund last month, but the team say it’s not just in specialist products where they are looking for credible and effective issuers. Here, Vincent Latour, sustainable investment specialist; Steve Williams, head portfolio manager for global core strategies; and Holger Mertens, manager director; at the firm discuss higher standards … Read more
US Solar Fund has named Amber Infrastructure Investment Advisor as its investment manager after shareholders approved changes to the trust’s investment policy. In a stock exchange announcement on 17 November, the £136.3m trust’s board announced the amendments to the investment policy had been passed by 89.6% of votes. In October, the trust outlined amendments to … Read more
The biggest concern of senior executives in the asset management and investment funds industry is the legal risk associated with failing to comply with sustainability regulations, according to a survey. More than half (53%) of those polled said this was their current main concern. Reputation also plays a decisive role, with 59% of respondents regarding … Read more
Vietnamese fund manager Dragon Capital Group has had an equity fund reclassified as Article 8 under the EU’s Sustainable Financial Disclosure Regulations (SFDR). Its Vietnam Equity Ucits Fund (VEF) is 10 years old and has 90% of its investments meeting environmental and social criteria. The firm uses exclusions, ESG integration and a positive tilt, as … Read more
Several market participants were expecting a complete overhaul of the Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation (SFDR) after the European Commission launched the targeted consultation on the implementation of the regulation on 14 September 2023. These expectations are based on statements by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and other national authorities that a transformation of … Read more
Financial advisers have a responsibility to educate clients about ESG and sustainable investing, a Morningstar Investment Management portfolio manager has said. Speaking at a COP28 roundtable organised by the firm, Nicolo Bragazza said: “Financial advisers should help end clients know what ESG, action, sustainable impact is…they are responsible for the general public to understand these … Read more
Nearly half of UK investment firms have no plans to capture data among their staff about neurodiversity and caring responsibilities, findings from an Investment Association report show. The Investment Association, alongside WTW’s Thinking Ahead Institute, has published an industry-wide data report on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) data in the UK investment management industry based … Read more
UKSIF’s 2023 Leadership summit kicked off with panel discussions on biodiversity, COP28 and thoughts on what the sustainable regulation landscape could look like in the future on the agenda. Here are the key takeaways from the event. FCA is assessing asset managers against its guiding principles Although there was no update on an exact date … Read more
Sustainable and ESG fund holdings and stewardship activities in the UK are not meeting the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) sustainability guiding principles, the regulator has said ahead of the publication of its Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR). A review published today by the FCA assessed how fund managers are implementing the guiding principles it set out … Read more
The issue of water scarcity has long been thought of as one facing the developing world. Yet with the increasing impact of climate change coupled with a huge rise in the global population, water shortages are becoming a crisis near and far. Indeed, here in the UK, demand is far outstripping supply. So much so, … Read more