News Archives - Page 17 of 22 - Responsible Investment Association

The RIA Releases its 2018 Annual Report

Toronto – May 31, 2019 – The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is pleased to announce the release of its 2018 annual report. The report summarizes the organization’s progress along its five strategic priorities for achieving the RIA’s overarching goal of driving the adoption of responsible investing (RI) in Canada’s retail and institutional markets.

Canada’s RI market has doubled in size over the last four years, reaching a tipping point in 2018 when, for the first time ever, RI assets surpassed 50% of all professionally-managed assets in Canada. Within the context of this growing market, the RIA has also grown on all fronts, doubling our membership and tripling our staff capacity in the last four years. Our strengthened capacity has enabled us to expand our programs and events while solidifying our position as the national hub for RI in Canada.

In June 2018, the RIA adopted five strategic priorities:

Market Education: Promoting awareness, understanding, and demand for RI;
Integration: Supporting the integration of RI within investment firms and advisor practices;
Advocacy: Working towards a policy framework that is conducive to RI;
Brand & Reputation: Bolstering the RIA’s national brand & reputation as the leading hub for RI;
Capacity Building: Building our financial and human capital resources to support these goals.

The Annual Report summarizes our work toward delivering on these priorities in 2018.

Download the full report here.

About Responsible Investment Association
The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is Canada’s membership association for Responsible Investment (RI). Members include mutual fund companies, financial institutions, asset management firms, advisors, consultants, investment research firms, asset owners, individual investors and others interested in RI. Our members believe that the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into the selection and management of investments can provide superior risk adjusted returns and positive societal impact. To learn more about the RIA, please visit www.riacanada.ca.

The RIA Joins the 30% Club!

The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is pleased to announce that its CEO Dustyn Lanz has become a member of the 30% Club Canada, a group of business leaders who are committed to working towards a gender balance in corporate leadership.

The 30% Club’s name comes from its aspirational goal, which is for women to hold 30% of board seats and C-Suite positions. Recent research from Osler shows that women hold only 3.3% of CEO positions and 16% of board seats at TSX-listed companies. As a member of the 30% Club, Dustyn will actively contribute to its goal of achieving better gender balance on boards of directors and in senior management positions.

“The severe gender imbalance in corporate leadership is unjust, and it paints a stark picture of how far we have to go on gender equality,” said Lanz. “A lack of women in leadership also means lost opportunities for companies and investors – there is intrinsic value in having a gender mix around the table. I look forward to working with the 30% Club to drive gender equality forward in corporate Canada.”

A diverse board is associated with improved governance and board performance, as well as strong financial performance for companies and shareholders. Research has shown that companies with more women in leadership tend to outperform on a number of financial indicators, including return on equity, return on sales, share price performance, and other metrics.

The RIA recently announced its board diversity policy, which aims to achieve equal gender representation on the RIA board over time. Women currently hold 42% of seats on the RIA’s board of directors.

To learn more about the Canadian chapter of the 30% Club and how to join, click the link: https://30percentclub.org/about/chapters/canada

GRESB Joins the RIA as an Associate Member

May 7, 2019 – Toronto – The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is pleased to announce that GRESB has joined the RIA as an Associate Member.

“We are thrilled to welcome GRESB as an Associate Member of the Responsible Investment Association,” said Dustyn Lanz, Chief Executive Officer of the RIA. “GRESB has played an important role in promoting responsible investing in real assets, and we look forward to collaborating with them to drive awareness of responsible investing across asset classes.”

The RIA is Canada’s industry association dedicated to advancing responsible investment, which refers to the incorporation of ESG factors into the selection and management of investments. RIA membership has grown rapidly in recent years as investors increasingly seek investments that align with their values and manage exposure to environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities. According to research published by the RIA $2.1 trillion are invested responsible in Canada, equal to more than 50% of professionally managed AUM in Canada.

“GRESB is excited to partner with the RIA, Canada’s industry association for responsible investment,” said Neil Pegram, Director of Americas, GRESB. “GRESB is led globally by our institutional Investor Members with a focus on ESG in real assets. RIA Members include asset managers, asset owners, advisors, and service providers who believe incorporating ESG factors into investment decisions can provide superior risk-adjusted returns and positive societal impact. There is increasing overlap in our membership as Canadian institutional investors continue to demonstrate leadership in ESG globally and we look forward to working together.”

