A selection of the week’s major stories impacting ESG investors, in five easy pieces. This week the energy transition witnessed a change of pace in Washington, if not necessarily in Houston. Gear shift – Joe Biden famously characterises himself as a “car guy”. And if there was any doubt, this week made clear that he’s very much an electric vehicle…
Fullerton Fund Management Raises $100 Million for Decarbonization Opportunities-Focused Private Equity Fund
Singapore-based active investment specialist Fullerton Fund Management announced that it has raised $100 million in the anchor close of its Fullerton Carbon Action Fund, a private equity fund aimed at investing in companies at the forefront of accelerating decarbonization in emerging markets in Asia including China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. According to Fullerton, the fundraising comes as Asia’s…
Aviva Investors Appoints Phillipa Grant as Director of Sustainable Investments for Real Assets
Aviva Investors announced today the appointment of Phillipa Grant as Director of Sustainable Investments for its Real Assets unit, with responsibility for delivering sustainability outcomes for clients across the firm’s real assets sustainable fund range, providing advice to support with strategy development and investment decisions, alongside delivery and reporting within portfolios. Grant joins Aviva Investors following eight years at consultancy,…
Nestlé Launches New Projects to Reduce Emissions in Cocoa Supply Chain
Global food and beverage company Nestlé has launched two new projects aimed at reducing and removing carbon emissions from the company’s cocoa supply chain. Developed with suppliers Cargill and ETG | Beyond Beans, the new five-year projects will promote agroforestry, accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture and support the reforestation of degraded lands around cocoa farming communities. Nestlé, home to…
BNP Paribas AM Launches Global Net Zero Transition Fund
BNP Paribas Asset Management (BNPP AM) announced today the launch of the BNP Paribas Global Net Zero Transition Equity fund, a new active fund aimed at offering investors with exposure to a decarbonization and sustainable investment focused strategy, with sector, regional and market cap diversification. According to BNPP AM, the new fund, classified as Article 8 under the EU’s SFDR…
Iberdrola to Invest $45 Billion in Grid Expansion and Renewables by 2026
Global energy and electricity provider Iberdrola announced plans today for a major electrification-focused investment program, pledging to allocate €41 billion in its network and renewable energy from 2024 through 2026, and to hire 10,000 people. The investment plans were announced as part of a strategic update by Iberdrola Executive Chairman Ignacio Galán at the company’s Capital Markets Day on Thursday,…
KKR Acquires Majority Stake in U.S. Renewables Developer Avantus
Alternative asset and private equity investor KKR announced the acquisition of a majority stake in U.S. solar and storage developer Avantus, with a commitment to support the growth of the company, as it stands to benefit from “material secular headwinds” supporting renewables development in the U.S. Founded in 2009, California-based Avantus develops and sells or operates large utility-scale solar and…