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Spotlight
The missing shareholder links in France’s AGM reforms
French SIF responds to the recent corporate governance consultation.
CalPERS’ first ESG report and new PRI framework show progress of responsible investment reporting
The age of transparency is slowly emerging
World Water Day: why the water investment theme is more relevant than ever
A massive under-spend on infrastructure means pent up demand.
Ruggie’s legal legacy: could human rights become the biggest investor ESG risk?
Ruggie’s UN framework could slowly become legally binding and more financially material.
We must end quarterly capitalism: Mindy Lubber
Short-sighted, short-termism is the financial markets’ Achilles heel
Kris Douma. Mn Services: Food crisis and commodities: are investors to blame?
Pension fund addresses public concern after media coverage on agricultural commodities investing.
The RI year ahead….and the year that was: the biggest stories of 2011…and 2012
We take a look at the most read stories of 2011 and what will make the headlines early this year.
Olympus scandal highlights need for tighter focus on corporate governance in Japan
Increased levels of accountability and transparency are needed if Japanese companies are to attract long-term shareholders.
Investors should examine their exposure to companies linked to Western Sahara
Investors have responsibilities to ensure that they don’t sustain or aggravate conflict
India’s struggle against corruption: what could the LokPal bill mean for companies and investors?
Anna Hazare’s campaign could start to break the cycle of graft.
The future of fish: investors get active on unsustainable fishing practices
Engagement could be a turning point for marine engagement.
RI blog, Erika Karp: Lady Gaga and Sustainable Investing
The performers meteoric rise can teach us a thing about doing things differently.
Investor giant CalPERS wrestles with real-life challenge of ESG
Discussions ahead of a formal ESG implementation plan to be presented to the CalPERS board later this year.
How low pay is moving up pension funds’ governance agendas
Investors taking on top pay have so far been silent on pay at the other end
UK must grasp the nettle on sustainable finance and investment
UKSIF celebrates its 20th birthday with action call.
RI Interview: Gates Foundation’s latest social investments create odd bedfellows
Responsible Investor talks to the Gates Foundation about its program-related investments.
Is the EU Green Paper the end for ‘comply and explain’ corporate governance?
Regulators may start to challenge corporate ‘explanations’.
Getting transparent with the extractives industry: the EITI
Successful transparency initiatives indicate a growing sense of urgency and responsibility in confronting problems in natural resources rich countries.
Implications of the Japanese nuclear disaster: An ESG research perspective
Financial pressure and public scrutiny on companies who build and operate nuclear plants.
Can big US companies stay with the Chamber of Commerce when it contradicts their own policies?
Resolutions will be filed at IBM and PepsiCo asking them to explain their position.
World Water Day: A drought in your portfolio?
Investors should understand the water exposure in their portfolios
Shareholder engagement: a promising SRI approach?
Report outlines how institutional investors are using engagement strategies
Backdrop to an investor campaign to regulate deadly arms trade
Major hurdles remain to clear before international agreement can be reached.
Davos sustainable investing papers re-pose the long-term company/investor question
World Economic Forum (26-30 January) papers look at long-term investing and mainstreaming sustainability.
Can responsible investment move from process to outcomes on poverty and sustainable development?
Report of the Better Returns in a Better World project.
Mexico joins ESG index rush with Cancún launch
Sustainability benchmark will measure Mexican companies against international standards.
CSR guidelines incorporated into Norwegian corporate governance code
Boards to include CSR factors in risk management.
BP calls into question existing ESG research and shows the need for third-party information
The oil major was a high risk, reputation concern before the Gulf of Mexico spill.
PRI signatories come together to kick off Australia collaboration network
Australian PRI members to share research and lobby work on ESG issues.
Record investor approval for US 2010 social shareholder resolutions
US proxy season round-up shows unprecedented support for ESG proposals.
The European Commission could pull the plug on shareholder engagement unless owners step up
EC Green Paper is sceptical about shareholder oversight to prevent another financial crisis.
