
Lack of consistency in ESG standards in investment trusts: JTC Group
Investment trusts are the latest sector of the financial services industry to come under fire for failing to cater adequately for responsible investors.

Investment trusts are the latest sector of the financial services industry to come under fire for failing to cater adequately for responsible investors.
The CFA Society of the UK has announced the launch of the Certificate in Impact Investing, a qualification aimed at investment professionals seeking a comprehensive introduction to the fast-growing field of impact investing.
A survey of UK pension funds and insurers that collectively oversee GBP359.82 billion in assets, commissioned by AlphaReal, the specialist manager of secure income real assets, found that 90 per cent plan to increase their allocation to renewable energy in the next 12 months, while the remaining 10 per cent say they might make increases.

Investor demand for natural capital – timber, agriculture and nature-based solutions – has outpaced interest in real estate for the first time.
The firm writes that the new fund benefits from synergies of BNP Paribas’ diversified model: close collaboration between BNP Paribas Asset Management, BNP Paribas Corporate & Institutional Banking and BNP Paribas Cardif.
A new survey conducted by the independent global investment consultancy, bfinance, on the topic of endowment and foundation investment has revealed a challenging investment climate, asset allocation intentions, and the importance of ESG. The Endowment & Foundation survey, dated November 2023, features data from 61 asset owners from 16 countries.

The short-term interests of asset managers may be trumping the long-term interests of their institutional investor clients when it comes to stewardship, which has lead UK pension funds to call for urgent action.
More than nine in 10 investors (94 per cent) believe corporate reporting on sustainability performance contains unsupported claims, according to PwC’s 2023 Global Investor Survey, launched today.

Bucking the global trend away from impact startups, French business school EDHEC has partnered with private equity firm Ring Capital to drive capital towards entrepreneurial projects that drive social and environmental change.
ETF providers continue to overlook stewardship responsibilities with proxy voting “muddled and concentrated”, new research reveals.