Why universal owners need modest objectives
By aiming for less asset owners can achieve more as universal owners.
The scores are in!
After a year living with my heat pump I’m pleasantly surprised by the economics of ownership.
What I’d do differently now
I’m very happy with my heat-pump but I blundered my way through the installation process. This is what I’d do differently now.
Decarbonisation on the home front
The last couple of years of my personal decarbonisation path have been dominated by heat pumps, offsetting, investments, and hypocrisy
A father’s perspective on gender diversity
The working world for women is improving but much remains to be done
Why global warming doesn’t matter so much to financial markets
Market pricing is just too short-term to take account of climate impacts to the extent we’d like, while carbon remains unpriced
Self-tax don’t offset
Offsetting has both technical and behavioural problems, meaning my preferred approach is self-taxation to fund nature and policy projects
Net zero asset management and the fiduciary duty dilemma
Amidst the sound and fury of the ESG debate there are genuinely tricky fiduciary duty issues to consider for asset managers committed to accelerating action on climate change.
Executive pay: trouble ahead?
Smart minds and cool heads will be needed to avoid conflict around C-suite remuneration during this year’s AGM season
Buying virtue
There’s unstoppable momentum behind linking executive pay to ESG targets. That’s not all good news.
What GFANZ should have said
A light-hearted, but serious take, on what GFANZ should’ve announced in Glasgow in November 2021, written with Harald Walkate
Raising the bar
The Financial Conduct Authority plans significantly tougher requirements for funds to be labelled as sustainable. That’s a good thing, although it’s not straightforward.
One cheer for GFANZ
The latest publications from GFANZ expose the limitations of the project. Is there an opportunity to reframe its objectives?
Trouble ahead for GFANZ
Asset managers need to figure out how to align membership of GFANZ with their fiduciary duty to clients, and fast.
What ESG activists can learn from the Sainsbury’s living wage case
ESG activism has a bright future, but the Sainsbury’s case contains important lessons.
This has to get easier
My experience installing a heat pump shows the massive gap between climate policy and what happens on the ground
On ShareAction’s evidence in favour of the Sainsbury’s Living Wage resolution
ShareAction has cited several papers in support of its case that financial benefits, not costs, would arise from supporting their Living Wage resolution at Sainsbury's. Here’s why I don’t think they show that at all.
Why shareholders should reject the Living Wage proposal at Sainsbury’s AGM
Schroders is right to vote against the shareholder resolution that would force Sainsbury’s to become an accredited Living Wage Employer. But this doesn’t mean that all ESG resolutions should be rejected.
The curse of BSG
Claims made for the real-world benefits of ESG often play fast and loose with the facts. This risks decreasing rather than increasing trust in business. Advocates of responsible business need to follow the evidence.