ESG Integration Should Not Be Confused with Responsible Investing Practices
An article by Vito J. Racanelli entitled “A Setback for ESG in California” that appeared in last week’sNovember 5, 2018edition of Barron’s on the subject of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) election last month that resulted in the ouster of board presidentPriya Mathur, a 15-year veteranand a strong champion of the public pension… Continue reading about ESG Integration Should Not Be Confused with Responsible Investing Practices
For Index Fund Investors, Shedding Gun Companies and Gun Retailers May Not be an Option
Summary The effectiveness of divestment strategies aside, index fund investors who may wish to avoid investments in the stocks and bonds of weapons manufacturers and retailers in light of recent mass shootings in Florida, may be challenged to do so. Alternative investment vehicles are not readily available. In the absence of arms-free indexes, alternative near-term… Continue reading about For Index Fund Investors, Shedding Gun Companies and Gun Retailers May Not be an Option
Divesting from Fossil Fuels and Low Carbon Investing Strategies
Summary Divestment from fossil fuels and low carbon investing strategies have gained attention and a certain degree of traction among endowments and foundations, sovereign funds, public pension funds and some individual investors. Just in the last two months, both the City of New York’s public pension funds and the New York State Common Retirement Fund… Continue reading about Divesting from Fossil Fuels and Low Carbon Investing Strategies
Investing in Green Bonds
Synopsis: Equivalent to any other type of bonds except that the proceeds are earmarked toward financing projects with sustainable environmental benefits, green bonds are uniquely suited to meet the objectives of sustainable investors generally and impact oriented investors in particular. This article describes green bonds, how the market has grown and investing options for individual… Continue reading about Investing in Green Bonds
Sustainable Investing: Shareholder Advocacy & Issuer Engagement
Synopsis: This article explains the nature of shareholder advocacy, another sustainable investment strategy, as well as proxy voting and the more recent extension of this concept to include engagement both in connection with equity ownership as well as investments in fixed income securities and recent trends. Introduction Shareholder advocacy and issuer engagement, which leverage the… Continue reading about Sustainable Investing: Shareholder Advocacy & Issuer Engagement
Sustainable Investing: Impact Investing
Synopsis: This article defines impact investing, the small but growing segment that represents another one of the key sustainable investing strategies, and broadly identifies some of the impact investing options available to investors. Introduction Still a relatively small but growing slice of the sustainable investing segment, impact investments are moneys directed to companies, organizations, and… Continue reading about Sustainable Investing: Impact Investing
Sustainable Investing: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Integration
Synopsis: This article explains the sustainable investing strategy of ESG integration and why it is gaining traction. In addition, it highlights some challenges and offers a framework for setting financial performance expectations. What is ESG Integration? ESG integration is the investment strategy by which environmental, social and governance factors and risks are systematically analyzed and,… Continue reading about Sustainable Investing: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Integration
Sustainable Investing: Exclusionary and Divestiture Strategies
Synopsis: This article explains the concept of exclusionary/divestiture strategies, one of the four principal sustainable investing strategies, the various exclusions that are typically considered by investors as well as the challenges associated with targeting specific exclusions, in particular when investing in managed funds such as mutual funds and ETFs. Introduction Exclusionary strategies (sometimes also referred… Continue reading about Sustainable Investing: Exclusionary and Divestiture Strategies