Responsible Investor

Norway legislates against EU carbon credits fraud

Clamp down on VAT fraud by EU states.

New Africa ESG focused boutique pledges 25% of revenues to charities

Firm says donations could create 100,000 African jobs by 2012.

Sustainalytics in European hiring spree as it opens London and Paris offices

Asia sustainable investments could jump from $20bn to $4 trillion by 2015: Vontobel report

ESG uncertainty holding back investors from bigger allocations.

Dispelling the myths about Asian corporate governance

By focusing on popularized myths and preconceptions, real underlying issues in Asia will not be addressed.

Why I think the long-term investment debate could finally be moving forward: Raj Thamotheram

Hard-headed empirical research such as Mercer’s latest report is pushing the discussion.

UK trades unions and NGOs unite for pension fund e-mail campaign over BP/Shell tar sands

Website lists pension funds and managers with shares in oil giants.

RI round-up Feb 19

RI’s regular round-up of the most important responsible investment news.

Corporate governance agencies: the need for transparent voting decisions

Shouldn’t proxy voting groups be held to the same accountability as the corporates they challenge?

Shell freezes exec salaries and includes sustainability performance after shareholder pressure

Oil giant cites ‘open and constructive’ shareholder dialogue

RIAA seeks manager for Australian RI Academy

Govt backed Academy to push training, education and research.

Private equity push at SAM as Robeco PE chief takes executive position

Andrew Musters steps up to exec committee at Swiss sustainability house.

UNPRI coalition targets 86 major companies on Global Compact failure

Group targets reporting “laggards” that risk ejection.

Myners plans ‘long-only, long-term’ investor governance activist lobby group

NAPF launches governance guidelines in response to governance debate

Towers Watson chief says integrating sustainability could save pension funds 100bps per annum

Long-term investment and ESG integration advocated by influential investment advisor.

Pitt-Watson to advise Kiernan sustainable funds start-up - investment heads named

Inflection Point Capital Management launches with three investment strategies

Church of England funds sell millions in Vedanta shares boycott

Blacklisting follows failed engagement on human rights concerns.

Former Mercer Europe RI head Emma Hunt joins rival consultant Towers Watson

Consultant cites growing RI demand from clients.

Sales of SRI funds drop again, green fund sales hold steady

Monthly retail SRI receipts down, but slowed depression.

TIAA-CREF calls for proactive institutional investors to prevent market crises

Policy paper looks at lessons learned from financial crises.

SAM chief executive steps down over Robeco strategy dispute after just a year in top job

Swiss sustainability manager names interim dual CEOs

Number of Dutch schemes with SRI policies doubles within three years, say pension associations

Survey by Dutch occupational pension umbrella organisations.