Corporates’ annual general meetings (AGMs) are a time for investors and their stewardship strategies to shine. ESG Clarity asked industry professionals to find out what they expect – and what they hope – to see this AGM season. Louisiana Salge, EQ Investors head of sustainability, is not feeling hugely optimistic about how asset managers will use their role as stewards this…
Investor engagement with oil and gas companies has achieved “derisory” results and must be radically improved, including by voting down directors, according to an open letter NGO Reclaim Finance sent to 50 large investment firms yesterday. The letter stated investors ought to vote against strategic routine resolutions, suspend new investments and making public statements for oil and gas companies which…
Never has it been more necessary for us, especially investors with a sustainability view of the world, to be able to spot the difference between a genuine solution to a sustainability problem and a red herring. We are bombarded with claims about how ‘green’ businesses are, or how a certain technology will save the planet. But working out which ones…
Investec announced today the appointment by its alternative investment platform, Investec Alternative Investment Management (IAIM), of Alicia Forry as Head of ESG, Alternative Investments. In her new role, Forry will help to embed a responsible investing framework and series of processes across Investec’s private market credit strategies, integrating ESG considerations throughout the direct lending process, and helping companies to understand…
Integrated container logistics company A.P. Moller-Maersk announced that its greenhouse gas emissions targets, including its aim to achieve net zero by 2040, and a series of new goals to reduce emissions across its operations and supply chain, have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The announcement makes Maersk the first company to have its climate targets validated…
European battery cell manufacturer ACC (Automotive Cells Company) announced today that it has raised €4.4 billion (USD$4.7 billion) in debt financing, aimed at supporting the construction of three gigafactories for lithium-ion battery cell production in France, Germany, and Italy. ACC was founded in 2020 as a joint venture by Stellantis and TotalEnergies – with Mercedes-Benz joining the JV in 2021…
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the launch of a new funding opportunity, providing up to $100 million to support projects to remove, store and utilize carbon from the atmosphere, as part of efforts to develop a commercially viable carbon dioxide removal industry in the U.S. Carbon removal is emerging as a key tool in the fight to address…
The UK government announced a new requirement for developers to deliver a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) of 10% for all major building projects, improving the overall status of natural habitats and ecosystems across new housing, industrial or commercial developments. Introduced in the UK’s 2021 Environment Act, Biodiversity Net Gain aims to create and improve natural habitats, in order to ensure…