Exclusion doesn’t equal underperformance
The KLP fund shows good performance of indexed responsible investments
Drilling down on ESG risks in the mining sector
Investors need to be aware of the multiple sustainable initiatives and how they work.
Access to medicines: a vested interest for investors and companies
Further index launches planned for June and July.
European remuneration practices: shareholders, watch out!
Can pay and perks be compared on a European level?
The quest for the ‘Holy Grail’ of integrated financial and CSR reporting
Companies should issue one report for stakeholders, argue Robert Eccles and Michael Krzus.
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.
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?
The real Copenhagen outcome hangs on this month’s voluntary country emissions targets
Economy wide targets must be submitted to UN by Jan 31.
Monitoring and reporting on corporate governance is essential for responsible investment
Why meaningful reform will depend on clear and appropriate benchmarking.
Canadian investors rise to RI challenge despite legal limbo
Support for ESG considerations high, but caution on fiduciary responsibilities.
Bob Monks: My last ExxonMobil AGM
Why I’m ending years of speaking out at the annual meeting.
What can responsible investors expect from this week’s G20?
Furthering the dialogue on ESG with governments and regulators after the London Summit is key.
Sustainable investment in India is a marathon, not a sprint
A senior portfolio manager’s reflection on investing and governance in the world’s biggest democracy.
Drilling down into Asian corporate governance
Why local culture, legal and business knowledge could be key.
From Poznan to Copenhagen: policy makers look to investors on climate change policy
Chance now for investors to feed into the negotiating process.
Why should investors get involved in the ‘Better returns in a better world’ project?
How alleviating poverty can foster better market conditions in developing countries.
Time for investors to get tough on oil sands risks
The financial crisis has put a damper on development in Canada’s oil sands, but investors can’t rely on oil price fluctuations to deliver ESG risk mitigation.
Ethos’ six-month campaign: a new tactic in European say-on-pay
Swiss investors adopt US-style publicity strategy to shame companies into action.
How can investors assess labour and human rights risks?
A guide to one of the most difficult challenges in the ESG field.
Sovereign wealth funds: the future of ESG investing?
Attacked for political investing, could sovereign wealth funds actually be the most important future trend in ESG finance?
Investor appeal for ‘packaged’ sustainability products: TBLI Asia report
Investors, entrepreneurs and NGOs converge on Bangkok for TBLI Asia 2008.
Asia’s state pension funds: en route to better governance
Funds in China, Korea and Thailand break ground on voting and corporate accountability, but there are still areas to develop.
DC pension saving: the next ethical consumer boom?
Defined contribution pension savings part of first UK National Ethical Investment Week.
EIRIS: Peter Webster looks back at 25 years of responsible research
UK research company celebrates 25th year of corporate and SRI scrutiny.
Australian super funds get rated on climate change
SuperRatings launches ‘Infinity Award’ to rate funds taking climate change seriously.
Sub-prime and carbon: an eerie similarity
Supporting renewable energy is a first step, but banks must also come clean about fossil fuel financing.
UN PRI cuts its teeth with first public investor campaign
Supporters say boost to Global Compact points the way to more sophisticated collaborations.
How a TV documentary on cluster bombs became an ESG benchmark
New ranking compares Dutch pension funds on pollution and human rights issues.
Measuring asset managers for responsible investment
How can investors gauge whether their fund managers practice what they preach on RI?
Australia takes a lead on responsible investment
Support for the UNPRI is growing rapidly in Australia as investors use it as their framework for SRI.
Responsible pensions in BP pipeline
Sally Bridgeland, CEO of BT pension trustees explains how the oil and gas company is exploring SRI within the scheme.
Schroders heralds the changing investment climate
CIO Alan Brown says fund managers will also come under pressure on their own internal environment policy.
Leveraging the Carbon Disclosure Project
Corporates are doing well in carbon disclosure, so why are investors lagging?
Trucost expands its carbon count
UK research house to measure footprint of US equity funds
Blood and Gore: talking ‘bout their Generation
Long-term investment performance is the firm’s mantra.