DOL Proposes Tightened Proxy Voting Guidelines
The department’s new proposal dovetails with SEC guidance finalized in 2020 and would create a refined set of circumstances in which plan fiduciaries may engage in proxy voting.
How ESG-Minded Investors Can Help Address the Affordable Housing Crisis
Institutional investors with a focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing can help address the housing crisis through investment opportunities in both the public and private markets…
How Investors Can Address Climate Risk in Real Estate
Climate change has led to an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as hurricanes and wildfires, and these catastrophes are expected to impact the world for years to come. Climate risk, which refers to the hazards associated with climate change, can significantly threaten real estate portfolios, as it disproportionately affects […]
DOL Calls for Stricter Rules Around ESG Investing in Retirement Plans
The Department of Labor (DOL) in late June proposed guidance for considering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in the investment duties of fiduciaries for both defined benefit and defined contribution plans subject to ERISA. In general, the DOL rule seems intended to create a larger hurdle to incorporating ESG factors into ERISA plan investments. […]
Fixed Income Market Offers Many Options for ESG Investors
More investment managers are applying ESG analysis to bonds, and many have developed customized ESG frameworks to specifically evaluate various segments of the global credit market
‘Social Washing’ and How COVID-19 Has Emphasized the ‘S’ in ESG
While ESG-savvy investors are most likely familiar with “greenwashing,” which refers to the misrepresentation of environmental impact, the term “social washing” has gained new prominence as the investment community evaluates corporations’ responses to the sudden challenges presented by the coronavirus. Social washing refers to statements or policies that make a company appear more socially responsible […]
ESG: What the Future May Hold
Read full survey Incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors has seen a meteoric rise in usage among institutional investors over the last several years. While not every institutional investor actively incorporates these factors into their investment decision-making process today, the rate of adoption and frequency of discussion among Callan’s clients has continued to […]
Callan Survey: ESG Here to Stay in the U.S.
View the Survey Institutional investors have been grappling for years with the issue of quantifying non-financial investment considerations and applying them to an investment decision-making framework. This is true for defining environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, but despite the challenges investors are persisting in finding novel solutions. And as research, data, and resources become […]
ESG Mythbusters: The DC Plan Summer Blockbuster?
Growing interest in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing is apparent across the institutional investment industry. ESG has also captured the attention of policy makers; for instance, the White House, the Senate Committee on Banking and Finance, the Labor Department, and the SEC have all addressed ESG in the past year. And we can read […]
ESG’s Regional Regulatory Conundrum for Managers
Despite the climate change concerns of many Americans, our political and regulatory stance on environmental issues has diverged from much of the rest of the world. America’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the administration’s easing of environmental regulations and enforcement, and the increased support for coal production are examples of this pivot. For institutional investors, […]