All Governance articles – Page 20

  • Getty Images
    News

    Local schemes urge Barclays to stop financing fossil fuel companies

    2020-01-07T00:00:00Z

    Several local government pension schemes are asking Barclays to publish a plan to gradually phase out its financing of fossil fuel companies, as the bank has provided more than $85bn (£65bn) to such companies since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015.

  • Vassos Vassou
    Opinion

    The pension industry’s ‘Extinction Rebellion’ moment

    2020-01-03T00:00:00Z

    Dalriada’s Vassos Vassou explains why trustees must take ownership of environmental, social and governance risks in their pension funds’ investment strategies, and how asset managers and consultants must be held to account.

  • Opinion

    Are IGCs up to challenge of new duties?

    2019-12-24T00:00:00Z

    Last year came to an end with the Financial Conduct Authority taking steps to expand the role of governance committees charged with looking after the pensions of millions of workplace savers in the UK.

  • News

    Pension cuts for FTSE directors moving at snail’s pace

    2019-12-19T00:00:00Z

    Data crunch: Despite 30 FTSE 100 companies having already announced changes to their pension contribution rates for executive directors, there is still a long wait to go until there is parity in contributions between bosses and their workers, experts warn

  • News

    Nest considers 1.5C target for climate change fund

    2019-12-18T00:00:00Z

    Data crunch: The government-backed workplace provider Nest is testing ways to adopt a 1.5C goal for its Climate Aware Fund, to better reflect the “quickly evolving nature of climate change risk” and its impact on members’ investments.

  • News

    IGCs face ‘huge challenges’ with extended oversight remits

    2019-12-17T00:00:00Z

    The new rules coming into force for independent governance committees – taking oversight of the provider’s policy on environmental, social and governance factors, and guaranteeing the value for money of new investment pathway solutions – have been branded a “huge challenge” by industry experts.

  • News

    Brunel appoints managers for £2.6bn alpha equity mandate

    2019-12-10T00:00:00Z

    On the go: The Brunel Pension Partnership has appointed five managers to run a £2.6bn Global High Alpha fund for its 10 Local Government Pension Scheme clients.

  • News

    Ombudsman sides with Shell on climate change dispute

    2019-12-10T00:00:00Z

    The Pensions Ombudsman has sided with the Shell Contributory Pension Fund in the legal challenge regarding the disclosure of climate change information, which has prompted environmental lawyers ClientEarth to request the body to review its internal procedures.

  • News

    Only three asset managers ‘walking the walk’ on climate change

    2019-11-28T00:00:00Z

    Among the world’s 15 largest asset managers, only three companies are making the grade on environmental, social and governance considerations, a report from InfluenceMap shows.

  • David Weeks
    Opinion

    Fix democratic deficit before mandating professional trustees

    2019-11-21T00:00:00Z

    If the Pensions Regulator really wants a professional trustee on every board, it should prove that this will add value, says the Association of Member Nominated Trustees’ David Weeks, arguing that more immediate action should be taken to address weakening member representation on scheme boards.

  • Amanda Burdge
    Opinion

    Is more needed to clean up fiduciary management?

    2019-11-11T00:00:00Z

    Quantum Advisory’s Amanda Burdge says the welcome Competition and Markets Authority remedies for fiduciary management still leave the door open for managers to mark their own scorecards in some situations.

  • News

    Nearly one in five schemes use FM as green issues come to the fore

    2019-10-24T00:00:00Z

    On the go: Despite a regulatory investigation, assets managed by fiduciary managers have broken the £170bn barrier, up 21 per cent from £142bn in 2018.

  • Lesley Carline
    Opinion

    Introduction of professional trustees should be gradual

    2019-10-24T00:00:00Z

    The industry remains divided over whether trustee boards should be mandated to appoint a professional trustee because, while they might improve standards, they also lead to an increase in costs. To tackle this, the Pensions Management Institute’s Lesley Carline explains why the regulator should adopt a phased introduction of professional trustees.

  • News

    FRC unveils stewardship code addressing ESG engagement

    2019-10-23T00:00:00Z

    On the go: A new code from the Financial Reporting Council dictates how asset managers and pension funds should engage with companies for better environmental and social outcomes, including on climate change.

  • News

    Opperman pushes 50 largest funds to lead way on climate change

    2019-10-07T00:00:00Z

    On the go: Pensions and financial inclusion minister Guy Opperman has written to the largest pension funds in the UK, reminding them to pull their weight in the fight against climate change.

  • Opinion

    Seven features that define DB pension schemes

    2019-10-03T00:00:00Z

    Jonathan Libre, a principal in the Emea Insights team at Broadridge Financial Solutions, discusses seven key factors that define DB pension funds, and how they can provide a useful framework through which schemes can be examined. 

  • News

    TPR: 400 schemes fail to review data within three years

    2019-10-02T00:00:00Z

    On the go: The Pensions Regulator is demanding that four hundred pension schemes review their data urgently within six months as part of a crackdown on poor record-keeping, with tough sanctions for non-compliance.

  • Donny Hay
    Opinion

    Site visits: Get to know a fiduciary manager before you tie the knot

    2019-09-30T00:00:00Z

    Selecting a fiduciary manager is just like marriage: you want to take time to select the right partner. Trust comes from knowing people well and seeing them often. Much like selecting a partner for life, you want to know the whole family (firm), not just the edited bits online (the beauty parade that many rely on in selection).

  • Features

    Catherine Howarth: ESG statements are just the start

    2019-09-30T00:00:00Z

    Pension schemes are engaging with issues such as climate change more than ever before, but there is still a lot of work to do before the industry starts seeing real implementation and delivery, says ShareAction’s chief executive, Catherine Howarth.

  • News

    Now Pensions among four new authorised master trusts

    2019-09-24T00:00:00Z

    On the go: The Pensions Regulator has authorised a further four master trusts to continue operating in the defined contribution market, including the once embattled provider Now Pensions.