Sustainable & Responsible Investing News

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – The market share of sustainable investing has grown across almost all regions of the world since 2014. Globally, there are now $22.89 trillion of assets being professionally managed under responsible investment strategies, representing an increase of 25 percent over two years. Clearly, sustainable investing now constitutes a major force across global financial […]

  Tim Mohin, Chief Executive of GRI and James Zhan, Director of the Investment and Enterprise Division at the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), met at the GRI Standards launch event in Zurich for the signing of an Exchange of Letters on Wednesday 29 March. Having signed a Memorandum of Understanding already in 2008, […]

See Top Ten Fortune 500 Companies It is well documented that CSR practices are both an emerging and rapidly expanding set of standards for 21st century corporations. As $30 to $40 trillion shifts hands from the current generation to the upcoming millennials over the next few decades, there are markedly different standards that companies must […]

Illustration by Sam Island In recent years, corporate governance mavens have focused a great deal of attention on board composition. In particular, diversity has become the shibboleth of good corporate governance, with an assumption that improved oversight and better decision-making will flow from a more diverse board. Although gender has been the key dimension for […]

Demonstrating strong investor opposition to special interest efforts to weaken key elements of the shareholder resolution process (SEC rule 14a-8), a group of leading investor organizations representing $65 trillion in assets wrote last week to the Trump administration urging support for the SEC’s existing shareholder proposal process, which is providing wide-ranging benefits. The letter was […]

March 21, 2017 /3BL Media/ CSRHub recently added a major new source to its pantheon of ratings partners—Ideal Ratings.  Ideal Ratings seeks to provide ESG data to Socially Responsible Investors (SRIs).  This is similar to the target market for our long-time friends at ET Global Indexes, IW Financial, MSCI, RepRisk, Thompson’s Asset4, Trucost and Vigeo EIRIS.  However, […]

One of the best parts of competing in the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge is that students who make it to the finals get paired up with 3M scientists like Jeff Emslander, who loves science and mentoring kids. 2015 (Photo courtesy 3M) Posted for media use. VIDEO: OPENING REMARKS by Ethisphere Chief Executive Officer, Timothy […]

Major U.S. businesses are urging the federal Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt to leave in place vehicle standards for passenger cars and light trucks. In a letter delivered this week to Mr. Pruitt, the businesses pointed out that the standards are good for business and for the economy as a whole. “We support staying […]

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – CEOs have a key responsibility to ensure that sustainability goals are incorporated into their long-term business strategy. The approach of short-termism is detrimental to their business interests, particularly as consumers, investors and other stakeholders increasingly expect businesses to become a force for societal change and create a long-term legacy. The inaugural CECP […]

Regulatory rollbacks, along with proposals to cut the regulating EPA’s budget by 24% and its staff by one-fifth, have energized values-driven investors. Since the November election, ESG investors have put $383 million into ESG stock funds, according to EPFR Global, quoted in a recent Barron’s article. Barron’s says ESG factors “could prove especially useful in evaluating companies […]

(3BL Media/Justmeans) – The financial crisis of 2008 was marked by an excessive focus on short term profits, aggressive acceptance of higher risks, and an erosion of trust between institutions and consumers. The positive outcome of that crisis has been a growing recognition of values-based investment decision criteria, and an increasing consideration of ESG issues […]

As socially responsible investing grows in popularity, experienced investors are looking deep into the details of investing in values without sacrificing performance. A recent article on Seeking Alpha by TDP Research outlines an investment professional’s experience with SRI, including a description of some very detailed criteria. One tip: this advisor focuses on stocks included in […]

  Bloomberg today announced the 2017 Financial Services Gender-Equality Index (BFGEI), providing investors and organizations with unique insight into the statistics, policies, product offerings and external engagement driving 52 firms’ commitment to building gender-equal workplaces. Bloomberg also introduced a Fixed Income Gender-Equality Index, representing investment grade debt issued by the 2017 BFGEI member firms. “Companies […]

By Robert Kropp. The oil and gas giant responds to years of shareowner action by appointing atmospheric scientist Susan Avery to its board of directors.

  February 2, 2017 /3BL Media/ – On January 26, 2017, TD Securities acted as a joint lead for the Province of Ontario’s third – and largest – green bond. At $800 million this is the largest issuance of a Canadian dollar green bond to date. Over the last seven years, the growth of the green […]

Vert Asset Management, a dedicated ESG investment manager, recently announced the launch of the Vert Global Sustainable Real Estate Fund (Ticker: VGSRX), an open-end mutual fund which seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation. The Fund invests across the globe in publicly listed real estate investment trusts (REITs) using evidence-based environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics. […]

Fund Offers Passive Investors Exposure to the Stock Performance of Developed Markets REITs Combined with Responsible Investment Criteria LONDON & AMSTERDAM, Jan. 30 /CSRwire/ – Northern Trust Asset Management, collaborating with GRESB, the global sustainability benchmark for real assets, has launched a unique sustainable real estate index. A Dutch-domiciled pooled fund passively managed to this […]

Amidst all the political rancor, the reality is that the incoming administration should be the loudest advocate for climate action, if for no other reason than to deliver on its ambitious jobs creation goal. Maintaining U.S. climate leadership would better position companies to capitalize on the immense business opportunity and get out ahead of growing […]

January 20, 2017 Investors Challenge Mutual Funds on Proxy Voting    by Robert Kropp Sustainable investment firms respond to update by Ceres by pressuring mutual funds on their proxy voting records relating to climate change. Second in a two-part series. SocialFunds.com — When Ceres recently updated its annual tally of mutual fund voting on climate […]