CalSTRS Sustainable Investment Director Kirsty Jenkinson talks about taking a hard line on companies failing to disclose emissions properly and treating proxy voting as seriously as portfolio investments. It’s been just over five years since Kirsty Jenkinson became Investment Director for the Sustainable Investment and Stewardship Strategies (SISS) team at the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) – the largest…

A selection of the major stories impacting ESG investors, in five easy pieces.  This week witnessed a court ruling which could have potentially seismic implications for climate policy globally. Every voice matters – Governments are expected to revisit their climate policies after a landmark court victory this week for a group of self-described old Swiss women. The European Court of…

As headwinds intensify, financial institutions need to move together on the path to net zero, according to Triodos Bank CEO Jeroen Rijpkema. Recently, our efforts to create a future that is prosperous and sustainable for all have met a storm of short-sighted backlash. It is mainly fuelled by populist-motivated politicians in response to the increasing focus on environmental, social issues…

Richard Hardyment, Head of Engagement at the Institute of Business Ethics, calls for a revolution in the mechanics of measurement to realise sustainable finance’s potential. First there was the boom then came the backlash. ESG has stormed into mainstream finance but it’s now under scrutiny like never before. There are accusations of greenwashing from one side, ‘wokeism’ from another, and…

Sondre Myge, Head of ESG at SKAGEN Funds, says investors need to face up to the challenges of responsible stewardship of carbon-intensive assets. The market is exiting the first iteration of ESG. This has primarily been dominated by avoidance – what not to own – and vague product KPIs with little or no connection to the real economy (think carbon…

Andrea Tweedie, Head of Stewardship at the Financial Reporting Council, highlights progress to date and calls for ‘good, bad and ugly’ feedback ahead of the upcoming review. The Financial Reporting Council’s (FRC) UK Stewardship Code has come a long way since launch in 2010, but must continue to adapt to a rapidly changing regulatory and investment environment to meet the…

Panellists at Stewardship Summit 2024 say forward-looking disclosure on climate transition plans by fossil fuel firms is vital.  Oil and gas companies are improving on climate-related disclosures, but are still failing to provide evidence of alignment with decarbonisation metrics and targets, Valeria Piani, Head of Stewardship at UK-based long-term savings and retirement business Phoenix Group, has said.   Speaking at…