NewsRoom Articles - Page 23 of 49

FridayApr 05, 2024 10:00 am

Saba Capital Boosts Holdings in BlackRock ESG Trust by $5.4m

According to recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Saba Capital Management recently made significant purchases of BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust’s common stock. The trust, which trades under the ECAT ticker on NYSE, is part of BlackRock's suite of sustainable investment products that are focused on environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) criteria. The credit-relative, value-focused hedge fund purchased a total of 314,036 shares via two different transactions on March 27, 2024, and March 28, 2024, with a combined value of more than $5.4 million. The first transaction saw the hedge fund purchase 110,651 shares at a $17.23…

WednesdayApr 03, 2024 10:00 am

Mississippi Slaps BlackRock with Cease & Desist Order Over ESG Investments

Last week, the office of the secretary of state in Mississippi via the Securities Division issued BlackRock with a cease-and-desist order arising from statements it made on both its non-ESG and ESG funds. ESG funds are those that integrate environmental, social and governance factors in their decision-making when it comes to investments. In its cease-and-desist order, the division reprimanded the multinational investment company for deceptively marketing its ESG funds and explained that claims about ESG funds bringing in better financial returns were untrue. The securities division then revealed that the company’s non-ESG funds weren’t managed without regard for ESG criteria,…

MondayApr 01, 2024 10:00 am

Legislation Reintroduced in Congress to Block Retirement Plan ESG Investing

Earlier this month, Representative Greg Murphy reintroduced an amended measure in Congress that would prevent retirement plan trustees from investing in environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) on behalf of participants and beneficiaries. The measure, which was advanced to the House Ways & Means Committee, was cosponsored by Reps. Beth Van Duyne, Claudia Tenney and Mike Kelly. In a statement, Murphy explained that tax-advantaged retirement plans helped people save for their retirement and therefore needed to be managed in a way that would bring in the most returns instead of investing in risky ventures. He noted that unstable investments could be…

WednesdayMar 27, 2024 10:00 am

‘Greenhushing’ Is Adversely Impacting ESG Activity in Private Markets

A report outlining the state of Environmental, Social & Governance (“ESG”) investing in private markets has suggested that a phenomenon called “greenhushing’” is causing some asset managers to retreat from their public environment, social, and governance reporting commitments. Greenhushing refers to the practice of retaining information on climate-change mitigation strategies due to the fear that releasing this information could potentially risk a company’s reputation. Companies will either do this through avoidance or outright refusal to divulge any climate-action-related information, meaning they won’t provide any information if nobody asks and will decline to answer any queries that they do receive. For…

MondayMar 25, 2024 3:00 pm

Texas Terminates $8.5B Investment in BlackRock, ESG Movement Stunned

Earlier this week, Texas announced that it would be pulling the plug on its multibillion-dollar investment with BlackRock. This comes after the state determined that BlackRock was boycotting energy companies. BlackRock is a multinational investment company and the biggest asset manager globally with trillions in assets under management. Aaron Kinsey, chair of the state’s Board of Education, revealed that the decision was made in agreement with a 2021 state law focused on distancing Texas and its public funds from financial institutions that boycotted the oil and gas sector. In a statement, Kinsey stated that the state’s Permanent School Fund had…

FridayMar 22, 2024 2:00 pm

Implementing ESG in Financing Heavy Industry Is Still Challenging, Expert Says

Despite making significant progress over the past several years, the environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) space still faces significant challenges in heavy industry financing. ESG considerations are a set of standards that investors use to analyze a company’s social and environmental impact before deciding on their investment strategy. Given the major role institutional and large investors play in determining the success of companies and entire industries, incorporating ESG into financing strategies is a great way to encourage the corporate adoption of clean energy. Unfortunately, heavy industries such as oil and gas, petrochemicals and steel face plenty of unique challenges that…

WednesdayMar 20, 2024 2:00 pm

Canada Publishes Draft IFRS-Based Reporting Standards on Sustainability

Last week, the Sustainability Standards Board in Canada announced proposed standards for companies to report climate-related and sustainability data. The new standards are based on the International Sustainability Standards Board by the IFRS Foundation. The introduction of these new standards represents a step toward the establishment of compulsory reporting requirements for companies in Canada. In 2021, prime minister Justin Trudeau instructed cabinet ministers to adopt a reporting system based on the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (“TCFD”). The ISSB was launched during the COP26 climate conference that same year, with its objective being to develop sustainability disclosure standards. That…

MondayMar 18, 2024 9:32 am

How Smart IT Could Help the Construction Industry Meet Its ESG Goals

The construction industry may benefit significantly from leveraging smart IT to optimize ESG reporting. For companies in energy-intensive industries that contribute to a large portion of environmental pollution, ESG is critical to ensuring the minimization of their impact on local communities and the environment at large. The construction sector accounts for around 40% of worldwide energy consumption and contributes to one-third of all global emissions. As such, the industry is under mounting pressure to showcase its commitment to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net zero carbon. Achieving this typically involves placing a larger focus on ESG requirements during the tendering…

FridayMar 15, 2024 1:00 pm

Shanghai Unveils Plan Aimed at Improving ESG

Experts say Shanghai’s latest plan to improve Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) standards is compatible with the country's developmental concept of “innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing.” With ESG becoming an increasingly integral cog in the corporate world, Shanghai officials recently published a three-year plan designed to boost the city's ESG capabilities. The Action Plan for Accelerating the Improvement of Environmental, Social & Governance (“ESG”) Capabilities of Foreign-related Enterprises in Shanghai (2024-2026) was released by the Shanghai Commission of Commerce to improve ESG principles among corporations operating in the city. It outlines 12 key measures across three major actions: improving…

WednesdayMar 13, 2024 3:00 pm

Major US Banks Drop ‘Bare Minimum’ Eco Standards in Funding Energy Projects

Several climate groups across the globe were left reeling after four of the largest banks in the United States abandoned key industry safeguards and standards that sought to address the social and environmental risks posed by financial institutions when they invest in mining and fossil fuel projects. Dubbed the Equator Principles, these industry standards have been around for more than two decades and create a simple environmental-standards framework for addressing financial deals involving extractor projects that cause pollution. Although the standards aren't enforceable, the majority of banking institutions worldwide agree to abide by the standards to help mitigate the existential…

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