GRESB assesses the sustainability performance of real estate and infrastructure portfolios and assets worldwide. They offer ESG data, Scorecards, Benchmark Reports and portfolio analysis tools. More than 75 institutional investors, collectively representing over USD 18 trillion in institutional capital, use GRESB data and analytical tools.

Media Enquiries
Nick Buccheri, Manager, Communications and Digital Media, RIA, +1 416-461-6042

RI Funds Quarterly Performance Report – Q1 2019

Data provided by Fundata shows that nearly half of Canadian RI funds outperformed their average asset class return within the first quarter of 2019, and nearly three-quarters of RI funds outperformed over the one-year period ending March 31, 2019.

A majority of RI funds performed well over longer time periods, highlighting the long-term value of incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into investment decisions. Two-thirds of RI funds outperformed their average asset class return over five years, while more than half of RI funds outperformed over the three-year and 10-year periods.

Download Q1 2019 Highlights.

RIA Members can download the full report by logging in to their account.

Hugessen Consulting Joins the RIA as an Associate Member

May 2, 2019 – Toronto – The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is pleased to announce that Hugessen Consulting has joined the RIA as an Associate Member.

“We are pleased to welcome Hugessen as an Associate Member of the Responsible Investment Association,” said Dustyn Lanz, Chief Executive Officer of the RIA. “Hugessen has demonstrated leadership on corporate governance, which is a core pillar of responsible investing. We look forward to working with them to promote education and awareness around corporate governance practices and responsible investing in Canada.”

The RIA is Canada’s industry association dedicated to advancing responsible investment, which refers to the incorporation of ESG factors into the selection and management of investments. RIA membership has grown rapidly in recent years as investors increasingly seek investments that align with their values and manage exposure to ESG risks and opportunities. According to research published by the RIA $2.1 trillion are invested responsible in Canada, equal to more than 50% of professionally managed AUM in Canada.

“The constantly evolving focus of the capital markets are integral to our work in executive compensation which is why we are thrilled to be joining the RIA, as environmental and social topics take on more prominence in the boardrooms of our clients,” said Michelle Tan, Principal at Hugessen Consulting. “We look forward to working with the RIA and sharing insights with our clients in the executive and director community on how to incorporate these considerations into corporate performance management, as well as executive pay.”

Hugessen Consulting is a board-side executive compensation advisory firm. Hugessen offers strategic advice and analysis to enable boards to make the right decisions on executive compensation and its governance aspects.

Media Enquiries
Nick Buccheri, Manager, Communications and Digital Media, RIA, +1 416-461-6042

Gender Lens Investing by RIA CEO Dustyn Lanz (Investment Executive)

Men hold the vast majority of board seats and CEO positions in Canada. Gender lens investing aims to close the gap.

A recent Osler report found that women hold only 16% of board seats at TSX-listed companies, and a staggering 66% of boards have either one or zero women.

The figures are even more dismal for the C-suite.

Read the full article.

Responsible Investment Designations on the Rise for Advisors

Toronto — April 16, 2019 — A growing wave of Canadian financial advisors are specializing in the practice of responsible investment (RI), which refers to investments that incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors.

More than 850 financial professionals have either earned an RI designation or are in line to earn one from the Responsible Investment Association (RIA), a Canadian non-profit organization that promotes education and awareness around RI.

“The investment industry is entering a new era,” said Dustyn Lanz, CEO of the RIA. “Investors are increasingly conscious about the impacts of their investment decisions, and they want their advisors to be knowledgeable about how ESG risks could affect their portfolios,” he said. “Responsible investment is not a trend; it’s a paradigm shift.”

The Responsible Investment Specialist (RIS) program, launched by the RIA in 2016, provides education about the Canadian retail market for responsible investment. Desjardins has committed to putting 500 of its representatives through the RIS program, while Vancity has enrolled more than 100 of its representatives.

“We’re very happy about our partnership with RIA, which allows us to provide our advisors and employees with the resources they need to expand their knowledge of RI,” said Sébastien Vallée, Director, Investment Solutions Development and Management, at Desjardins. “Through this program, Desjardins agents and employees will be fully prepared to support our members and clients who want to make environmental, social and governance factors part of their investment strategy,” added Mr. Vallée.

“As one of the first financial institutions in Canada to focus on responsible investing, Vancity has been a long-time supporter of the RIA and in particular the RIS program,” said Steve Eng, Director at Vancity Investment Management. “It has given our wealth professionals the opportunity to take their knowledge of responsible investing to the next level, and we look forward to growing our relationship with RIA in the years ahead.”

