ESG

Grey swan is an event that is possible and known, potentially extremely significant but considered not very likely to happen.

Perhaps like us, you are a bit frightened about all the news stories and the statistics – the plastic ‘eighth continent’ in the Pacific Ocean, using our natural resources more rapidly than they can be replaced.

Facial Recognition Technologies are changing our lives. FRT enhances efficiency and security, helping us unlock high-end smartphones, or pass more rapidly through airports. But are there hidden costs to our human rights?

Our planet’s biodiversity – the variety of species of animals and plants – is collapsing. Given that about half of the global GDP is highly dependent on nature, the consequences can be grave.

Dull, boring, capital goods? Not at all! These companies are the next new thing in our Climate fight. As developers and providers of a wide range of components and automation products, capital goods companies develop the often un-seen products to reduce energy use and other sources of Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHGs).

25 years of experience in ESG, 25 years of experience in Emerging Markets Equities, and over 15 years of putting it all together. Doubling the Drivers of Performance : Historically, Emerging Markets have been the drivers of global growth. Times are changing - deglobalisation is the new trend – but EMs still are responsible for more than half of our global economic growth.

Every day we are reminded of the sweeping impact of climate change. As a responsible investor, we have a key role to play in financing the transition towards a low-carbon economy ….we have a role in financing a transition that takes place in a just and equal way … and we can help control climate change.

Sustainable bonds are increasingly used to fund specific environmental and social projects, and other sustainable activities. The growth of the sustainable bonds market has been underpinned by issuance from central and regional governments, supranational organisations and corporates.

Candriam’s evaluation of its portfolios’ carbon footprint takes into account scopes 1 and 2 of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the different private issuers included in the SRI funds and their benchmark indices.

For many years, and with the gradual rise of ESG investing, investors have been excluding the defence sector from their investments due to the adverse nature of armaments which have often served to infringe human rights and led to devastating effects on human lives and the overall  well-being of society.

S&P recently removed Tesla from its ESG index, citing concerns around its lack of low carbon strategy and business conduct as well as involvement in controversial incidents. Specific issues around racial discrimination and poor working conditions at a Tesla factory were also cited.

ENGAGEMENT and VOTING play an important role in communicating our core values to the company in which we invest on behalf of our clients – promoting three conviction topics as priorities, namely : Energy transition, Fair working conditions, and Business ethics.

Lucia Meloni and Céline Deroux share their views about the changes we need to make in business and mindsets to reach a sustainable future.

Debtholders are the major source of financing for new projects and growth

Direct Investing might be the ultimate investor/investee engagement

In 2020, the largest manufacturer of glyphosate announced a $9.6 billion agreement to settle filed and future claims in US courts that the pesticide had caused health problems. In 2021, the judge said the amount was too small. Now that should catch some attention.

For more than a year, markets – and investing Millennials in particular – seem unable to get enough of either ESG investments or cryptocurrencies.

Candriam has been engaged in ESG Country Analysis since 2009. In 2020, we put into practice our third and most sophisticated Sovereign Sustainability model.

Many of us welcome facial technology. It enhances efficiency and security. 

It is estimated that one billion surveillance cameras are in operation[i]. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) urge companies to respect human rights and correct abuses when they occur. They call on companies to conduct human rights due diligence to “know and show” they respect human rights through their own activities, and the activities directly linked to their products, services, operations, and through their business relationships.

Marie Niemczyk, Head of Insurance Relations at Candriam, explains why ESG is increasingly becoming a key topic for institutional investors, notably insurers.

The event which pushed Covid out of the global news headlines for part of 2020 was the death of George Floyd while in the custody of police.

In honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, Rudi Van Den Eynde, Head of Thematic Global Equity, gives us an overview of the disease and the challenges created by the epidemic. 

It's September, and schools are back on line. Think of this as your opportunity to expand your expertise in sustainable investing and become a graduated of the Candriam Academy.

The PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment), the world’s leading proponent of responsible investing, has delivered its 2020 PRI Assessment Reports for its signatories.