David Fyfe, portfolio manager of the Mint Asset Management New Zealand SRI Equity Fund, plots the past, present and future of ESG investing… When Mint began our journey on including ESG (environmental, social and governance) factors into our process many years ago, a common question was often: “Why would you, surely you are just… [Read More…]
Sponsored Content
Is the inflation genie out of the bottle?
In a stark case of ‘be careful what you wish for’, back in 2020 inflation was below central bankers target ranges, and they were asking their governments to loosen the fiscal purse strings to help get things going again. Fast forward to now and inflation around the world is above most central bank’s target ranges,… [Read More…]
Classic hits of 2021 revisited (plus all the new releases)
Mint Asset Management head of sales and marketing, David Boyle, looks back on his hit-picks for the industry in 2021… and forward to another compliant year. Someone a lot smarter than me once advised me: “Boyle sometimes you need to look back to go forward.” And while I have been in a rush to say… [Read More…]
From real world problems to real asset solutions
Can real asset investors decarbonise to future-proof portfolios? Transforming the built environment is critical to decarbonising our economy. Carbon emissions from buildings and infrastructure are responsible for 60 per cent of emissions globally1. In the UK, 80 per cent of buildings standing in 2050 will have already been built2 and across the developing world buildings… [Read More…]
From corporate reform to system reform
Can investors help reform markets and combat climate change? Some years ago, we had an ESG lightbulb moment. For all the good we managed to achieve through our micro-level corporate engagements, they would be meaningless if we failed to address existential market failures at the macro level. The answer was to find a way of… [Read More…]
What is really behind responsible investing and ESG ratings?
Mint Asset Management portfolio manager, David Fyfe, explains the rationale and reality of responsible investing in a world increasingly attuned to environmental, social and governance factors… Responsible investing is generally acknowledged as the inclusion of factors, such as environmental and societal issues, into the investment process alongside the traditional financial analysis. Recently, we saw the… [Read More…]
Forestry investments prove resilient
Forest Enterprises says more investors looking to forestry sector after Covid-19. One benefit of investing in forestry, says Bert Hughes, CEO and Forestry Director of Forest Enterprises, is that it is not affected by the short-term peaks and troughs of the economy. It’s much less prone to unexpected economic shocks that can shake the share… [Read More…]
A custom solution, for custom advice, in a fraction of the time…
“I can’t understand why technology isn’t more widely used by advisers, it’s all manual Word docs and spreadsheets. Every place I go, I try to have OMNIMax implemented.” As a graduate James Kara considered himself lucky to join a financial practice that had implemented a bespoke OMNIMax solution… Since then, Kara has been on a… [Read More…]
From climate change to climate transition
Can looking beyond green credentials accelerate a lower-carbon world? There are two ways of looking at climate change and its investment implications. Companies, and assets like real estate, are either part of the solution or will need to adapt. Investors face a related conundrum: ‘Should you merely try to reduce the emissions in your portfolio,… [Read More…]
From carbon emitters to carbon cutters
Can an engagement programme with teeth drive change where it matters most? The influential economist Albert Hirschman argued engagement is the most impactful way to drive change. Once you walk away, you lose your voice. Steve Waygood, chief responsible investment officer at Aviva Investors, shares that view, believing that while divestment may be a simpler… [Read More…]