Assiniboine, Kindred, Libro, Servus, and other credit unions are also putting their investment teams through the RIS program, as a growing number of their members are seeking to align their portfolios with their values.

RI fund companies NEI Investments, iA Clarington Investments, and others are also supporting the RIS program by training their staff and partnering with credit unions to promote education about responsible investing.

In addition to the RIS program, the RIA also offers the Responsible Investment Advisor Certification (RIAC) and Responsible Investment Professional Certification (RIPC) programs, which provide training in RI activities such as integrating ESG issues into financial models.

Learn more about RI training at riacanada.ca/training-certification.

About the Responsible Investment Association
The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is a national membership association dedicated to advancing responsible investment (RI) in Canada. RIA members include asset management firms, financial institutions, investment advisors, service providers and asset owners such as foundations, pension funds and universities who practice and support RI. To learn more about the RIA, please visit www.riacanada.ca.

Media Enquiries
Nick Buccheri, RIA Manager, Communications & Digital Media
+1 416-461-6042

Global Sustainable Investment Alliance releases Global Sustainable Investment Review 2018

Highlights

At the start of 2018, global sustainable investment assets reached $30.7 trillion, a 34 percent increase from 2016.
Sustainable investment, also known as responsible investment, commands a sizable share of professionally managed assets in each region, ranging from 18 percent in Japan to 63 percent in Australia and New Zealand.
Europe accounts for the largest pool of sustainable investment assets with €12.3 trillion ($14.1 trillion) in assets under management, followed by the United States with $12.0 trillion.
Negative/exclusionary screening remains the most prevalent sustainable investment approach globally, affecting $19.8 trillion in assets, followed by ESG integration, applied to $17.5 trillion in assets.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 1, 2019 – Today the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (GSIA) released its biennial Global Sustainable Investment Review 2018, showing that global sustainable investment assets reached $30.7 trillion at the start of 2018, a 34 percent increase from 2016.

In its fourth edition, the biennial Global Sustainable Investment Review brings together the results from regional market studies by the sustainable investment forums of Europe, the United States, Japan, Canada, and Australia and New Zealand. It also includes data on the African sustainable investing market in cooperation with the African Investing for Impact Barometer and highlights from several countries in North, Central and South America provided by the Principles for Responsible Investment.

The 2018 Global Sustainable Investment Review found that sustainable investing assets have grown in all regions since 2016. Europe accounts for the largest concentration of sustainable investment assets globally, with total assets of €12.3 trillion ($14.1 trillion). However, the share of Europe’s sustainable investing assets in the region’s overall assets under professional management declined from 53 percent to 49 percent. The slight drop may be due to a move to stricter standards and definitions of sustainable investing.

The United States is the second largest region based on its value of sustainable investing assets. Total US-domiciled assets under management using sustainable strategies grew from $8.7 trillion at the start of 2016 to $12.0 trillion at the start of 2018, an increase of 38 percent.

In Japan, sustainable investing assets quadrupled from 2016 to 2018, growing from just 3 percent of total professionally managed assets in the country to 18 percent. This growth has made Japan the third largest center for sustainable investing after Europe and the United States.

In Canada, sustainable investing assets grew by 42 percent over the two-year period and now account for over 50 percent of professionally managed assets in the country.

Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) is the region with the greatest proportion of sustainable investment assets relative to total assets under management: 63 percent.

The largest sustainable investment strategy globally is negative/exclusionary screening ($19.8 trillion), followed by ESG integration ($17.5 trillion) and corporate engagement/shareholder action ($9.8 trillion). Negative screening remains the largest strategy in Europe, while ESG integration continues to dominate in the United States, Canada and Australia/New Zealand in asset-weighted terms. Corporate engagement and shareholder action is the dominant strategy in Japan.

Norms-based screening has lost ground in Europe, with substantially fewer assets managed under this strategy than in 2016. Despite modest growth in Canada, and more rapid growth in Japan in assets managed under norms-based screening, the global total of these assets fell from 2016 to 2018.

Impact investing is a small but vibrant segment of the broader sustainable and responsible investing universe in all the markets studied. GSIA defines impact investing as targeted investments aimed at solving social or environmental problems. Community investing, whereby capital is specifically directed to traditionally underserved individuals or communities, is included in this category, as is finance that is provided to businesses with an explicit social or environmental purpose.

