Nest seeks ESG provider, IIGCC releases infra net zero guidance

Nest seeks ESG data provider

The £24bn National Employment Savings Trust has launched a search for a company to provide ESG data to support it in its responsible investment activities and reporting. According to the tender documents, Nest requires ESG data for four main purposes. First, to assess and ensure that Nest funds adhere to its responsible investment standards and highlight companies that are failing to meet those standards, so Nest can better focus its engagement efforts. Second, the data must be able to highlight holdings in controversial industries and activities, as well as provide data at a portfolio and company level of performance in key ESG areas. Third, the data should highlight companies that fail to meet Nest’s standards and with which Nest may want to engage. Data must use the most up-to-date information. And finally, to ensure where Nest’s additional investment fund choices have specific policies in relation to values and ethics so the trust can monitor fund manager performance and update its policy from time-to-time. The contract will initially run for three years and the search closes on July 14 2022.

This article first appeared on MandateWire.com

IIGCC launches net zero guidance for infrastructure assets

The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change published on June 16 guidance for schemes to align and manage infrastructure portfolios to achieve global net zero emissions by 2050. Part of the Net Zero Investment Framework, this is the sixth asset class covered by the guidance, covering a range of issues and characteristics often unique to the infrastructure asset class. This includes their physical nature and direct real-world impact, the breadth of investors engaged with the asset class, the breadth of investment types, and long life cycle emissions, the IIGCC said.

Majority of schemes looking into net zero commitments

The majority of pension schemes are taking action when it comes to net zero commitments, according to research from Aon. The consultancy’s survey, which polled 155 investment professionals in the UK, showed that 19 per cent of UK asset owners already committed to aligning their portfolios to net zero by 2050, with a further 53 per cent intending to do so soon. Furthermore, the research concluded that 84 per cent of respondents engage with responsible investment through ESG integration.