Question one: How does engagement in fixed income work in practice? It’s a myth that engagement in the realm of fixed income is less effective than for equities. Our multi-decade experience of deep engagement with companies issuing debt illustrates this – and we have a solid track record that underlines how effective engagement can be … Read more
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 … Read more
35% of the UK’s largest platforms and advisory groups would fail the entity-level disclosure requirements that form part of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) new Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR), according to a Mobilityways study. All investment managers in excess of £5bn of assets under management will need to provide new disclosures to the FCA, explaining … Read more
Asset managers are failing to translate words into action when they vote at annual general meetings, according to an analysis of votes at 75 fossil fuel companies conducted by Reclaim Finance. Despite communicating a desire to act positively on climate engagement, asset managers are failing to do so in key strategy votes, with Reclaim Finance … Read more
Schroders has announced that it has joined the Global Real Estate Engagement Network (GREEN), a not-for-profit engagement network of global institutional investors dedicated to accelerating change and driving sustainability in the real estate industry. According to Schroders, joining GREEN will allow their Global Cities team to work alongside its peers to engage with listed real … Read more
Almost six in 10 Luxembourg management companies, banks and insurance companies fulfilled the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation’s (SFDR) “comply or explain” rules, according to a report, but discrepancies were found in the reporting of principal adverse impacts (PAIs) The study, Sustainable Finance in Luxembourg 2023: An expanded overview, by the Luxembourg Sustainable Finance Initiative (LSFI) … Read more
Todd Cort (pictured left), faculty director of Yale University’s sustainability program, is expecting an “explosion of unpriced information”, which he said active asset managers will use to outperform markets. Alongside this, the needle is being moved back towards ESG-oriented funds and financial regulators are in the process of standardising climate information and disclosures, which should … Read more
Major UK investors have written to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to urge the regulator to act on racial equality by introducing mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting for financial institutions. In response to the FCA’s consultation on improving diversity and inclusion in the financial sector, members of ShareAction’s Good Work coalition – including NEST, Brunel … Read more
ESG Clarity talked to Angus Whiteley, chief executive of the investment advisory firm, Stafford Capital Partners, about the firm’s investment strategy and the best way to decarbonise 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
New findings from the WWF Sustainable Financial Regulations and Central Bank Activities (SUSREG) Tracker show that 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 … Read more