To download the full report, visit gsi-alliance.org.

About the Global Sustainable Investment Review
The Global Sustainable Investment Review 2018, the fourth edition of this biennial report, continues to be the only report collating results from the market studies of regional sustainable investment forums from Europe, the United States, Japan, Canada, and Australia and New Zealand. It provides a snapshot of sustainable investing in these markets at the start of 2018 by drawing on the in-depth regional and national reports from GSIA members—Eurosif, Japan Sustainable Investment Forum (JSIF), Responsible Investment Association Australasia, RIA Canada and US SIF. This report also includes data on the African sustainable investing market, from the African Investing for Impact Barometer, and on Latin America from the Principles for Responsible Investment.

The Global Sustainable Investment Review 2018 was made possible through the generosity of report sponsors Hermes Investment Management, RBC Global Asset Management and UBS.

About The Global Sustainable Investment Alliance
The Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (GSIA) is a collaboration of membership-based sustainable investment organizations around the world. GSIA’s mission is to deepen the impact and visibility of sustainable investment organizations at the global level. Its vision is a world where sustainable investment is integrated into financial systems and the investment chain and where all regions of the world have coverage by vigorous membership-based institutions that represent and advance the sustainable investment community. For more information, visit gsi-alliance.org.

Æquo Shareholder Engagement Services Joins the RIA as a Supporting Member

March 27th, 2019 – Toronto – The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is pleased to announce that Æquo Shareholder Engagement Services has joined the RIA as a Supporting Member.

“We are very happy to welcome Æquo as a Supporting Member of the Responsible Investment Association,” said Dustyn Lanz, Chief Executive Officer of the RIA. “Æquo’s leadership team has a long history of commitment to shareholder engagement, and we look forward to working with them to advance responsible investing in Canada.”

The RIA is Canada’s industry association dedicated to advancing responsible investment, which refers to the incorporation of ESG factors into the selection and management of investments. RIA membership has grown rapidly in recent years as investors increasingly seek investments that align with their values and manage exposure to ESG risks and opportunities. According to research published by the RIA $2.1 trillion are invested responsible in Canada, equal to more than 50% of professionally managed AUM in Canada.

“We are thrilled to be joining a larger movement of actors spearheading responsible investing in Canada,” said Jean-Philippe Renaut, CEO, Aequo. “The growth of RIA signals the adoption of ESG factors and shareholder engagement the investment process. Through the dialogue it leads on behalf of institutional investors, Æquo aims to improves corporate behavior and steer our society as a whole in a more sustainable direction.”

Æquo conducts shareholder engagement on behalf of institutional investors seeking to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into their investment processes. Æquo represents international institutional investors including pension funds, asset managers, and faith-based communities. Many of its clients are signatories to the Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI) and represent more than CA$110 billion AUM.

Media Enquiries
Nick Buccheri, Manager, Communications and Digital Media, RIA, +1 416-461-6042

National Bank Investments Joins the RIA as an Associate Member

March 21, 2019 – Toronto – The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is pleased to announce that National Bank Investments (NBI) has joined the RIA as an Associate Member.

“We are delighted to welcome National Bank Investments as an Associate Member of the Responsible Investment Association,” said Dustyn Lanz, Chief Executive Officer of the RIA. “We applaud National Bank Investments for their strengthened commitment to responsible investing, and we look forward to working with them to promote the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues into investment decisions.”

The RIA is Canada’s industry association dedicated to advancing responsible investment, which refers to the incorporation of ESG factors into the selection and management of investments. RIA membership has grown rapidly in recent years as investors increasingly seek investments that align with their values and manage exposure to ESG risks and opportunities. According to research published by the RIA $2.1 trillion are invested responsible in Canada, equal to more than 50% of professionally managed AUM in Canada.

“NBI is the leading bank-affiliated asset management firm in Canada that is guided by a 100% open architecture structure. We strongly believe that selecting managers who integrate ESG factors into their investment process leads to better outcomes for our clients,” said Terry Dimock, Head Portfolio Manager at NBI. “By becoming a member of the RIA and promoting ESG factors integration, we will be helping our clients reach their financial goals while simultaneously contributing to a positive societal impact.”

National Bank Investments Inc. (NBI) is an investment fund management firm that provides a comprehensive range of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, investment solutions and services designed to help individual, high-net-worth and institutional investors.

Media Enquiries
Nick Buccheri, Manager, Communications and Digital Media, RIA, +1 416-461-6042